02.23.07

Bishop Coleman's Lenten Message

THE WARM GLOW OF PEACE - Parishioners of Holy Name Parish in Fall River have warmly received the new Our Lady of Grace eucharistic adoration chapel.

New adoration chapel is well received at Holy Name

By MIKE GORDON

ration and the response from parishANCHOR STAFF ioners has been overwhelming since FALL RIVER - "Eucharistic the chapel opened."

When Father Harrison arrived at adoration is a blessing for our parish," said Father George E. Harrison, pas- the parish nearly two years ago adotor at Holy Name Parish, as he opened ration was held on Tuesdays and the door to the new Our Lady of Grace Wednesdays at a side altar in the main church. Now they have moved adoraChapel.

As we stepped into the renovated tion to a small chapel in the church building and it is space, spiritual books and pam"It's a place for reflection open from 7:30 phlets were neatly and prayer. Pray for your a.m. to 9 p.m. arranged next to a needs, your families needs Monday through Friday. Morning sign-in book. and those of the world. Let Mass is celNearby, a door opened and we the L~;d take you some- ebrated at 7 am. were in the pres- place. - Father George each weekday. ence of Jesus.

E. Harrison ''It was a natuHalf a dozen - - - - - - - - - - - - - ral progression," people were seated, spending time explained Father Harrison. "I wanted with the Lord. Some read, some held to make it more available for parishrosary beads, but all were benefiting ioners here. Jesus is the true priest and from the gift that is eucharistic adora- we should put him at the center ofthe parish." tion.

After the visit, Father Harrison sat Father Harrison is no stranger to eucharistic adoration. He spent 18 down to talk.

"We have adoration five days a years as pastor at Our Lady ofMount week and sometimes I can't get a seat," Carmel Parish in Seekonk where he he said with a smile. "People have helped build the thriving perpetual come to really value eucharistic adoTum to page 20 - Chapel

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Once again. we begin the annual season of Lent, as a time of preparation- for the celebration of the Lord's Paschal Mystery, during Holy Week and Easter. During this intensely spiritual season, we focus primarily on repentance and conversion, as we seek to deepen our faith and our discipleship of Christ. It is also, however, a time to prepare ourselves to renew the promises of our baptism.

At the conclusion of Lent, during the Easter liturgy, we, as a Church, will renew our baptismal promises. For most of us, these promises were first made on our behalf by our parents and godparents, when we were baptized as infants. Because we were not conscious of these promises when they were first made, the opportunities to renew them should not be taken lightly, but are rather times for which we should be well prepared.

When we renew our baptismal promises, we state that we reject Satan and all his works and all his empty promises. This means that we reject sin in all its forms, and we accept and live by what God has decreed to be good and right, rather than by our own preferences or judgments. Next, we profess our faith in God the Father, the creator of heaven and earth, the source of our very being ,and the absolute sovereign of our existence. We profess belief in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, God's only Son, and in his redemptive death

and resurrection, which provide the pattern for our own lives. Finally, we renew our belief in the Holy Spirit, who animates the Church and works through the sacraments to lead us to eternal life.

The baptismal promises define our very lives, as Christians. They state the fundamental choices and beliefs on which our lives are based and ordered. In addition to the Easter liturgy, we renew these promises at our confirmation and when we sponsor others for baptism. In the rites for baptism and confirmation, after the renewal of promises, the presider states, ''This is'our faith. This is the faith of the Church. We are proud to profess it in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Our Christian faith is indeed something of which we should be rightly proud. As we begin this holy season of Lent, may I suggest for our meditation, the significance of the baptismal promises, which we prepare to renew at the celebration of Easter. Through a deeper understanding of these promises and how they -shape oUr lives, we can work collectively to strengthen the Church, here in our diocese.

With prayers for a blessed and grace-filled Lenten season, I remain Sincerely yours in the Lord,

~41t/~ Bishop of Fall River

Sacrament of reconciliation smooths Lenten conversion

By DEACON JAMES N.

DUNBAR

"Still, many people forget the evil of sin because FALL RIVER - Every Lent, Catholics young and the world around us makes sin not something we want _ old are reminded that this is a time to convert, literally to think about, or makes us think some things are not meaning "to tum back" to Christ. truly wrong, or the Church has changed its view on Because asking pardon from God for sins commit- what's, needed for salvation," Father Raymond, who ted is a key to that conversion and to advance in holi- has been a priest for 36 years, added.

Father Fonte agreed "that many people no longer ness, The Anchor recently spoke with two priests about see sin as anything serious because the sacrament of forgiveness they have either forgotten, or know~ as reconciliation or ~ -.) through the weakness of some penance; how it is perceived " our catechetical textbooks today, and what needs to be have never heard much about done to revive it. this, and as a result have modFather Martin Mary Fonte, em day misconceptions about a member of the Friars of the right and wrong. So we have Immaculate and guardian of to do all we can to issue rethe Marian Friary and Our minders and re-educate freLady's Chapel in downtown quently."

New Bedford, as well as ConThe New Bedford priest gregation of Holy Cross Faalso said that the recent years' ther Willy Raymond, national . - ---. , ', scandal of abuse of children director of Family Theater~, ~ I by clergy has truly affected Productions in Hollywood, some Catholics to shy away Calif., talked frankly about the from the confessional, "but it is importance ofthe confessions of also used as an excuse by others who sins - and why fewer Catholics tohave let their faith lapse for various other reasons." day are approaching the confessional.

Father Raymond recalls seeing a film, "Longford" Father Raymond, who hears confessions daily at St. Monica Parish in Santa Monica, Calif., said that he at the Sundance Film Festival in Colorado that spoke believes "many Catholics have forgotten the serious- to the peart of the matter.

"The person who was portrayed in the plot as the ness of sin. Butin the mission where I am here in Cali-. murd~rer, lies to the prosecutor during her jury trial fornia, we have many people coming to confession and explains her horrific actions by saying, 'I made a daily, quite a difference from there in New England," he said.

Tum to page 18 - Reconciliation

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, NEWS FROM THE VATICAN ,

F~BRUARY'23, 2007

Text of Pope Benedict XVI's message for Lent 2007 were subject to lifelong bondage" dens. Jesus said: "When I am VATICAN CITY (CNS) Here is the Vatican text of Pope (Heb 2:15). God, however, did not lifted up from, the earth, I will Benedict XVI's message for Lent give up. On the contrary, man's draw all men to myself" (In 2007. It was released February 13 "no" was the decisive impulse that 12:32). The response the Lord arby Archbishop Paul Cordes, presi- moved him to manifest his love dently desires of us is above all dent of the Pontifical Council Cor in all of its redeeming strength. . that we welcome his lov.e and alThe cross reveals low ourselves to be drawn to him.

Unum. the fullness of God's love Accepting his love, however, is Dear Brothers and Sisters! .It is in the mystery of the cross not enough. We need to respond "They shali look on him whom they have pierced" (In 19:37). that the overwhelming power of to such love and devote ourselves This is the biblical theme that this the heavenly Father's mercy is re- to communicating it to others.

A MEMORY IN THE MAKING - Pope Benedict XVI greets a child year guides our Lenten reflection. vealed in all of its fullness. In or- Christ "draws me to himself' in during a recent weekly general audience in the Paul VI hall at the.

Lent is a favorable time to learn der to win back the love of his order to unite himself to me, so (eNS photolTony Gentile, Reuters) to stay with Mary and John, the creature, he accepted to pay a very that I learn to love the brothers beloved disciple, close to him who high price: the blood of his only with his own love.

Blood and water路 on the cross consummated for all begotten son. Death, which for the , "They shall look on him whom mankind the sacrifice of his life first Adam was an extreme sign (cf. Jn 19:25). With a more fer- of loneliness ,and powerlessness, they have pierced." Let us look vent participation let us direct our was thus transformed in the su- with trust at the pierced side of

By JOHN THAVIS a reputation as a kind ofpopulist pas- gaze, therefore, in this time of preme act of love and freedom of Jesus from which flow "blood and CATlfOLIC NEWS SERVICE tor willing to speak his mind on a penance and prayer, at Christ cru- the new Adam. One could very water" (In 19:34)! The Fathers of VATICAN CITY - Listening to wide spectrum oftopics ----:- from the cified who, dying on Calvary, re- well assert, therefore, together the Church considered these elean early morning talk show on the importance of religious art to medi- vealed fully for us the love of with St. Maximus the Confessor, ments as symbols of the sacraradio one recent morning, Cardinal cal ethics.

God. In the encyclical "Deus that Christ "died, if one could say ments of baptism 'and the Euchaso, divinely, because he died rist. Through the water of bapTarcisio Bertone grew annoyed as Over the last few months, Cardi- Caritas Est," I dwelt upon callers complained about the nal Bertone has popped up aImostev- this theme oflove highlighttism, thanks to the action of Vatican's "silence" on soccer vio- erywhere: talking about the Holo- ing its two fundamental the Holy Spirit, we are given lence. caust at a book presentation, preach- forms: agape and eros.

Let us live' Lent then, as a access to the intimacy of So the Vatican's secretary of state ing about ethics to Italy's finance God's love: agape and love. In the "eucharistic" time in which, wel- Trinitarian picked up the phone and soon found police, blessing a garbage collectors' eros Lenten journey, memorial of himself on the air, giving listeners an Christmas creche, celebrating Mass The term agape, which coming the love of Jesus, we our baptism, we are exearful. for typography workers, sampling appears many times in the learn to spread it around us horted to come out of ourCardinal Bertone pointed out that truffies from Italy's Piedmont region, New Testament, indicates selves in order to open ourwith every word and deed.

Pope Benedict XVI, the Vatican viewinganexhibitonRussianOrtho- the self-giving love of one selves, in trustful abandonnewspaper and the cardinal himself dox spirituality and cheering at a who looks exclusively for ment, to the merciful emhad all condemned the recent killing Church-run soccer tournament. the good of the other. The word freely" (Ambigua, 91, 1956). On brace of the Father (cf. St. John of a policeman at a soccer match Pope Benedict is apparently used eros, on the other hand, denotes the cross, God's eros for us is Chrysostom, Catecheses, 3, 14ff). and said if people didn't know that, to seeing his secretary of state come the love of one who desires to made manifest. Eros is indeed Blood, symbol of the love of the they weren't paying attention. and go. In December, on the feast of possess what he or she lacks and as Pseudo-Dionysius expresses it Good Shepherd, flows into us esHe added that it was a huge mis- the Immaculate Conception, the pope yearns for union with the beloved. - that force "that does not allow pecially in the eucharistic mystake to suggest, as some listeners had asked him where he was headed, and The love with which God sur- the lover to remain in himself but tery: "The Eucharist draws us into done, that the pope was somehow de- the cardinal said he was offto the out- rounds us is undoubtedly agape. moves him to become one with Jesus' act of self-oblation ... we tached from the concerns of average skirts of Rome to lead a procession. Indeed, can man give to God some the beloved" (De divinis enter into the very dynamic of his people.

More than anything else, soccer good that he does not already pos- nominibus, IV, 13: PG 3, 712). Is self-giving" ("Deus Caritas Est," 'This isjust typical boorish igno- has made Cardinal Bertone a house- sess? All that the human creature there more "mad eros" (N. 13). Let us live Lent then, as a rance," he said. hold name in Italy. The cardinal is a' is and has is divine gift. It is the Cabasilas, Vita in Cristo, 648) "eucharistic" time in which, welHistorically, aVatican secretary of longtime fan, and as archbishop of creature, then,. who is in need of than that which led the Son of God coming the love of Jesus, we learn state communicates in discreet, c1osed- Genoaheoncedidradioplay-by-play . God in everything. But God's love to make himself one with us even to spread it around us with every door conversations and not via talk for a local soccer match. is also eros. In the Old Testament, to the point of suffering as his own word and deed. Contemplating radio. But five months into his new Last fall, he declared - jokingly, the Creator of the universe mani- the consequences of our offenses? "him whom they have pierced" "Him whom they have job, Cardinal Bertone already has sig- he later insisted -that the Vatican fests toward the people whom he moves us in this way to open our naled that he's going to be different. should field its own national soccer has chosen as his own a predilecpierced" hearts to 'others, recognizing the Dear brothers and sisters, let us wounds inflicted upon the dignity Instead ofspending all day behind team for the World Cup. More re- tion that transcends every human the scenes, dealing with foreign af- cently, he said it would be beautiful I motivation. The prophet Hosea look at Christ pierced in the cross! of the human person; it moves us, fairs and the administrative problems if the Vatican could send an athletic r expresses this divine passion with He is the unsurpassing revelation in particular, to fight every form of the universal Church, Cardinal team to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing daring images such as the love of of God's love, a love in which eros of contempt for life and human Bertone frequently goes outside the . and hear the Vatican anthem played a man for an adulterous woman and agape, far from being op- exploitation and to alleviate the Vatican walls to give speeches, say in a Chinese stadium. (cf.,3:1-3). For his part, Ezekiel, posed, enlighten each other. On tragedies of loneliness and aban' H i s high public profile has left speaking of God's relationship the cross, it is God himself who donment of so many people. May Mass or join in a debate.

That's a contrast with his diplo- some people wondering whether the with the people of Israel, is not begs the love of his creature: He Lent be for every Christian a rematically trained predecessor, Cardi- new secretary ofstate has any energy afraid to use strong and passion- is thirsty for the love of everyone newed experience of God's love nal Angelo Sodano. left overfor diplomacy or Church ad- ate language (cf. 16: 1-22). These of us. The apostle Thomas recog-' given to us in Christ, a love that "I think we're seeing a different ministration. Italy, to be sure, is en- biblical texts indicate that eros is nized Jesus as "Lord and God" each day we, in turn, must style. Cardinal Sodano was an office. joyingCardinalBertone'sascendancy. part of God's very heart: The AI- when he put his hand into the "regive" to our neighbor, espeperson, at his desk from 7 in the . The fact that the German pope choSe mighty awaits the路 "yes" of his wound of his side. Not surpris- cially to the one who suffers most morning until midnight, and he'd get an Italian cardinal as his right-hand creatures as a young bridegroom ingly, many of the saints found in and is in need. Only in this way his energy from that," said one man was extremely important to a that of his bride. Unfortunately, the heart of Jesus the de,epest ex- will we be able to participate fully Vatican source. country where many consider the pa- from its very origins, mankind, pression of this mystery of love. in the joy of Easter. May Mary, "Cardinal Bertone is more of a pacy on temporary loan to foreigners. seduced by the lies of the evil one, One could rightly say that the rev- mother of beautiful love, guide us And though everyone agrees it's rejected God's love in the illusion elation of God's eros toward man in this Lenten journey, a journey people person, an extrovert, and he needs the energy that comes from be- too early to talk about papal elections, of a self-sufficiency that is impos- is, in reality, the supreme expres" of authentic conversion to the love Cardinal Bertone's popularity already sible (cf. Gn 3:1-7). Turning in on sion of his agape. hi all truth, only of Christ. I wish you, dear brothing in circulation;' he said.

The media has warmed to the has led some observers to plaCe him himself, Adam withdrew from the love that unites the free gift ers and sisters, a fruitful Lenten cardinal's personality and given him at the top of the list of Italian that source of life who is God of oneself with the impassioned journey, imparting with affection ample ink and airtime. As a result, "papabili" in the event of a future himself, and became the first of desire for reciprocity instills a joy, to all of you a special apostolic the 72-year-old Salesian is building conclave. "those who through fear of death which eases the heaviest of bur- blessing.

People person: Vatican's No.2 man keeps high public profile

FEBRUARY

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d;o,","" 0' othei <h"<e SPECIAL MEETING - Pope Benedict XVI shakes hands with a Japanese man with Hansen's disease at the end of the general audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican February .:14. Hansen's disease is also known as leprosy. (eNS photo/L'Osservatore Romano via Reuters)

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Pope tells South Korean president of concern over nukes in region VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI told South President Roh Moo-hyun that he shares that nation's concerns about a nuclear arms race in the region.

With the aid of interpreters, the pope and president spoke privately for 25 minutes February 15 before Pope Benedict handed the president a letter expressing his concerns about North Korea's nuclear program and about the continued separation offamilies on either side of the border.

Roh's visit to the Vatican came just two days after North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the United States reached a tentative agreement to put a stop to the development of new nuclear weapons by North Korea.

The agreement requires North Korea to close its main nuclear reactor, allow international inspectors into the' country and begin reporting on·its nuclear-related activities. .

The nations involved in the talks promised to give major aid, parti~ularly fuel oil, ~o North Korea in return for its compliance.

In his letter to Roh, the pope said, "the risk ofa nuclear ~ rac.e in the region" is "a source of concern fully Ko~an

shared by the Holy See." He urged the countries involved in the so-called SixParty Talks "to make every effort to resolve the present tensions through peaceful means and to refrain from any gesture or initiative that might endanger the negotiations."

The pope also repeated a point he had made several times in the past: Countries must not withhold or threaten to withhold humanitarian aid to North Korea's poorest citizens as part of the negotiating process.

Pope Benedict told the president that he understood the pain people on both sides of the border have experieI)ced over the past 50 years because of the political division of the two Koreas'. ''Families have been split, close relatives have been separated from one another:' he said. ''Please let them kilow that I am spiritually close to them in their suffering..'

"On compassionate grounds, I pray for a speedy solution to the problem, which impedes so many from communicating with one another:' he said.

In a statement issued February IS, officials from Noqh Korea and South Korea announced their two gov- . emments would resume talks on trade and humanitarian aid in late February.

Cardinal welcomes North Korea's offer to cut nuclear program ROME - South Korea's leading Catholic churchman welcomed the news that North Korea had agreed to wind down its nuclear program in exchange for fuel assistance from outside countries.

Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jinsuk of Seoul said the agreement, .announced in Beijing February 13, had "averted a catastrophe of unimaginable consequences."

"If things had gone differently, we would have seen a nuclear . conflict that would have destroyed us," the cardinal told AsiaNews, a Rome-based missionary agency.

The agreement followed three years of talks among six countries, including the United States. North , Korea promised to shut down its . main nuclear facilities within 60 days and to begin the process of nuclear disarmament, with inter-

national inspections. In exchange, Kim Jong-it had put the Korean the country would receive one peninsula and the rest of the world million tons of fuel oil. at risk. Last October, despite inThe agreement also set in mo- ternational warnings, North Korea tion talks on a wide range of re- tested a nuclear weapon. lated issues, including normalizaIf a war had broken out, Cartion of U.S.-North Korean rela- dinal Cheong said, retfugees from tions. the North would have flooded . Cardinal Cheong, who is also South Korea. the apostolic administrator !;?f the "We want to welcome our sufNorth Korean capital of fering brothers, but we are not Pyongyang, said the Catholic ready to do so. Their economic Church in Korea welcomed· the conditions are disastrous and a announcement with "joy and sat- mass exodus would transform into isfaction." a reciprocal catastrophe," he said.

Unfortunately, he said, the fuel He said the only long-term sodelivered to North Korea will lution was to "wait for the death probably go "first and foremost of the dictator" and prepare North into the tanks of the military," but Korea for gradual economic aid. he said the people would also ben- Only when the economies of the efit to some degree. two Koreas are on a par will South The cardinal said the nuclear . Korea be able to open its borders program of North Korean leader without fear, the cardinal sliid.

Diocese of Fall River

OFFICIAL His Excellency; the Most Reverend George W. Coleman, Bishop of Fall River, has I'announced the following appointments: .

Reverend Rogh J. Landry to Temporary Studies at St. John's Seminary, Bostoq. "

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Reverend Msgr. Gerard P. O'Connor to Parochial Administrator, St. Anthony Of Padua Parish, New Bedford.

Reverend Karl C. Bissinger to Parochial Vicar at St. Julie Billiart Parish, North Dartmouth.

Effective March 1, 2007

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$14.00 per year. $end address changes 19 BOx 7, Fall River.MA. call or use email address PUBLlSftEfI .. Most Auerend George W. Coleman EXECUTIVE EDITOR FattletFlOger"'Landry tathen'ogerIancOallChOmeWs.org: EDITOR DaVklB;~1Wt davejolh,etOanchornew•.org NEWS EDITOR Dellc!:In~ N. Dunbar IlmdunbarOanchornews.org REPQRTEft .

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FEBRUARY

23,2007

Protect poor, common good in acting on global warming, bishop urges

By PATRICIA ZAPOR CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE WASHINGTON - Congress should heed the warnings of a recent report on global warming, with priority given to how climate change will affect the poor, the chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on International Policy urged.

In a February 7 letter to congressional leaders, Bishop Thomas G. Wenski of Orlando, Fla., said the recently released report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has clearly and compellingly outlined the case for urgent action to address the potential consequences of climate change.

The letter urged the U.S. government to base responses to global warming on the common good "rather than the demands of n¥1"Ow interests," and to place priority on the poor "who will bear the greatest burdens and pay the greatest price for the consequences and costs of climate change."

In a June 2001 statement, "Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence and the Common Good," Bishop Wenski noted, the bishops said climate change "is not about economic theory or political platforms, nor about partisan advantage or interest-group pressures. It is about the future of God's creation and the one human family."

On February 2, the intergovernmental panel, ail international working group established by two U.N. agencies, approved a summary report for policymakers, "Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis," which "assesses current scientific knowledge of the natural and human drivers of climate change, observed changes in- climate, the ability ofscience to attribute changes to different causes and projections for future climate change."

Bishop Wenski noted that the report makes clear that "continued greenhouse gas emissions at or above current rates would cause further warming and induce many

changes in the global climate system during the 21 st century that would very likely be larger than these observed during the 20th century."

The report predicted that at the current rate of change, the following will occur: - snow cover and sea ice will contract, with increased thawing in the permafrost and arctic summer sea ice aimost disappearing by late in the 21st century; - heat waves and heavy precipitation will become more frequent; - typhoons and hurricanes will become more intense, more frequent and more common farther north and south than has been normal; -:- precipitation will likely increase in high latitudes and decrease in subtrop~cal regions, leading to more flooding in some regions and droughts elsewhere.

Bishop Wenski said, "The traditional virtue of prudence suggests that we do not have to know with absolute certainty everything that is happening with climate change to know that something seriously harmful is occurring. Therefore it is better to act no~ than wait until the· problem gets worse and the remedies more costly. .

"This precautionary prinCiple leads us to act now to avoid the worst consequences of waiting," he continued. "Prudence sometimes keeps us from acting precipitously. In this case, it requires us to act with urgency and seriousness."

Bishop Wenski offered the help' of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in working to address global climate change on the basis of. making the poor a priority, pursuing the common good and practicing prudence.

"We participate not as climate experts or as scientists, but rather as pastors and teachers who fear that the moral and human dimensions of these decisions will be overwhelmed by political, economic or ideological pressures," he wrote. '

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SNOW-CAPPED - St. Mary Star of the Sea Church in MexiCo, N.Y., is seen after snow coming off Lake Ontario dumped more than 100 inches over five days. Father John Canorro, pastor at St. Mary and a volunteer chaplain/fireman, went out on several emergency calls with the local Mexico Volunteer Fire Department. (CNS photo/Paul Finch, Catholic Sun)

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SPEAKING WITHOUT WORDS - With the U.S. Capitol in the background, Pro-Life supporters gather in front of the U.S. Supr~me Court during the recent 34th annual March fo~ Lif~ in Washin.gton.

The last Pro-Life bill to be considered by the 109th Congress became one of the fIrst Introduced In the 110th Congress when Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., reintroduced the Unborn Child Pain Awareness ACt. (CNS photo/Bob Roller)

Fetal pain legislation just one of life-related' bills before Congress

By NANCY FRAZIER O'BRIEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE WASHINGTON - The last ProLife bill to be considered by the 109th Congress became one of the first introduced in the 11 Oth Congress when Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., reintroduced the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act. The legislation, which died in the House ofRepresentatives last December when it failed to receive the twothirds majority needed to break a procedural impasse, would require that women undergoing an abortion at least 20 weeks into their pregnancy be informC(f that an abortion causes pain to the fetus. ''It's a scientific, medical fact that unborn children feel pain," said Brownback as he reintroduced the bill . in late January. ''We know that unborn children can experience pain based upon anatomical, functional, psychological and behavioral indicators that are correlated with pain in cmldren and adults. Mothers seeking an abortion have the right to know that their unborn children can feel pain."

The bill also would give women the option of choosing anesthesia for their unborn child to lessen his or her pain during the abortion.

In the 109th Congress, Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., had sponsored the House version of the legislation, called the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act. The U.S. bishops had remained neutral on the bills, but they will work for passage of the latest legislation, said Deirdre McQuade, director of planning and information in the bishops' Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities.

The fetal pain legislation was far from the only life-related legislation proposed in the first weeks ofthe II Oth Congress, however.

McQuade said the Pro-Life secretariat will be working for passage of legislation that would make ''truly constructive changes in the lives ofwomen and their unborn children."

One such proposal is the Pregnant Women's Support Act, to be introduced sometime soon by Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn. The legislation will provide resources "to help women make life-affirming choices for themselves and their children," McQuade said.

Among its many provisions, the . bill will expandeligibility for the State Children's Health Insurance Program and for the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program, and provide assistance to victims of domestic vio- .. lence. Pregnant and postpartum women are among those most likely to experience domestic violence, studies have found.

The legislation also includes provisions that will require medical professionals to provide information about abortion and alternatives to abortion that leads to truly "informed con-

sent," McQuade said. . Also receiving the bishops' support in the II Oth Congress will be the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Pregnant and Parenting Student Support Act, introduced in the 109th Congress by Sen..

Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., and Rep. Melissa A. Hart, R-Pa., who is no longer in Congress.

By offering housing, day care and academic accommodations to those who are "pregnant or parenting while pursuing their education," the bill will give students choices beyond the usual "abort or drop out of school," McQuade said.

The USCCB also supports the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act, which "came awfully close to passing last year," McQuade said It would make it illegal for an adult who is not a minor's parent or legal guardian to take the minor across state lines for an abortion in order to avoid her own state's parental notification or consent laws.

The legislation is called the Child Custody Protection Act in the House.

New Jersey bishops designate day of prayer to preserve marriage CLIFTON, N.J. - The Catholic benefits and responsibilities of marbishops ofNew Jersey have designated riage.

The bishops' letter was released by February 25 as a day of prayer for the . the New Jersey Catholic Conference, preservation of marriage.

In a letter read to Catholics at public policy arm of the bishops. BeMasses last week, the bishops said they sides being read at Masses, it was to are concerned that legislation on civil be inserted in parish bulletins for disunions signed into law recently by tribution.

"As teachers, the Catholic bishops Gov. Jon Corzine "not undermine the institution of marriage as a union be- of New Jersey point to both the Old tween one man and one woman. This Testament and the New Testament is critical as marriage is the founda- where the definition of marriage as a tion of the family. The family, in tum, union between one man and one woman is clear," the bishops said. is the basic unit of society."

They quoted from Chapter 2, Verse The Civil Union Act gives smnesex couples the legal rig~t to all of the 24 of the Book of Genesis.

FEBRUARY

4J THE CHURCH IN THE U.S. ,

23,2007

Black Catholic priest·hist~rian .

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Baltimore group attempting to fill Catholic churches with more men

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retraces his own faith history WASHINGTON (CNS) -;- Benedictine Father ing Heritage," and "Henriette Delille, Servant of Slaves, Cyprian Davis, one of the leading historians of the Witness to the Poor." He is co-author of "Taking Down black Catholic experience in the United States, came Our Harps: Black Catholics in the United States," with to the Catholic Church thanks in part to history: But it Georgetown University theology ·professor Diana wasn't the kind of history that's reflected in his own Hayes, and "Stamped With the Image of God: African books.

Americans as God's Image in Black," with Domini"Ever since I was a kid, I devoured books on his- can Sister Jamie T. Phelps.

The odd thing -is that Father Davis tory," said Father Davis, now 76 years old. "It's part of the reason I became ...... . . ; . . - - - - - - - - - - , hadn't priginally intended to write . a Catholic.

• about black Catholics.

"That really began to grow within "I converted when I was kid - I .me when I almost finished my career was in my teens.... One of the books as a student at the Univer'sity ·of I re!TIember reading was unbelievable: H.G. Wells' '.The Outline of Louvain" in Belgium, Father Davis History' - and H.G. Wells was not tpld Catholic News Service in a rea great Christian man," he said, cent telephone intervi~w from Sl. .·Meinrad. . laughing.

"I wasn't worried about that. I was "I was getting a degree in history, into all the descriptions of what was and I had specialized in a sense when going on, what the popes did. I I wrote my dissertation. It Was dealthought it was great. So it was not an ing with monastic history," he said. intellectual understanding that led me "When I went away to study history, into Catholicism. This was a typical, I had no desire to study American I guess, sort of adolescent interest." history, particularly because I was not Later on, Father Davis said, "I interested in reading about slavery, began to read other things. I would BLACK HISTORIAN and to read about the problems of never describe my odyssey as being Benedictine Father Cyprian race and so forth. That was a painful Davis, a leading scholar on the an intellectual journey. It was more history of black American Catho- subject and'l didn't want to spend my or less a falling in love with history. lies, is the winner of this year's time doing that."

It made me fall in love with one of Marianist Award from the Univer- . Father Davis returned to the the things history talks about and that sity of Dayton, Ohio. (CNS file United States in .1963. And what a would be the Catholic Church." photo) time it was.

It is a love that has served both _ "All those times were in ferment, Father Davis and his chosen church well. On February especjally in regard to civil rights, and that's when I 1, he received the Marianist Award from the Univer- began to realize its importance. People began to come sity of Dayton in Ohio. The award honors a Catholic and ask me about being black and Catholic: 'What is whose work has made a major contribution to intel- myphice in the church?'" he recalled. "That's when I lectuallife. began to realize thal this is important. ... That's when I Father Davis, a Church history professor at Sl. began to do my own research." .

Meinrad School of Theology in Indiana, is perhaps The research hasn't ended, either. "I'm interested, best known for his book "The History. of Black Catho- really, right now in bringing up to date the book I wrote lics in the United States." on the history of black Catholics," Father Davis told He is also the author of "Christ's Image in Black: CNS. "I'm especially interested right now in the po~i­ The Black Catholic Community Before the Civil War," tion of biack Catholics during the civil rights crisis, "To Prefer Nothing To Christ," "The Church: A Liv- because that has not been studied a lot."

_ Chufch official calls. for prayer in wake of Utah shootings

BALTIMORE (CNS)- Having Anthony of Padua parishioner. ."We started areally positive partnoticed that men have become a vast minority in .Catholic parishes nership with Archbishop Curley in northeast Baltin;lore, St. Arithony High School this year," .Gray told ofPadua parishioner Paul Gerhardt The Catholic Review, newspaper of and a group of his friends decided the Baltimore Archdiocese. ''Their to unite with a mission to luremem- students are required to perform serbers oftheir gender back to church. vice projects and we've gotten them So was born the Northeast involved in some of our projects. It Catholic Brotherhood a little more helps them out as it helps us out."

Those projects include the conthan a year ago, and with about 25 tinuing renovation of an unused men from three area faith cOmmubuilding on the Sl. Anthony of nities participating, the gr~up has .PaduaIMother Mary Lange Cathoignited a movement that mspires lic School campus that they are religious and community ~volve­ transforming into a youth center and ment. the Good Samaritan Car Wash, he "We're a pretty informal' group, but we're serious about getti,Og men said.

The cmwash ~as an impromptu back in the Church and coptributing to the community at large:' said enterprise last summer when they Gerhardt, 50, of BaltiplOre's .leamed a fellow parishioner had lost Gardenville neighborhood. ~'I'm re- her father and couldn't afford the ally enthused by what we'veaccom- marker for his interment.

"Within an afternoon, we pulled plished in the last year an4 I think our outreach efforts are only going together, planned the carwash and to grow." , then we raised the money for the Each month the group meets in marker:' Gray said. 'We discovered the rectory kitchen at S1. ~thony we could mobilize on short notice. of Padua for a casual dinner and to Now, we want to make this an anplan its outi.'each program~, minis- nual event to support a worthy tries and how to get male Catholics cause;' Last October the brotherhood - especially yt:>Unger men - morganized a living rosary at St. Anvolve(i with area parishes.

Represented in the group are pa- thony of Padua, with a group of 49 rishioners from St. Anthony of Catholics holding rosary beads the Padua, Most Precious Blood and St. size of a softball that lit up as each Francis of Assisi, which ~e all in participant began reciting his Hail Baltimore. This year they hope to Mary, said Joe Wehberg, 47, of the attract Catholics from o,ther area Belair Edison neighborhood and a parishioner at Most Precious Blood. churches. ''That's a tradition I think we'll Qrr a recent Tuesday night over beef stew, about 15 members of the continue for years to come," brotherhood reflected on the past Weh~erg s~d. "You 'know, it was year and agreed there is hope for fun and it showed everyone how entheir gender's participation in joyable (religious involvement) can be."

Church activities. " The group still has no officers With the group having hosted prayer meetings, liturgy etiscussions and their monthly meetings remain and several service projects, its informal, but their commitment to progress is steady but sur~, said Ken a male population boom in NorthGray, a 40-year-old father and St. east Baltimore parishes is fierce.

SALT LAKE CITY - Msgr. J. ceive the fullness of eternal life, that the more seriously injured were transTerrence FitzglErald, administrator of their families and friends receive com- .ported to the University ofUtah Medithe Diocese of Salt Lake City, called fort, and that our entire £:ommunity cal Center, LDS Hospital and Salt on Catholics to unite in prayer for vic- may worktogether to achieve the heal- Lake Region31 Medical Center.. tims of a shooting spree at a shopping ing that is so badly needed at this time:' mall and their families and for the gun- Msgr. Fitzgerald said.

FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY OF STEUBENVILLE man and his family.

Terrified shoppers and diners at Five people were killed and atleast . downtown Salt Lake City's Trolley four-more were wounded in a shoot- Square shopping mall were running ing spree atTrolley Squarein SaltLake for their lives and hiding under resCity February 12. The gunman was taurant tables and in any nook, cranny fatally shot by police. Authorities were or closet they could find afteran.18i trying to figure out what sparked the year-old man went on a deadly shoot.ing spree shortly after 6:40 p.m. FebrarnPilge.

Teaching Excellence • 35 Majors,7 Graduate!: Programs • Dynamic Orthodoxy ''We pray for everyone who has ruary 12.

Engaging Campus Culture • LifeJchanging Outreaches been traWJ.latized by this violent event, . Trolley Square, a quaint, 239,000including the police officers involved, square-foot shopping center built the rescue workers,. Trolley Square around the city's old trolley barns, rnnciscan University's demanding academics:: integrate faith and reason within a employees, and all of the jJeOple who . erupted with the sounds of gunfire, vibrant spiritual -environment. Our life~gjvi*g intellectual and faith community were in the mall at the time of the screaming and people running for teaches our students to love God and love true wisdom. Our engaging campus culture shootings:' said Msgr. Fitzgerald. cover when the shootit?g began at a invites them to seek ongoing pers~nal converSIon in the power of the Holy Spirit.

"I pray that we will draw strength site outside the mall.

This tOtal Catholic educational experience helps s.tudents achieve the Christian maturity, from our faith and the faith of those By t;he time the shooting stopped, integrity, and knowledge they need to live as "saltland light" in the world. around us as we reach out as a com- six people including the gunman lay munity of compassion and caring," dead; and at least four people were said the priest, whose statement was seriously injured. An unknown numissued before police released the iden- ber of shoppers, diners and mall emtities of the victims or the gunman. ployees were being treated for minor ..\:'"'''101''''' -:; .::lft:' c;t,J'::0r"', :J,J"/' ;.rr ~ "'I' ,t -, :'; P . . ~ ~!~ - \ l r 1''y ar,"'" '>( ..... ''We pray that the victims may re- injUries and shock on the scene while .

Academically ethallenging Passionately Catholic ..

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DonumVitae

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('The text of Donum Vitae can be found at www.vatican.va/roman3uria/congregationsl cfaithldocumentslrc_con3faith_doc_19870222_respect-for-human-life_en.html)

23, 2007

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Yesterday was the 20 anniversary of the publication of Donum Vitae, the Church's highest level foray into modem bioethical issues at the beginning of life. Written by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under the leadership of then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, "The Gift of Life" was a response to requests from various parts of the world for clarity about the morality of practices like in-vitro fertilization and artificial insemination. It lucidly presented bpth the "that" arid the "why" of the teachings of.the Catholic faith with respect to human life in its origin and to the dignity of human procreation.

For the most part, however, the guiding light of its principles has yet to penetrate the ~oral blind spots of the illfertility industry, or to influence the . branches of government that have oversight of the human manufacturing megabusiness, or even to reach Catholic couples in parishes who are struggling to overcome their inability to conceive children.

The 20th anniversary of this instruction is a good occasion for us to revisit and assimilate its core teachings and become equipped to rebroadcast its message as much-needed Good News to a "brave new world" ac. celerating its downward 'slide over ~ biological and relational cliff.

The central teaching of the document is that human life is a gift from God that has been.entrusted to men and women, who are called to appreciate its inestimable value and take responsibility for maintaining its dignity - with regard both to the human being called into existence and to the special nature of the transmission of human life. Because of the dignity both of the child and of the parents, the document declares that in-vitro fertilization, whether used by a married couple or by unmarried individuals, is always wrong. The good and natural desire' of parents struggling to conceive a child of their own, which the instruction praises, does not give them a right to one by ,any means whatsoever. .

A new human being is not an object or a piece of prqperty that adults have a right to manufacture, manipulate or destroy; but rather a personal subject biologically distinct from both father and mother whose dignity ,and individual rights must be respected and safeguarded. A child is a gift not a thing. A child has the right to be begotten not made, to be "conceived, ·carried in the womb; brought into the world and brought up within marriage, [because] it is through the secure and recognized relationship to hi!; own parents that the child can discover his own identity and achieve his own proper human development." The child, in other words, should be conceived as the fruit of the personal union and love of parents committed to each other for life, not fabricated by anonymous medical technicians earning a payday.

In-vitro fertilization likewise violates the dignity of parents, by renting asunder the connection between love-making and life-making. A child is no longer the fruit of their personal bodily union, but merely the fusion of their gametes, separated from their bodies, washed, and paired by technicians on a lab. bench. The wife is no longer impregnated by her husband during an act of love in the peaceful and.romantic solitude of their bedroom, but by a doctor injecting her with a pipette in a hospital room surrounded by strangers with masks over their mouths, as her husband stands to the side. This image alone is enough to bear witness that the process is not worthy of human dirnity'and interpersonal love.

But the in-vitro procedure has other affronts to the intrinsic worth of both children and parents. In a typical process, about eight to 10 eggs are fertilized. A whole large family of fraternal twins, in other words, is brought 'into existence. These brothers and sisters are allowed to grow for a couple of days in a laboratory, then some of them are selected to be injected into the mother. The other children are either frozen in liquid nitrogen to preserve them for future in-vitro attempts or they are left to die or be destroyed.

Therefore the cost of having a child through in~vitro is measured not only in the tens of thousands of dollars that a couple needs to pay, but in the death or cryopreservation of most ofthe parents' children and the implanted child's siblings. Again, the image itself is enough to convince most people that the process is not commensurate with human dignity.

The whole practice, moreover, is open to abuses contrary to the intrinsic worth of both children and parents. Egomaniacal doctors have substituted their sperm in place of the father's and have sired scores of half-siblings through unsuspecting mothers. Single women in their late 60s are using IVF to conceive children whom the actuarial tables indicate they'll leave orphans before high school graduation or maybe even before kindergarten..

Children whose fathers were anonymous sperm donors are now coming of age and are seeking to know who their dads are, or what medical conditions they mayor have inherited; at present, however, they have no rights to this information, because the entire in-vitro industry and legislation that protects it are set up to satisfy adult desires, without the concerns of the child in mind. And last but not least: IVF makes it possible for a child to grow up to discover that he or she has an anonymous egg donor for a biological mom, an anonymous sperm donor for a .genetic dad, a surrogate mom as birth mother, and then a "father" and a "mother" who paid the other three for their services. These multiple layers of relations are creating not just a legaJ. mess but a psychological one for such children.

Donum Vitae presents the principles to save the human race from this type of chaos and from the other morally problematic practices built upon in-vitro fertilization, like embryonic stem-cell research and human cloning. For Catholics called to proclaim the Gospel and of Life, it is a must read, and re-read. .

FEBRUARY

SMOKE RISES FROM A CHEMICAL COMPANY'S STACKS IN HAMILTON, ONTARIO. CLIMATE CHANGE AS AN ISSUE HOLDS APPEAL FOR CATHOUCS IN THE U.S. AND ABROAD, AND THE CHURCH'S

IN CANADA, THE HOUSE OF COMMONS PASSED A 14 THAT GIVEs THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 60 DAYS TO DETAIL MEASURES TO MEET ITS KyOTO PROTOCOL OBUGATIONS. (CNS PHOTO/J.P. MOCZULSKI, REUTERS) ''HE WHO T':LLS IDS LAND WILL HAVE PLENl'Y OF FOOD, BUr HE WHO FOLLOWS

SOCIAL TEACHING BACKS UP ADVOCACY ON IT. Bll...L FEBRUARY

EMPTY PURSUITS WILL HAVE POVERTY IN PLENTY" (PROVERBS

28:19).

A trustworthy saying Sometimes it cali happen that a stray from him, for the sake of staying faithful to us. He does not passage from sa~red ~cripture redefine or lower the requirecatches us off-guard. Because of preconceived notions we may ments of holiness and fidelity, have about God and his ways, based on the extent to which we certain passages from Scripture are willing to follow him. If we challenge us to think again.. ' are unfaithful to what Christ has taught, he remains faithful. He One such passage appears in cannot deny himself. the Second Letter of St. Paul to St. Timothy: "This saying is This passage of Scripture forces us to recognize that a trustworthy: If we have died with him we shall also live with him; if relationship of fidelity to Christ is we persevere we shall also reign with him. But " if we deny him he will.

PuttiOQ, deny us. If we are unfaithful he remains · f:\,. r/' faithful, for he cannot . (,. deny himself' (2Tim

Into

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2:11-P)· The idea of Christ denying us, for any reason, seems to many believers as somehow unbecoming of God. Most might expect that, even if we are unfaithful to Christ, Christ will remain faithful to us, because, after all, he loves us.

It is true that'God extends his love and mercy to us unconditionally, as an offer that is not dependent on our attitUde toward ·him. Even when we choose not to be faithful to Christ, he still beckons us to turn back to him and to accept his offer of love. In this sense, even when we deny Christ, he does not deny us.

But in another very real sense, Christ does deny us when we deny him, as Scripture tells us. In other words,Jesus does not follow us down'the path away from holiness or truth when we

not one of mutual, personal loyalty. Unlike other personal relationships which may be determined by mutual affection or loyalty, a relationship with Christ is one of assent, acceptance and submission to the truth that he has taught. It is a decision to love and follow Christ because of who he is and what he stands for. A relationship with Christ is one of shared loyalty to God the Father, with whom Christ said he is' one (In 10:30).

This truth of the Christian life ·is sometimes overlooked, though, especially by those who claim to believe in Christ, while rejecting his teachings. More and more · lately, we hear in public discourse and in news about divisions in other Christian ecclesial commu-

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nities the idea that it is possible to be a Christian without living as Christ taught. Proponents of this view imply that Christ happily changes his teachings based on each generation's acceptance or rejection of them. In particular, they suggest that Christ remains faithful to us by overlooking or ignoring our sins, or simply changing his teaching about sin.

But if we are honest about our faith, we must acknowledge that believing in and following Christ means understanding that he is "the same yesterday and today and for ever" (Heb 13:8)..As the Eternal Word, Christ never changes,evenifeveryone should decide to reject and abandon him. When we consider this, we might recall one of the questions Jesus posed to his disciples: "When the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Lk 18:8).

The teachings that Christ brought to the world show us the path to salvation. This path does not change, just as Christ does not change. Putting into the deep requires remembering that if we are faithful to Christ, he will be faithful to us, but if we are unfaithful to him and to the truth he taught, he remains faithful, for he is the "the way and the truth and the life" (In 14:6).

Father Pignato is chaplain at Bishop Stang High S~hool in North Dartmouth and is secretary to Bishop George If.' Coleman.

$ The Anchor $ Catholics and the Sl:Jpreme Court

FEBRUARY

7

23, 2007

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uphold the Roe court-ordered Missouri Compromise ofiil820 regime of effective abortion on was unconstitutional becl:iuse it demand. the recently broadcast PBS On Monday, February 26, outlawed slavery in som~ . (meaning onetCatholic seat on For the Supreme Court is not I'll be accompanying a group of documentary entitled ~'The the court, but evidently times territories. (We are fast yoming infallible. It has obviously my law students to the U.S. Supreme Court." The two-part, have changed. up on the 150th anniversllry of made mistakes, and it is Supreme Court. The trip, four-hour documentary gave a Interestingly, there have that momentous decision, "supreme" only in the sense which involves a few other fascinating history of the been Catholic chief justices which hastened the coming of that for the present it has the faculty of Southern before. Edward the Civil War.) ultimate word on the meaning Dred Scott was only tpe New England School of. , . . . - - - - - - - - _ -. .- - - - -... Douglass White was a of laws and the Constitution in Law, was arranged by '\ chief justice from second time that the Supreme cases before it. All human fellow Professor Lisa Louisiana appointed to Court declared an act ofi! i justice is necessarily proviMcElroy, who wrote a head the court by Congress to be unconsti,u\1 1. : . sional, and Catholic judges are children's biography of President Taft in 1910, tionill; the first was the 1803 as liable to injustice as anyone . Chief Justice John . though he had served case of Mflrbury v. Mad,'son, in else, perhaps more culpably Ro~erts. Earlier, she many years prior to that which Chief Justice Joh~ because they should know had written one about' as an associate justice Marshall explained the ~ourt's better. the first female Justice, appointed by President power of judicial revie~,: to "Presidents come and go, but Sandra Day O'Connor.

Cleveland. Roger judge whether laws implicated the Supreme Court goes on Brooke Taney, the chief justice We'll be hearing a couple of nation's hfghest court, which in deciding cases and c~ntro­ forever," said William Howard appointed by Andrew Jackson, oral arguments in cases that now for the first time in its versies are consistent with the' 'I Taft, who succeeded his morning, touring the court, and was a Catholic from Maryland. history has a majority of Constitution, and if not" to appointee Chief Justice White meeting with Chief Justice He wrote the infamous Dred justices who are baptized, invalidate them. If Mar~ury as Chief Justice himself in 1921 Roberts. indeed practicing Catholics: Scott decision for the Court on was' a victory for the C~urt, -- the ~nly president to become Both of those Supreme Court· Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, .

March 6, 1857, which declared Dred Scott was a disaster for a chief justice. As Catholics, of Thomas and Alito (five out of. that African-Americans were JustiCes, Chief Justice Roberts the Court and the countfY' course, we know that no merely and newly-retired Justice , nine justices). It wasn't so long not persons within the meaning More recently, if the,,1954 human institution will hist O'Connor, were.interviewed on ago that there was talk of a decision of Brown v. Board of of the Constitution and that the forever.

And constitutional . Education, which declared precedents can be undone by segregation in the publiC overruling at some future date schools to be a violation of the 14th amendment's guarantee of or by constitutional amendThis family exercise generated The saying goes, "Idle hands comes to tie-breaking questions, I' ment. "equal protection of the laws," are the work of the devil." To that 50-year-olds like me don't stand a more than a few chuckles in the In the final analysis and in was an unqualified jUdi~ial process, arid a few head tilts from I add, "So too, is the barren chance. For instance: ''The " the long run, we are all dead -=success, the 1973 deci~ion of the pooch: shortest person wins." I spent five stretch between footbal~ and though our faith assures us that Once each of us were honed to Roe v. Wade, which likf Dred baseball seasons." decades wishing I were taller, if we truly hunger and thirst for Scott declared a category of It's a few weeks before March then I lose a tie-breaker for being . perfection, we gathered on a justic~ we shall live forever and human beings, this tini~ the warm sunny beach for a family too tall. Go figure.

Madness and Mardi Gras parties " ultimately be satisfied in a preborn, to be non-per~ons OK, after Emilie trounces us in photo (see below). If we have to are history. What does a sports fan kingdom without end, that under the law and thus1lnot put up with sub-freezing temps do? trivia we seek n~w and exciting really does go on forever - per entitled to the protection of the· outside, we can at least Actually, last Sunday . " omnia saecula saeculorum. law, was an unmitigatelF create a dream world wasn't too bad. We had Beginning the penitential disaster for the court and the inside. In fact, in my NASCAR's version of season of Lent, we might ask i't was a country.

Once again, dream. world, as soon asthe Super Bowl in the ourselves if w'e have .that Catholic justice, Willi~m the family photo was Daytona 500 and there abiding passion for justice that Brennan, who was insttumental snapped, we all trekked was a very entertaining really should be supreme in our in that miscarriage of J'ustice. golf tournament taking over to Fort Myers to lives and in our country. For And in 1992, when the Suwatch the pitchers and place in L.A: what does it profit a man to be consider~d preme Court catchers pitch and catch.

In fact, both events called a "justice" or a Catholic, whether to overturn Roe v. were so exciting, I Perfect. Another for that matter, unless he really Wade, it was another Catholic' weekend closer to March Madfollowed one on one TV and ways to amuse ourselves. and truly is trying to. be just and justice, Anthony KellIlbdy, who ness and opening day.

Denise followed the other on BINGO. We happen upon an to do justice? provided a swing vote"to I wonder what" we can do next another.

M&M Website where we can create I~ weekend. It doesn't seem to matter Thanks to Phil Mickelson's M&M versions of ourselves.

Our Lady of Fatima' to Sister Lucia, Blessed meltdown, the Nissan Open went What fun. Each of us sits in the though, as long as we do it as a Jacinta and Blessed Francisco July 13, 1917 into O.T., which was good. That driver's seat and creates a luscious family. Although, by the look on' "I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate would allow us to watch the Igor's face, baseball season can't likeness. Although we create Heart, and the CoIllIrtunion of Reparation on the First Saturdays. If exciting last laps of the 200-lap Igor's for her. She's smart, but not come soon enough for this unit. my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be davejolivet@anchornews.org version of th~ Southeast Expressthat smart. (Or is she?) peace. If not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing way. wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the Wrong. An ill-timed yellow Holy Father will havt: much to suffer, various nations will be annihi- . flag sent America's race into O.T. lated. In the end, ply Ipunaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father .will consecrate Russia to me, and she will be converted, and a period Great. Back we went to the twoof peace will be grarited to the world. In Portugal, the dogma of the TV-set-mode..

Faith will always be preserved, etc."

Two fantastic finishes happenPaid advertisement ing simultaneously, 48 states apart. Couldn't we just save one for the barren times.?

Again I ask: What can a sports fan do during the lean times?

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FEBRUARY

23,2007

Just say no I don't think I'm a bad person, and yet there are times when I had some enticing and attractive urges. Nothing really terrible, mind you, but not necessarily things to be proud of. Perhaps I sped a little on the highway, maybe I ate one too many Kit-Kat bars, and I forget how many times I have wasted time simply by surfing the net.

There are many little entices, urges, temptations in our lives - some good, many not-sogood for us. But I think that, as we begin this season of Lent, a special season in which we Catholics take time to listen, refle<:t and respond to the word of God, it is comforting to know that Jesus was tempted too. In the Gospel of this First Sunday of Lent, we see that Jesus was tempted py the devil himself.

We know that Jesus is God he is Emmanuel, God-with-us.

But, and especially in today's Gospel, we see that he was also fully human. After he was baptized by John in the Jordan Rivet, the Spirit . led Jesus to the desert. In fact, sacred Scripture says that he "was led by the Spirit into the desert for 40 days, to be tempted by the devi1."

How appropriate that we mark this season of Lent over a period of40 days - the same amount of ti.riJ.e that our Lord spent in the desert, meditating, reflecting, and listening to God's voice.

Jesus was indeed human and, being human, he felt the pull of the temptations the devil held out before him. Does that mean

that Jesus was a bad person?

Does it mean he was less holy because these ideas even crossed . his mind? N9! The fact that .Jesus was tempted should not

cast any doubt on his divinity or holiness - it simply reflects his humanity. When people like you and me remember that Jesus himself was tempted, it comes as a great relief. For ifJesus Christ himself had to deal with temptation, then I know that I'm

OK when I have to deal with mine.

It's important to know that Jesus faced temptations. But it's even more important to note that Jesus did not give in to them. Try as he might, the devil just couldn't get Jesus to take the bait.

"Command this stone to become bread ... I shall give to you all this power and glory ... Throw yourself down from here, for your angels will guard you." No.matter what the devil said or did, Jesus always had a response - and those responses were taken from sacred Scripture. "It is written ...

One does not live on bread alone ... You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve." Even when the devil

quoted Scripture to tempt our Lord, Jesus still had a response for him: "You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test."

Perhaps that is a good lesson for you and me as we begin these 40 days of Lent. When we're standing face-to-face with our demon - whatever it may be - we shouldn't have to "wing it" all. by ourselves. By relying on the sacred Scriptures and our Catholic faith, we should always be able to resist the devil. With the Holy Spirit as our foundation and our guide, perhaps we can look temptation in the eye, resist the devil, and just say no!

Father, Cabral is a parochial vicar at St. Anthony Parish and chaplain of Coyle and Cassidy High School, both in Taunton.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat, Feb 24, Is 58:9b-14; Ps 86: 1-6; Lk 5:27-32. Sun, Feb 25, First Sunday of Lent, Dt 26:4-10; Ps 91: 1-2,10-15; Rom 10:8-13; Lk 4: 1-13. Mon, Feb 26, Lv 19: 1-2,1118; Ps 19:8-10,15; Mt 25:31-46. 'fues, Feb 27, Is 55:10-11; Ps 34:4-7,16-19; Mt 6:7-15. Wed, Feb 28, Jon 3:1-10; Ps 51:3-4,12-13,18-19; Lk 11:29-32. Thurs, March I, Est C:12, 14-16,23-25; Ps 138:1-3,7c-8; Mt 7:7-12. Fri, March 2, Ez 18:21-28; Ps 130:1-8; Mt 5:20-26.

Demytho'iogizi~g Before the gossamer threads of mythology being woven around the memory of the late Father Robert Drinan, S.J., harden into what some might take for facts, a visit to the historical record is imperative.

(1) In a memorial essay in the Washington Post, Colman McCarthy asserted that Drinan's presence in the House of Representatives "had been sanctioned by ... the U.S. episcopate, the cardinal of Boston, [and] his own Jesuit superiors...." That is false.

An exhaustive study by historian James Hitchcock, "The Strange

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Political Career of Father Drinan;' was published in 1996 in Catholic World Report. Using documents from the archives of the New England Province of the Society of Jesus, Hitchcock demonstrated that the Father General of the Society, Pedro Arrupe, expressed serious concerns about Drinan's political career numerous times. On , several other occasions, Arrupe . tried to communicate, through the New England Province leadership, his desire that Drinan leave electoral political life. Arrupe eventually withdrew his objections, but as Hitchcock writes, this "occurred [in 1976] only after Drinan had several times run for Congress in defiance of the General's express command."

In 1972, Cardinal John Krol, president of the U.S. bishops' conference, stated that Drinan's presence in Congress was

Fat.her Drinan

contrary to the policy and wishes of the U.S. bishops. That same year, Bishop Bernard Flanagan of

Worcester infolJl1ed Father Arrupe that both he and Archbishop Humberto Medeiros of Boston disapproved of Drinan serving in Congress. Arrupe reported this to Drinan in a let~er, reiterating his . command that Drinan cease and desist. Drinan did not reply. A reasonable reading of Hitchcock's article suggests that Drinan defied or ignored his Jesuit superiors in Rome on a dozen occasions; he seems to have done the same with the relevant U.S. bishops at least four times.

PRACTICE THE DEVOTION OF THE FIRST SATURDAYS, AS REQUESTED BY OUR LADY OF FATIMA

On December 10, 1925, Our Lady appeared to Sister Lucia (seer of Fatima) and spoke these words: "Announce in my name that I promise to assist at the hour ofdeath with the graces necessary for the salvation oftheir souls, all those who on the first Saturday of five consecutive months shall: 1. Go to confession; 2. Receive Holy Communion; 3. Recite the Rosary (5 decades); and 4. Keep me company for 15 minutes while meditating on the 15 mysteries ofthe Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me."

In a spirit of reparation, the above conditions are each to be preceded by the words: ''In reparation for the offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary."

Confessions may be made during 8 days before or after the first Saturday, and Holy Communion may be received at either the morning or evening Mass on the first Saturday.

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(2) The Post's McCarthy, like others, suggested that Pope John Paul II ordered Drinan to leave Congress because of pressure from "rankled American conservative Catholics." That is also false. John Paul's proscription on priests in elective politics, which was universal in scope, involved the theology of the' priesthood. How, the pope asked, . could a priest live out his sacramental ordination as an embodiment of the Church's unity if he engaged in partisan politics? This was a problem in Latin America, where priests were engaged in sometimes-lethal partisanship; it was also a problem in the (somewhat) more genteel halls of Congress. Hitchcock's article also offers a depressing reminder that Drinan's New England Jesuit supporters insisted to Father Arrupe that there was no layman qualified to t3Ice Drinan's seat in Congress - a breathtaking example of clericalism, and another falsehood to boot.

(3) Questions about the secular canonization of Robert Drinan as a forceful champion of human rights are also in order. The abortion license is the gravest (and certainly most lethal)' violation of human rights in America today. Father Drinan was a consistent pro-abortion vote in Congress; in 1980, a National Abortion Rights Action League fund-raising letter argued that Drinan's re-election was essential.

After becoming president of 路Americans for Democratic Action [ADA] in his post-congressional life, Drinan dispatched an ADA fund-raising letter urging the election of pro-abortion members of Congress on moral (sic) grounds. In 1996, Drinan penned a New York Times op-ed attacking the partial-birth abortion ban, misrepresenting the facts about the medical "necessity" of this gruesome procedure, and thanking President Clinton for vetoing the bill.

How any of this comports with a devotion to "human rights" is unclear. On the great human rights and civii rights issue of American dOl11estic politics these past three decades, Father Drinan was on the wrong side: consistently, persistently, and with no public evidence of regret. In the ]980s, the New England province Jesuit leadership claimed that Drinan's waS a uniquely moral voice in American politics. That was untrue then; recent, similar claims about Father Drinan's legacy are also untrue. .

There is no pleasure to be had in writing these things. The Drinan case is, however, an important cautionary tale about the corruptions of judgment that ensue' when truths are fudged in service to political power, and when that power is thought to be of greater consequence than the truth.

George Weigel is a senior fellow ofthe Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

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Fat Tuesday Tuesday 20 February 2007 biblical scholar. He was the most Port-O-Call, Funchal, Madeira intense person I've ever met. He - Carnival lectured all day then, late into the I've listened to countless night, he would be at his desk college and university professors over the years. My all-time favorite is Father Raymond Brown, a . .•. n.s. of a··' oj. . " . ~'!C> 't ' ~.:.::_ ...~_,,·r1es diocesan priest of the ;' is . " .. ~.'l>,":,:. . _.,~ ~ :~':':":~,",,:';'~~:'\ Society of St. Sulpice. I i:;f;[$~By=F-ather'rrfm~~ studied under Father -Goldrick Brown at St. Mary's Pontifical Seminary, University and Ecumenical often working on two books Institute in Baltimore. (Let's see, simultaneously. Any little noise that would be SMPSU&EI. No would disturb his concentration. wonder this monogram seldom He had his room soundproofed. appears on sweatshirts and His middle initial was "E." Some bumper stickers.) seminary wags maintained "E" Father Brown was an eminent stood for "Ears."

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Once a month, Father Brown took a day off. He always went to the movies. He saw as many movies as possible in a single day. Once a year, Father Brown took a vacation.

He went to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. This struck me as incong~­ ous at the time, but between the movies and the Mardi Gras, Father Brown kept his thumb on the pulse of popular culture. He was a true scholar.

Movies and Mardi Gras taught Father Brown something about life. It was a crash course.

I too enjoy Mardi Gras, but I've never been to New Orleans or Rio. I'm in the City of

Sunlight and Lent As a photographer by profession and by nature, I am constantly aware of sunlight.

Watching sunlight move through the day, arranging itself around objects and landscapes in ever-changing ways, is a constant source of joy and hope for me. It is, perhaps, for this reason that enduring the winter months . when the sun gets up late and goes to bed. early can be a challenge. As early as four o'clock in the afternoon, while there is still much to be done in my day, the beauty of twilight is snuffed out by cover of night.

There are other things about winter that make it challenging for the natural photographer in me as well. The winter landscape lacks color. Trees clothed in the delicate greens of spring and summer, and in the brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows of autumn are stripped to a uniform brown in winter.

Barren branches provide good studies in contrast and pattern, but all in all they are not nearly as spectacular as branches plump with leaves, flowers, . and fruits.

In order to compensate for the loss of sunlight and color in my world, I have trained myself to look for evidence of spring's return amid the winter months. Did you know, for example, that as early as January, leaf buds appear on tree branches? More amazing yet, rivers of sap begin to flow in barren tree branches around the end of February. I know this is true because since I was a kid I have tapped maple trees, collected the sap, and

boiled it down to the amber sweet goodness of maple syrup. Even today I carryon this tradition with my own kids, filling the dry, winter air in the house with sweetsmelling clouds of maple mist.

Looking for tree buds and making maple syrup reminds

me that even though nature appears to be dead in the middle of winter, it is in fact just waiting - like I am for the return of the sun before springing to life again.

It is during these waning weeks of winter and of maple sugaring that Catholics are called into the liturgical season of Lent. Frankly, I am of a split mind about the timing of this.

On one hand I always want to • say, "But I've given up sunlight and color for months now. What greater sacrifice can I offer up than to be joyful even without the beauty of sunlight to catch my eye? Lent is really just too much to bear on the heels of winter."

On the other hand, I think that Lent couldn't come during a better time of year. The coincidence of Lent with days of ever-increasing sunlight provides us with an ideal chance spiritually to join with nature in anticipating the return of a different type of light at Easter; the Light of the World, Jesus Christ. By stripping from our lives some

of the things that naturally give us pleasure, Lenten sacrifices help us see through the temporal happiness of the world to Jesus, who hung on the barren cross for our sins, and by this sacrifice became our ultimate source of joy, hope, and life.

As we enter into the season of Lent this year, let Us offer up our sacrifices, but using nature as our guide, let us also train ourselves to look closely for signs of new, spiritual life even in the most hopeless corners of our world. These signs may be as small as leaf buds in January; signs like a standing argument betw,een two family members that doesn't ignite because one member exercises self-control and pinches the fuse. These signs may even be as invisible as sap running through trees in February; signs like an increasing, personal desire to read and understand Scripture or an interior yearning to participate in the Mass more often. They are small or invisible, but they are still real. Pretty much impossible to photograph, these are the signs of new life for which we should eagerly look this Lent. They are evidence of the Light of the World shining into our souls and preparing us for an Easter season of life flourishing with the gifts and the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Heidi is an author, photographer, and full-time mother.

She and her husband raise their five children in Falmouth. homegrownfaith@yahoo.com.

Funchal, the capital of the don't often celebrate Mardi Gras, mountainous Island of Madeira. although the party store tells me Madeira is located off the it's becoming much more popular.

Atlantic coast of Africa, parallel to Casablanca. There's no gold, The day following Carnival, green and purple beads to be everyone is in the ancient seen, but what a celebration it is cathedral, solemnly bowing to nonetheless. receive ashes on the crown of the Madeirans spend weeks head. Father John Driscoll says that this is the proper way, at preparing for this celebration. least for a cleric, to receive ashes There are actually two celebra- on the tonsure. You can still tions. One is meant to impress, see clerical tonsures among the other to amuse. One is staged monks, but for us diocesan by the hotel! casino industry. priests, it's just a ritual snip of This is a carefully orchestrated production featuring singers, the hair. I received my token musicians, acrobats, jugglers, tonsure at the hands of Lawrence and dancers - all in their Cardinal Shehan. For many of us, a full tonsure miraculously glitziest costumes. The other is appears later in life, but let's not the people's celebration. This is an unregimented affai'r consisting go there. of just plain folk strolling in We all have faults and failures homemade costumes. The parade and so we are all marked with reads like the year in review. The ashes in the Sign of the Cross. It movie stars, politicians and other helps us to remember our gritty personalities in the news are all humanity. According to a rerepresented. Special attention is nowned psychologist, there are given to the most pre~entlOus four "you's": the "you" you think among them. The celebrities are you are; the "you" you think other presented not as they see thempeople see; the "you" that other selves but as other people see people actually see; and the "you" them. They are characterizations you really are. Lent is the time to of the "beautiful people." Many see the real "you." This is the participants wear those giant "you" God sees. It includes all rubber masks of famous people. your faults arid foibles, all your "Mr. President" is wearing a dark sins and failings. blue suit, white shirt, and a huge "Assemble the elders, gather red tie. The "monsignors" are . the children ... between the dressed in over-the-top clerical porch and the altar, let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, garb. People howl with laughter.

This is a very healthy thing. If weep ...." (From the Liturgy of there's one thing we Catholics Ash Wednesday). Tears, like have always done well, its laughter, can be a gift from God. celebrating life in all its aspects.

Carnival is finished. The fun Carnival pushes th~ envelope of is over. But we've all had a good propriety and pokes at pomposlaugh. Let Lent begin. ity. Laughter makes unbearable Father Goldrick is pastor of people a little more bearable.

St. Bernard Parish, Assonet.

Here comes the parade of fake Comments are welcome at StBernardAssonet@aol.com. athletes and mini-devils, presiPrevious columns are available dents and premiers, politicians and royalty - and (gasp) even a at www.StBernardAssonet.org. few local "clergy." We laugh out loud and get it out of our Montie Plumbing systems. Perhaps, at the Last & Heating Co. Judgment, God will hold us Over 35 Years responsible for every legitimate of Satisfied Services pleasure he sent us but we had Reg. M~ster Plumber 7023 the audacity to refuse. Laughter JOSEPH RAPOSA, JR. is one of those pleasures. We 432 JEFFERSON STREET have lost something very human FALL RIVER 508-675-7496 in puritanical New England. We •

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See the Pope, Sistine Chapel, Colosseum, Catacombs, Spanish Steps...

Contact: Anthony Nachef, PhD (Theology) 857 W. Boylston St., Worcester, MA 01606 508-340-9370 E-mail: an@catholicteachings.org Website: www.catholicteachings.org, or www.TourOfltaly.us

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La Salette Father Chingandu's mission work starts in the box By

DEACON JAMES

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DUNBAR

missionary.

"So I welcome being able to settle down and ATTLEBORO - Nearly every weekday, Father spend time in the more pastoral matters of the Pedro Chingandu slips a little black nameplate into apostolate after being a nomad for the past two to a slot outside the door of one of the confessionals at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette five years traveling everywhere in my administrative job and sleeping in a different bed every night," in Attleboro, and for the next hour - or more forgives the sins of dozens who enter to receive said Father Chingandu, who has been at the Shrine in Attleboro for seven months. the sacrament of penance.

Now, he said, his hours in the confessional box On a recent Friday afternoon, some two dozen penitents lined up to seek reconciliation in his con- find him listening to people "wanting to dialogue about their conditions often with no seeming sofessional box.

Some spent three or four minutes with Father lutions but wanting to flesh out an answer. They Chingandu. Others took as much as 10 minutes or find light - the light of Christ - in the confessional where they dismore. Because several cover an all-loving and were still lined up at forgiving God." the end of the schedThat Catholics find uled 2 to 3 p.m., time "the great gift of forgiveframe for confessions, ness of sin that God gave Father Chingandu left the Church through Jesus the room momentarily and the Apostles, and reto telephone for assisalizing they are not pertance, and within a fect but are able to start few minutes another anew in their spiritual confessor arrived to lives is very edifying. It help out.

"Some people folalso empowers people to forgive others around Iowa pamphlet or list of the Commandthem," Father Chingandu ments as they proceed stated. to confess their sins in At the same time we see people "who come a methodical manner, and this takes time," into the confessional overburdened, suddenly findsaid Father ing the burden lifted from Chingandu. "Others them and they can toss it take time to reflect on off easier. There are tears, their difficult lives. then they can smile ... and They want the priest to listen to their expethey become lighter.

Some even want to hug," riences and one sees he said with a smile. they need advice and "As confessors, priests hope even in the fordon't sit there as a judge. giveness of their sins, LA SALETTE FATHER PEDRO CHINGANDU The formula for forgiveand we confessors ness includes 'through the ministry of the Church.' must allow them to talk."

He said one woman broke down crying in the The priest takes the place of Jesus, as his repremidst of her confession "which is not unusual. I sentative when he says, 'I forgive you your sins.'''

But sitting as a confessor also demands a price, didn't want her to leave the confessional with tears in her eyes and sobbing, and it took time for her to "much discomfort," Father Chingandu said in quiet tones. calm down," he added.

Why'? "Because the confessor sees himself reAnd,Father Chingandu noted, "there are some who after many months, or even years, feel God's flected in those who come to him. They reveal who graces that come in conversion, and of course they you are. That's the hard part. They are a mirror of need be given more time when they come to re- ourselves and our frailties. Deep down we know we are like those who confess to us. It's not easy nounce their sins."

The life of the La Salette missionary began in being constantly reminded. It's tough."

As Jesus taught his disciples, when he washed Angola, where he was ordained to the priesthood in August 1996 on the feast of the Assumption of their feet, "We cannot be above his forgiveness and Mary into heaven. He had studied at the seminary we can, we must show that by forgiving one anin Namibia, named after 1886-87 martyrs SS. other."

Charles Lwanga and Companions, as well as in He added, "So too, we must keep ourselves worthy by following the prayerful demands of the Zambia at St. Augustine's.

After a stint in Angola as a novice master, he priestly life. Living in community is a wonderful was elected regional superior of the La Salette Mis- gift that is part of our vocation and that helps ensionaries in Angola in 2000, and served two, three- able us to do that. We are together in our La Salette year terms. His travels took him to Bolivia and Tan- community and share the responsibility, to assist and support each other and we do that every day," zania as well.

He also found time to squeeze in studies lead- he said. ing to a master's degree in missiology, a The Anchor encourages readers to nominate multidisciplinary mission science reflecting on others for the Person of the Week - who and the Christian faith and embracing theology, an- why? Submit nominations at our email address: thropology, history, geography of people and the theanchor@anchornews.org, or write to The Anmandate, message and work of the Christian chor, P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA 02722:

AMONG FRIENDS - Bishop George W. Coleman is surrounded by friends following a Mass in the chapel at Las Canas, Honduras.

To the bishop's left is his secretary, Father David A. Pignato, and to his right is Father Paul E. Canuel.

DRIVE路IN VISIT - Bishop Coleman chats with local children who had climbed into Father Craig A. Pregana's truck following a Mass.

RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT - Marvin is confirmed by Bishop Coleman in Guaimaca. Marvin is a young man with special needs.

The La Nava resident cannot read, but knows the songs and attends Mass frequently. He was overjoyed to receive the sacrament.

Father Pignato held the oils and Father Canuel informed the bishop of each confirmant's name. Marvin's sponsor, Leonidas, is a Delegade from EI Destino. Nearly 30 people were confirmed that day, and the bishop confirmed more than 120 young people the following day in Orica. (Photos courtesy of Father Pregana)

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Pope says life will be judged on acts of charity toward others VATICAN CITY Pope Benedict XVI said people's lives will be judged not on the basis of abstract ideals but on the concrete acts of charity.

Citing the Gospel ofSt. Matthew, he recalled that when Christ spoke of the last judgment he slUd people would be asked whether they fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, welcomed the stranger and opened their hearts to the needy.:

"In a word, God at the final judgment will ask us if we have loved not in an abstract way, but with concrete acts. At the end of life, as St. John of the Cross liked to repeat, we will be judged on love," the pope said.

In the contemporary era marked by so many human and spiritual challenges, it is especially necessary for Christians to proclaim God's merciful love with good works, he said.

ALL DRESSED UP - Pope Benedict XVI greets a newly married·couple during a general audience at the Vatican on Valentine's Day. Newlywed couples can request special tickets to a papal audience through their parish pastors. Tradition calls for the bride and groom to wear wedding attire when they attend the audience. (CNS photolL'Osservatore Romano)

Pope blesses newlyweds at Valentine's Day audience

By AUCIA AMBROSIO CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE VATICAN CITY - As pilgrims streamed out of Sf. Peter's Square

on Valentine's Day, a beaming bride accepted congratulations from passers-by and tried not to lose her groom in the crowd.

The bride, Ilaria Corinaldesi, and her husband, Roberto Grilli, had just been blessed by Pope Benedict XVI. Though not the most conventional way to celebrate the February 14 day for lovers, it was the way they wanted to celebrate.

Newlywed couples can request special tickets to a papal audience through their parish pastor. They are seated in a special front-row section ofthe audience hall and, at the end of the audience, are personally greeted by the pope. Traditionally, couples receiving the blessing come to the audience in their wedding attire.

Grilli and Corinaldesi are from Jesi, a small town in the Italian province of Ancona. They met at the age of 18, dated for 12 years and married in September 2006.

"This is like getting married all over again; our whole family came with us," said Grilli.

Corinaldesi said the blessing is a good sign for their new family.

For Sylvia and Carlos Velasquez of Miami, who were married February 3, the special blessing signaled the start of their life together and the end of their 10-day honeymoon.

The couple's pastor at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish knew the couple was going to be in Rome for their honeymoon and got them the special tickets for the audience.

At the end of the general audience, Pope Benedict personally greeted the newlyweds. The couple said the pope told them to live their marriage in the presence of Christ, and he gave them a rosary as a gift.

"It's a really special way to start our marriage," said Sylvia Velasquez.

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SHOWING THEIR MEDAL - Bosnian girls wearing traditional attire hold medals as priests from Poland and Croatia compete in the finals of the European soccer championship for Catholic priests in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, February 14. A hundred priests from all over Europe competed in the indoor soccer championship organized by the Church. (CNS photo/Damir Sagolj, Reuters)

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DVD/video reviews NEW YORK (CNS) - The following are capsule reviews ofnew and recent DVD and video releases from the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference ofCatholic Bishops. ''The Adventures of the Little Prince: The Greatest Gift" (1983) Three episodes from the gentle 1980s Nickelodeon series- endorsed by the National Education Association - inspired by the character created byAntoine de Saint-Exupery about the wise child who rules the distant asteroid B-612, and in this series comes to earth for various adventures, learning (and imparting to young viewers) various life lessons in the process. The DVD includes three 22-minute episodes. In the titular story, the Little Prince wants to see what Christmas is all about but lands on a tropical isle where a self-centered rich man, reminded ofhis own lost child, wants to adopt him, caring little for anyone else until the Prince teaches him about generosity and the true meaning of season. ''Too Big for This World" and ''The Wmning Ride," concerning a giant and a jockey, respectively, follow the same pattern. All in all, these are very nice stories for preschoolers, and if the animation is simplistic, it does capture some of the spirit of Saint-Exupery's beloved work. Print quality is a little soft, but colorful enough for the kids. Five other DVDs in the series are available, along with a boxed set of the entire series (Koch Vision). ''Facing the Giants" (2006) Evangelical sports drama about a losing football coach (Alex Kendrick, who also directs) at a Christian high school in Georgia who, experiencing personal and professional adversity, revives his team's season by turning to his faith. The earnest performances from the nonprofessional cast are surprisingly competent and the movie's look is reasonably polished, but while the film's heart is in the right place, its positive message about putting one's trust in God is undermined by a prosaic script that tends toward the preachy. Some mature thematic elements, including discussions about infertility. The anamorphic DVD also contains deleted scenes, a "makingof' documentary, director's commen-

tary and more. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II - adults and adolescents (Sony Pictures). ''One Night With the King" (2006) Biblical drama that tepidly recounts the Old Testament story ofEsther (TIffany DuPont), adevoutJewish maiden who becomes a queen when she is chosen as the bride of the powerful Persian King Xerxes (Luke Goss), and who uses her station to save her people from extermination by dissuading her husband from ordering the slaughter urged by a vengeful court advisor (James Callis). Based on Tommy MEN OF PEACE - This is a scene from "Into Great Silence," a documentary by filmmaker Philip Groning Tenney's novel "Hadassah," the film about monks at a Carthusian monastery in the French Alps. (CNS photo/courtesy of Zeitgeist Films) has impressive production value and cameos by Oscar-pedigreed actors such as Omar Sharif and Peter O'Toole, but it's handicapped by an inferior screenplay by Stephan Blinn WASHINGTON (CNS)- If you from and get reattached to the religion don't hear the water dripping that way, - which makes some changes to the accept the maxim that the Catholic that I left. And in a certain way, I did:' or if you do you couldn't record it," story - and awkward, if earnest, dithinks in terms of centuries, Church Asked to explain, Groning said his Groning told CNS. "In the monastery rection by Michael Sajbel. Still, the then documentary filmmaker Philip Catholic upbringing in the 1960s was you can hear every event separately." power of the tale's enduring theme of Groning's dealings with a Carthusian ''very much about guilt and sin and The absence of words also means faithful witness in the face ofpersecuin France moved at lightmonastery confession.

In the monastery, very are few characters to follow in there tion isn't completely diminished by the ning speed. the other side showed. much of the 169-minute movie. The few who filmmaker's uninspired telling. Some Groning first approached the "It's all abQut divine grace, divine are distinct are two novices, one of discreet violence and sensuality, and in 1984 with the idea of filmmonks providence, about completely trusting is from Africa, who are welwhom mature thematic elements. The aning a documentary about their life in God, completely trusting that God will comed into the monastery - the ritual, amorphic DVD has no extra features. community.

He got a reply saying the lead you," Groning said. ''This is a side with words in French, is included The USCCB Office for FIlm & Broadrequest had come ''too early," and that of Catholicism I had not lived when I and an elderly blind monk interviewed casting classification is A-II - adults in "10 or 13 years" the monperhaps was a child.

The religion was not as near the movie's end who speaks about and adolescents (Fox Home Entertainastery would be ready.

Eventually, 16 dark as I had thought.

Being a Chrislife, the end of life and his own life. ment). years would pass before Groning got tian is a joyful thing."

Groning said it was "a very delib''Strawberry Shortcake: The word that the monks were ready to Groning adopted the lifestyle ofthe erate choice" on his part not to focus Sweet Dreams Movie" (2006) discuss the possibility.

Carthusians.

They take a vow of nearon anyone in particular. "It's clear that Feature-length, computer-ani''The question I asked myselfwas, total silence hence the film's title if you follow one person along, you mated adventure based on the popu'Does this project still fit in with my at their monastery in the French don't drift into the plot." lar toy line and video franchise, iIi life?'"

Groning told Catholic News "Into Great Silence" will get its Alps, Le Grande Chartreuse.

He which Strawberry Shortcake and her Service recently in a telephone interfilmed there for six months.

He was U.S. premiere February 28 in New fellow dessert-named darlings must view.

He was in a New York City taxi his film's director, writer, producer, York City, with prints of the film fansave the Land of Dreams from the heading to an airport for a flight to his executive producer, cinematographer, ning out throughout the country later nefarious Peculiar Purple Pie Man, native Germany after doing some preand composer, although sound editor in the year. whose evil designs involve stealing the "I think it's important for viewers girls' dream of planting a garden in release publicity for the film, "Into most of the music is Latin chant sung Great Silence."

He added, ''I reread the by the monks. to know the monastery is not a dark Strawberryland. Directed by Karen outline from 1984 and I thought, 'This Despite the vow of silence, ''Into and encumbered place," Groning said.

Hyden, the film, though released theis a fantastic outline.'"

Great Silence" is hardly a silent movie. ''That's not true.

It's a place of great atrically, feels more like an extended Groning said he was born and The ringing of bells, the shuffiing of inner liberty, great inner strength. They episode ofa Saturday morning cartoon raised Catholic, but that he "had a big feet, even the ambient sounds of naare not hiding.

They are not supwith its simple, if vibrantly colorful, . problem with that when I was growture all can be heard with great clarity. are not getting away pressed.

They animation and a thin story decked out ing up.

One of the reasons I made the "When it's so quiet, you hear from the world.

I am glad that people with lightweight ditties. Still, it should keep young children entertained while film was to understand where I came sounds you don't usually hear. You get that (message) out of the film." imparting sweet messages about magical world - Terabithia- where (Haley Bennett) and discovers that his friendship, cooperation and love. The they can escape their real-life troubles. plant lady (Drew Barrymore) has a USCCB Office for Film & BroadcastThe young leads are charming and the talent for lyrics, so he enlists her help, ing classification is A-I - general . sweet story gently imparts worthy and they fall in love in the process. The patronage (Fox Home Entertainment). messages about friendship, family and two leads are effortlessly charming; the power ofimagination, but director there's a refreshing absence ofromanGabor Csupo's faithful adaptation is a tic conflict and nice message about real IC~S bit underwhe1ming, as the anticipated values and believing in oneself, but for fantastical elements are minimal. Still, all that and despite some funny barbs despite a plot twist that may upset sen- about the music business, the film NEW YORK (CNS) - The fol- sitive young children, the movie is could have used a bit more wit. Apart lowing are capsule reviews of movies family-friendly. Mature thematic ele- from a single implied premarital enrecently reviewed by the Office for ments, including the death of a child, counter, writer-director .Marc Film & Broadcasting ofthe U.S. Con- . some minor peril and a few mildly Lawrence's film is mostly devoid of crude language. The USCCB Office ,objectionable elements making this acference of Catholic Bishops.

Scheduled celebrant is for Film & Broadcasting classification ceptable for older adolescents. Afore- . ''Bridge to Terabithia" (Disney) mentioned tryst, some skimpy costumFather David Frederici chaplain Coming-of-age fantasy based on is A-II - adults and adolescents. ing and gyrating moves from the pop ''Music and Lyrics" (Warner Bros.)

Katherine Paterson's children's novel at Cape Cod Hospital and in star, briefphysical scuffie, mild sexual if featherweight, romanLikable, about a young loner (Josh Hutcherson) residence at Our Lady of Victory banter and innuendo. The USCCB tic comedy about a has-been 1980s who befriends a new girl in school Parish, Centerville (AnnaSophia Robb), who's also an pop star (Hugh Grant) commissioned Office for Film & Broadcasting clasoutcast, and together they create a to write a song for a reigning pop diva sification is A-III - adults.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, February 25 at 11:00 a.m.

Documentary filmmaker says monk showed him a look at Catholicism

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Church-state showdown: Italian. bill proposes rights' for unwed couples

By JOHN THAVIS CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

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"No human law can subvert the norm written by the Creator without dramatically wounding socic ety in that which con~titutes its basic foundation. To forget this' would mean weakening the family, penalizing children and making the future ,of society precarious," the pope said. , Whenever a pope'weighs in even indirectly - in Italian political affairs, a politiCal backlash is sure to follow. Some lawmakers said the Church had so bla-

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VATICAN CITY -Tho months after taking over as head of the Vatican~s Congregation for Clergy, Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes has issued a strong and le9gthy defense of priestly celibacy.

I "Priestly celibacy is a precious gift ofChrist to his Church, a1gift that must continually be meditat~d upon and strengthened, especially,: in the deeply' secularized modem wotld," Cardinal Hummes said The cardinal made tl;te comments in a full-page article he Iwrote for the Vatican newspaper, L:Osse11latore Romano. It was published February 14 under the headline !''The impor" tance of priestly celibacy:' Cardinal Hummes, Iformerly the archbishop ofSao Paolo, anived at his new Vatican post last December, shortly after telling a Bblian news~ paper that priestlY. celibfCY was a disa Church ciplinary norm and not II dogma and w~ therefore open to change.'

Vatican officials were concerned, and within hours of aniving in Rome Cardinal Hummes issuect a statement emphasizing that priestly celibacy was a long and valuable tradition in the Latin-rite Church, b~d on strong theological and pastoral arguments.

The cardinal's new~paper article was Written to mark th~, 40th anniversary of "Sacerdotalis:' Caelibatus, " Pope 'Paul VI's encycli9a1 on priestly celibacy~ issued June 24, 1967.

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Cardinal Hummes reviewed what he said was strong evidence that priestly celibacy has its roots in apostolic times, not later centuries.

The cardinal said celibacy represents "a more full configuration with the Lord Jesus," who lived his own life as a celibate, and is a sign of the total love priests give to the Church. For all priests, he said, celibacy should be a call to happiness and not a burden of suffering.

Cardinal Hummes said celibacy is also a sign of pastoral charity.

"Common experience confirms that it is easier to open one's heart to one's brothers fully and without reserve for those who have no other emotional attachments, no matter how legitimate and holy, except the attachment to Chris!," he saia.

Cardinal Hummes reviewed Pope Paul's reasons for confirming priestly celibacy 40 years ago and said the same reasons were still valid today.

At the same time, he said, Pope Paul also'recognized that celibacy is not required by the nature ofthe priesthood itself, as shown by the fact that the Eastern ri~ ofthe Catholic Church allow the ordination of manied men.

Cardinal Hummes reviewed various discus~ions on celibacy over the last 40 years, particularly in synods of bishops and otherRome meetings. On every occasion, he said, the participants. have ended up confirming the 'value of priestly celibacy.

the line into the legitimate lay sphere of politics.

VATICAN CITY -An Italian A poll showed that Italians . legislative proposal that would overwhelmingly supported the grant some legal rights to unwed provisions of the bill, although practicing Catholics were divided couples - including same-sex partners - has set the stage for a over whether the legal rights major Church-state showdown. should be limited to heterosexuOn one side is a wide spectrum als or extended to gay couples, Argent~ne of Italian social and political too. forces, including many lay CathoBecause the number of cohabI . lics, who say the bill would ~nd iting couples in Italy had reached BUENOS AIRE~, Argentina victions ofits members." An estimated discrimination against unwed 560,000, doubling in the last 10 (CNS) - TheArgentine bishops' con·40 percent of Argentine schools are couples in areas of health care, years, the bishops see that as a ference has published a sex education Catholic. .

I' pensions, housing and emsign that marriage is already manual for Catholic schools, where the The bishops' manual teaches adoployment. eroding and believe the new subject has become mandatory for the lescents about the importance of marOn the other side is the "No human iaw can subvert the' law would accelerate the new academic year. riage, responsible parenthood, "sexual Italian bishops' conference, norm written by the Creator without process.

The 16Q.:pagemanu3J., ''Education deviation," the importance of virginwhich has argued that the dramatically wounding society in Opposidon to the legis- for Love," will be availf'le to parents ity and natural contraceptive methods. law would u.ndermine mar- that which constitutes1ts basic foun- lation has been led by Car- ap,d teachers and will teach the It is designed to ensure that the miniriage and the traditiona'i dation. To forget this would mean dinal Camillo Ruini, the pa- Church's position on sex education for mum content required by law is when the new adapted in accordance with Catholic family. Some bishops have weakening the family, penalizing pal vicar of Rome, who is use in the classroom .

I warned Catholic legislators children and making the future of expected to retire soon. But academic year begins in March. beliefs and that other issues which the Last year Argentin~ passed a fed- Church considers importimt are inthat they are duty-bound to society precarious, " the, pope said. some bishops and theolo- . vote against the proposal. gians have taken a more erallaw making sex eCiucation com- cluded. ''We can't, as a Church, allow ourSupporters point out that flexible position. Arch- pulsory for students· as young as age " selves to teach what we believe is bad the bill is a compromise proposal, tantly interfered in political affairs bishop Ignazio Sanna, a member ·five.

The law outlines certain issues that for the child," Father Revello said not,a "gay marriage" bill. that it constituted a violation of of the International Theological must be raised in class - such as disIn an early February statemen~ the Opponents agree, but say the the concordat that r.egulates Commission, said he could accrimination ~ainst wotnen, sexuality, bishops said they "profoundly·1aeffect would be the same: creat- church-state relations. cept the new law if the final lanII. methods mented the (law's) surprise inclusion" homosex'uality, cont:rac¥ptlve ing a second-class form of marCaught in the middle of the dis- guage recognizes only the rights and abortion - which the Church oflanguage designed to eliminate dis~ riage and deconstructing a soci- pute was Rosy -Bindi, a leading of those involved in nonmarriage . considers "dangerou~'," said Father crimination against women. They said ety built on the traditional family. Catholic politician who cp-spon- unions, and not the unions themRuben Rev.ello, co6rdihator of the In- such language "insists on the use of "We're facing a clash that is sored the compromise legislation. selves. stitute ofBioethics at the Catholic Uni- .programs of family planning, which unprecedented in the history of Bindi, who is unmarried and lives Vatican sources say the pope is . 0 fArg' verslty entma. I': could facilitate practices such as conchurch-state relations in Italy," in a residence run by nuns, said unlikely ~o intervene explicitly on However, in the case ofcontrover- traception, sterilization and abortion." said Italian Church historian the strong reaction by the Church the matter. In a sense, the sources sial issues such as ~ontraception, It is the first time the Church in Alberto Melloni. hierarchy surprised her and said, he h~s already given Italian Church schools couldII teach ''from a Argentina has published such a comPope Benedict XVI was drawn caused her "great suffering." bishops the tools they need: In Christian standpoint," Father Revello prehensive document on sex educa. into the fray February 12 when he The debate has exposed some 2003, guidelines for Catholic told Catholic News Se~ce lilst week. tion. . addressed a conference on natu- serious fault lines within Italy's politicians were issued by the The law says the Education MinJose del Corral ofthe Buenos Aires rallaw. The pope said the institu- Catholic community. Several Congregation for the Doctrine of istry sets the basic curriculum, which archdiocesan education council told tion of marriage was divinely or- leading Catholic intellectuals the Faith, headed at the time by is to be adapted by eac~ school "to its CNS that the Church had "taken a dered and not subject to political urged the bishops to back off their Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the sociocultural reality, with respect to its leadership role" by publishing ,its institutional standpomt and the con- guide before classes began. compromise. opposition, saying it had crossed future pope.

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bishops publish sex ed manual for Catholic schools

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• The Anchor news briefs At Library ofCongress, cardinal warns against secularism's dangers

ON A MISSION - Dozens of parents' rights supporters braved freezing temperatures February 7 to come to the Joseph Moakley Federal Courthouse in South Boston for the opening salvo in David Parker's federal civil rights lawsuit against Lexington school officials. (Photo courtesy Mass Resis-' tance.)

Parents' rights bill

By GAIL BESSE

pushed by abortion and gay advocacy That motion was heard February 7 groups, a measure that the state's in federal district court in Boston. The Catholic bishops opposed last year but defense charged that school officials had a "legitimate state interesf' in prewhich has resurfaced.

'There has been an enormous in- senting the gay lifestyle as morally crease in aggressive and often quite neutral topromote ''tolerance and digraphic sexual and homosexual-re- versity." lated programs and literature brought The defense also argued that parinto the public schools," Camenker ents have no right to control what ideas said. 'These have slipped in through the school presents to elementary ~ (or perceived) loopholes in the schoolchildren, and ifparents disagree current law, and are being presented with that dictate, they can take their to children in public schools as early children elsewhere, according to an as' kindergarten, without parents' . account posted on· the Website knowledge or consent." www.MassResistance.org.

To counter this, the proposed bill The parents' attorney Roben wo~d mandate that parents be told Sinsheimercalled the homosexual disahead of time when issues regarding cussions and materials "a form ofprohuman sexuality and "alternative paganda" that goes against the parents' sexual behavior and lifestyles" will be religious beliefs. discussed in classes or assemblies.

He said the parents don't want to Parents would have an "opt-in" dictate curriculum, but do want to be choice (in contrast to the current "opt- . able to remove their young children out" choice) and a conScience clause from classrooms when homosexualwould protect teachers from having to ity or gay marriage is being discussed, participate in programs that violated according to an Associated Press re~ their religious beliefs. It would also port. Judge Mark Wolf is expected to cover invasive surveys by giving the rule on the motion by early March. parents control over what kinds ofsenCamenker said the proposed Parsitive questions are asked oftheir chil- ents Rights Bill was drafted to address dren.. problems like these. , Parker was jailed in May 2005 The bill appears stronger than prewhen officials refused his request for vious proposals, according to Linda prior notification (something state law Thayer of Massachusetts Citizens for allows), and he refused to leave school Life, a veteran teacher and public property. He spent $25,000 fighting speaker on human sexuality issues. "It that criminal trespassing charge, which looks like some persevering people has been dropped. have done great work" in drafting the 'This goes beyond the call of duty bill, she said. of what parents should have to do;' Dan Avila, public policy director Parker said. "I know most people don't for the Massachuse~ Catholic Conhave the time or money to do it, and ference, said the bishops have not yet you certainly face character assassi- seen this proposal, but have historically nation. But there's a battle over values supported strong parental rights. taking place. To discern what's going Among the bill's sponsors are Rep. on, you have to see through the eyes Jeffrey Perry of Sandwich and Rep. of faith, not just intellect. It's really Elizabeth Poirier of North Attleboro, spiritual warfare, ~ut society calls it a and Rep. Susan Gifford of Wareham. culture war."

For information on supporting the The high stakes in this battle be- bill, see www.massresistapce.org. D0came clear September 20 when not nations to help the Lexingtonparerits can only the state teachers' union, but also be made at ~.davidparkerfund.org three national groups-theACLU, the or ~nt to: David Parker Fund, P.O. Box Human Rights Campaign and the Gay 2, Bedford 01730. ,Gail Besse is a Massachusetts and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders -joined forces with Lexington to get freelance writer. She can be reached at gailbesse@comcast.net. the Parkers' lawsuit dismissed.

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David Park:er faces $250,000 in legal costs and opposition from national gay advocacy groups for de, fending his right to be told what his son will learn in public kindergarten.

But a new bill before the Massachusetts Legislature could strengthen parents' legal rights and spare others what Parker and his wife Tonia are going through.

They've made national news over the past two years because they objected to not being informed that their six-year-old son would learn about homosexual and transgender issues in his Lexington classroom. The dispute escalated into a pending federal lawsuit in which they ~d Joseph and Robin Worthlin, another Lexington ,couple with a similar complaint, allege their constitutional rights are being violated.

Parker said in a February 12 interview that in essence he's pressing the case because as a Christian father, he's ultimately responsible to God for the values his son learns.

The proposed Parents Rights Bill is an improvement over current law, Parker said, as it spells out school _guidelines for discussing human sexuality, and not just in sex education classes. The bill, which has 17legislative co-sponsors, was filed on behalf of the Waltham-based parents' rights group Mass Resistance.

Its director Brian Camenker said the bill (docket No. S2063) addresses the changed landscape since Massachusetts extended civil marriage rights 'to same-sex couples and teachers unions have increasingly ,pushed the gay agenda.

The Massachusetts TeachersAssociation is siding with Lexington school defendants in an attempt to have the couples' lawsuit dismissed. The union's head lobbyist is Arline Issacson, who is ~so working against the Protection of Marriage Amendment at the State House as chairwoman ofthe Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus. In addition, the teachers' union strongly backs a proposed mandatory public school health education curriculum being

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WASHINGTON - Freedom of religion, and all freedom, can be placed at risk by an "aggressive secularism" that asserts its dominance in socjety, Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago warned in a recent talk at the Library of Congress. In his talk - titled "What Kind of Democracy Leads to Secularization?" - Cardinal George weighed in against both legal and cultural expressions of secularism that marginalize the importance of religion in society. It is, the cardinal said, "an issue of great importance for our life together in a democratic republic," Religion "can remain a necessary and legitimate actor in our affairs," he added. "The secular must provide legitimate ground for religion" in society, Cardinal George said. "When the secular is legitimized without freedom of religion, persecution of religion becomes inevitable." He noted his own remarks could be minimized. "If I were to present an argument on its own philosophical,.rational terms, it would be seen as religious, because of the speaker," he said.

At Social ministry gathering, senators encourage support for the poor WASHINGTON - 1\\'0 U.S. senators lauded the work of people in Catholic social ministry and asked for their continued support in working to improve the lot of the poor. Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., and Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., spoke separately February 13 to the annual Catholic Social Ministry Gathering, as people affiliated with parish', diocesan, national and independent Catholic programs wound up an afternoon of lobbying on Capitol Hill. Casey said it was vital that the conference attendees spend time in Washington to remind those in government of their efforts "day after day, year after year" to protect "the least, the last and the lost." Casey, a Catholic and one-time Jesuit volunteer, quoted St. Augustine's observation that "without justice, what are kingdoms but great robbers," and noted that often great work is done in the halls of Congress "but too often it is a kingdom with robbers." He gave the ex.ample of the government's role in the disaster of Hurricane Katrina to define what he called not just benign neglect, but "malign neglect."

At first meeting, Christian Churches Together tackles poverty PASADENA, Calif. - At their first official meeting as Christian Churches Together in the USA, leaders of 36 churches and national Christian organizations discussed the importance of evangelism and issued a call to cut child poverty in America in half by 2017. "The scandal of widespread, persistent poverty in'this rich nation" must be called "by its real names: moral failure, unacceptable injustice," they said. The new organization is the broadest, most inclusive fellowship of Christian churches ever formed in th~ United States. It includes national church bodies from all five major Christian families - Catholic, Orthodox, historic Protestant, evangelicallPentecostal and raciaVethnic. The inaugural meeting, held February 6-9 in Pasadena, drew more than 150 participants and observers plus a group of seminarians and young Church leaders who were invited to let them learn about the new ecumenical forum firsthand.

Cardinal Herranz resigns; pope names Italian to top canon law post VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of Spanish Cardinal Julian Herranz, the Vatican's top expert in canon law,. and named an Italian bishop to succeed him. Auxiliary Bishop Francesco Coccopalmerio of Milan, a 68-year-old with doctorates in canon and civil law, was named an archbishop and president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, the Vatican announced February 15. Cardinal Herranz, a member of Opus Dei, had led the office since 1994. The cardinal, who will celebrate his 77th birthday March 31, began working at the Vatican in 1960, serving as a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Revision of the Code of Canon Law from 1963 until the 1983 promulgation of the new code. At that ,time, the pope named him secretary of the Vatican agency dealing with canon law issues. His successor, Archbishop Coccopalmerio, earned his doctorate in canon law from Rome's Pontifical Gregorian University and his civil law degree from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan. He is president of the cornriussion for juridical questions of the Italian bishops' conference;

Families ofIsraeli soldiers kidnapped by Hezbollah meet with pope VATICAN CITY - Searching anywhere and everywhere for information about their loved ones, the families of two kidnapped Israeli soldiers met February 14 with· Pope Benedict XVI. Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Reghev were kidnapped last July near the Israeli-Lebanese border by the militant Islamic group Hezbollah in a raid that sparked the inonthlong conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Despite efforts by the Israeli government and humanitarian organizations, the soldiers' families have had no news about them. Benny Reghev, the brother of one of the missing so~diers, asked for Pope Benedict's help in getting information, said Oded Ben-Hut, the Israeli ambassador to the Vatican, who joined the families at the pope's weekly general audience. 'The Vatican has contacts," and any information might prove useful, Ben-Hur s!1id. The ambassador said Karnit ' Goldwasser, the wife of one of the soldiers, told the pope she hoped to meet him again oneday, accompanied by her husband.

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.Death penalty opponents hail Tennessee death sentence moratorium; seek more I i '

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By THERESA ~URENCE CATHOLIC NEWSI SERVICE .

NEW YEAR'S BLESSING - A priest uses incense during a special Mass recognizing the Chinese New Year at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Jakarta, Indonesia, February 18. Several parishes in Indonesia helped welcome the Chinese New Year. (CNS photo/Agus Y. Ranu)

Sponsorsh.ip change likely for Boston archdiocesan health care system

By CHRISTINE WILLIAMS CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

CaritaS Christi Health Care was established in 1985 and is the second largest health care system in New BOSTON - The Archdiocese ofBoston announced England. The flagship of the six-hospital network is that it is in discussions with Ascension Health, a na- St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in the ijrighton section tional Catholic health care system, about a change in of Boston. Saint Anne's Hospital in Fall River is a sponsorship of the Caritas Christi Health Care system, member of the Caritas Christi network. which is sponsored by the archdiocese but is a 'sepaThe statement affirms that Ascension is "commitrately incorporated entity. ted to strong local leadership and governance." The The archdiocese and Ascension Health have a non- local hospital boards will remain in place with responbinding agreement to dissibilities and duties related to their local organizatiorrs, it continued. cuss the transfer of sponsorship.' ' Ascension Health, based "All parties hope to in St. Louis, is both the largmove rapidly through the est Catholic and largest nondue diligence process, profit health care system in reaching a definite agreethe United States. ment and then closing an It was· formed in 1999 agreed transaction in July and now serves 65 acute 2007," said the archdiocese care hospitals and dozens of ·andAscension in ajoint anrelated facilities in 20 states nouncement. and the District of ColumCaritas Christi anbia. It consists of four provnounced last August that a inces of the Daughters of strategic review committee Charity (northeast, south. would conduct a comprewest, east central and west hensive analysis of the central), the Sisters of St. Johealth system's position in seph of Nazareth, Mich., and the Sisters of St. Joseph the New Engl,and health' ...... of Carondelet. care market. A committee . was formed and worked If the deal with Ascenwith Chicago-based sion is finalized, Caritas Navigant Consulting Inc., Christi would be placed unTALKS UNDERWAY - A statue of Mary is seen der the northeast province an independent firm.

Despite poor financial outside St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston, of the Daughters of Charity, performance in recent the flagship hospital of the Archdiocese of the. Boston Archdiocese years, Caritas Christi turned Boston's Caritas Christi Health Care system. The said. a $26 million profit in fis~ archdiocese. announced February 6 that nego"Ascension Health is cal year 2005. tiati?ns are .u~der way to transfer control of the coIIlJ:Ilittedto strengthening In an interview w·th The Cantas Chnstl system to the national Catholic Catholic health care, and P"l t BIt ' hospital system Ascension Health. (CNS photo/ Caritas Christi has a real I 0 '. os on s Gregory L. Tracy, The Pi/or, archdiOcesan newspaper, record of service in that .Terry Donilon, archdiocesan spokesman, said under community and Catholic health care," said Steve the agreement Ascension would "assume operational LeResche, vice president of communications for Ascontrol and governance of the hospital system," but cension. "We're very pleased to have been selected to details of that agreement have yet to be worked out. explore a new relationship with Caritas Christi."

Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley of Boston would still be The goal of the agreement is to determine how Asinvolved in the. health care system ''the spiritual cension and Caritas can work together in. a way that . leader of the archdiocese," he added. "That is recog- best supports Catholic health ministry and the people nized in this transaction." of eastern Massachusetts, as well as Caritas" associThe cardinal said in a statement, "We are pleased to ates and employees, he said. announce that we have selected a potential sponsor and "We think there is a good match between the mishealth system that has both values consistent with those sions of our two organizations because. our mission of the Archdiocese of Boston and Caritas Christi and calls us to serve all, really with special attention to the the fjnancial strength to support our health care system." poor and vulnerable," he added.

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ner in which death sentences are administered in Teruiessee," and to reNASHVILLE, Tenn. - Death search and perform an analysis of penalty opponents in"Tennessee are the best practices used by other applauding Gov. Phil Bredesen's states. decision' to temporarily halt state Bredesen also asked the commisexecutions to study the state's pro- sioner to "establish and provide to tocol for carrying out death sen- me new protocols and, related writtences, but they say::it "doesn't go ten procedures related to adminisnearly far enough." I! tering death sentences in Tennessee, Alex Wiesendanger, associate both by lethal injection and electrodirector of the Tennc;:ssee Coalition cution." to Abolish State I\illing, The study called the move "a - - - - - - - - - - - - will focus solely gr~a~,firststep,"but : A/ex Wiesendanger, as- on how death Said afullstudyof sociate director of the Ten-. sentences are the entire system is hessee Coalition to Abolish carried out, and needed" beyond 8 'will not address " tate K'/I' I mg, called the . the 90-day study 0 f I II t ~. " what death penthe state's death move a grea I"st step, alty opponents penalty proce- but said "a full study of the see as a myriad dures. "entire system is needed" .of other probThe Tennessee beyond the 90-day study of lems with the Cath()lic Public lithe state's death penalty system.

Policy Commis- procedures. .

The coalition ·si.on is also among ,,'-- ' - - - - - - - -.......- - - will be pushing those pushing for a more wide-rang- for a more far-reaching moratorium ing moratorium. i when it convenes for the second anAnnouncing the fDoratorium at a .nual Justice Day on the Hill in press conferenc~ February 1, March. Wiesendanger said he thinks Bredesen said he is a death penalty that "chances are good" that an exsupporter, but believes that "it is in- panded moratorium bill will be cumbent on the state to carry out passed because more people are rethese sentences co~titutionally and alizing that the state's current death . penalty system "fails to meet the appropriately."

He also noted that "there did not basic standards of justice." appear to be any difficulties" with On its Website the Tennessee the executions of Robert Glen Coe Catholic Public Policy Commission, _in 2000 or of Sedley Allen lastJune, which will sponsor the annual the only two executions carried out Catholic Day on the Hill April 11, in the state since 1960. states: "Keeping with the long and The moratorium:grants a reprieve consistent teaching of our faith reto four death-row inma!es scheduled specting the dignity of all human to die during the Qo-day study pe-. life, we oppose laws that legitimize riod. They are: Mi~hael Boyd, Ed- or support abortion, euthanasia and ward Jerome Harb~on, Daryl Keith capital punishment." • "As a part of our Pro-Life comHolton and .Pervis IT. Payne.

Bredesen's moratorium an- mitrnent, we encoUrage solnuons to nouncement came 'ns the state faced violent crime that reflect th::: dignity a federal court chaIlenge to its le- of the human person, urging our thal injection process. The decision .nation toabimdon the use o\' capital also coincided witJt recent botched punishment," the commission says. executions in several states and an "Respect for human life and dignity "increasing public,l awareness of the is the necessary first step in buildfailings of the death penalty system ing a civilization of life and love." in Tennessee r--::-"- - : - - - - - - - - - - - --, "

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You have seen the movie, now read what , ..

Jesus says about the meaning of His Passion as dictated to stigmatist, Catalina Rivas. ,This 48 page book has the "Imprimatur" and is recommended for meditation. Mrs. Rivas was featured in the recent FOX·1V special, "Signs ; from God", that was broadcast worldwide.

D uri n g the moratori!lm, which will expire May 2, Bredesen wants the state's com-

missioner of correction to initiate "a comprehensive review of the man- .

I'

i

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I

1'0 receiDe this book, sentiyour name and address with 12 for shipping & handling to:

Love & Mercy Publications .

P.O. Box 1160 Hampstead, NC 28443

,:,11

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A STEP AHEAD - Holy Trinity School, West ~arwich grade five students and St. Pius X School, South Yarmouth, grade five students became sixth-graders for a day at St. Pius KMiddle School.

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A PONY TAIL TO TELL - Alexandra, left, and Monique Desrochers, students at St. Mary-Sacred Heart School, Attleboro, are veterans at growing their hair and donating it to "Locks of Love." Their sister Gianna (Monique's twin) has donated her hair in the past as well.

Recently, Alexandra and Monique lopped off their locks for the third time to donate their hair to this charitable cause. The girls don't even want trims while growing out their hair because they say they can't wait to grow it long enough to donate again. This time it took them a year-and-a-half to grow the requisite 10 inches. Locks of Love is a charitable organization that uses donated hair, at least 10 inches in length and tied into a pony tail, to create high quality hair. prosthetics. The organization provides these hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under the age of 18 who suffer from long-term medical hair loss.

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FAN-TASTIC!;- St. Pius X School students Mikaelah Richardson, Emma Cho, and Karen,Morahan cheer for their teachers at the Student/Faculty Basketball Game held during Catholic Schools Week at ' ' the South Yarmouth school.

WELL-DESERVED RECOGNITION - Alfred Achin, second from right, a custodian at St. Mary-Sacred Heart School, North Attleboro, and an alumnus of Sacred Heart School, recently received the National Catholic Educational Association's Distinguished Graduate Award. Presenting the award during a Catholic Schools Week ceremony were, from left: Denise Peixoto, principal; Rep. Elizabeth Poirier; Achin; and Father David A. Costet, pastor of Sacred Heart and St. Mary's parishes.

COMMUNITY-MINDED - The fifth-grade class at Holy Trinity School in West Harwich is working'on many community projects, including their on-going "sweet gifts" for the homebound in the area. They are in the process of building a "Wall of Thanks," an area in ,their classroom where the many cards of thanks the recipients have sent to the students are posted. The next time these gifts will be distributed is Easter. .

OF GOOD CHARACTER - Bridget Correia was presented Coyle and Cassidy High School's "Exemplary Character" award. She was. selected based on her numerous contributions to the Taunton school's community. In addition to being the captain of the volleyball team and an outstanding student, Correia is a co-coordinator of its Food Pantry, Yearbook Editor, National Honor Society officer and a member of the sctfool's Leadership Assembly. With Correia is her father, Michael Correia.

FEBRUARY

23, 2007

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Proposal to split public, private school athletic events draws fire

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Difficult decisions

By CHARLIE MARTIN -.,;, CATHdLIC NEWS SERVICE IT ENDS TONIGHT

megahit "Dirty Little Secret" and II ST. LOUIS (CNS) - Some the group - both Catholic and nonYour subtleties, Lhe album's title song 4id well on Catholic and public high school of- Catholic private schools - asked They strangle me the charts; Now released off the fi~ials in the St. Louis area said they public schools in St. Louis to oppose I can't explain myselfat all same CD is "It Ends T~might." are against a proposal to create sepa- ' the proposal for separate state comAnd all the wants The song describes !ia n rate state athletic championships for petitions.

And all the needs , individual's decision t61eave a' The statement reaffirmed the private and public schools.

All I don't wantto need at all relationship. He appears to hold Private and public school educa- schools' commitment to the values The walls start breathing mixed feelings about being in the tors and coaches contacted by the St. of participation, sportsmanship, My mind's unweaving relationship. He mentipns,how the Louis Review, newspaper of the St. team play and personal excellence Maybe it's best you leave me' other's "subtleties ... strangle me."

Louis Archdiocese, noted that their spelled out in the handbook of the alone He is tired of "all the Wants and students enjoy the competition Missouri State High School ActiviA weight is lifted all the needs.". He sen~~s that "just against each other. ties Association.

On this evening won't rriake this a little insight , I The proposal before the Missouri It also stated that "we are disI give the final blow right," and "it's too late to fight.".

State High School Activities Asso- mayed when we see the cultural When darkness turns to light Rather, he's made up his mind: "It ciation stems from a petition begun trend to link winning or losing to the It ends tonight ends tonight."··

by Belle High School in Belle. It perceived competence of a child, It ends tonight Perhaps he has thollght about would apply to about a dozen sports coach, the quality of education in'a A falling star this decision for a long time but playt-d at the 506 public schools and school or e~en the caliber and desirLest I fall alone was uncertain what he should dO'.

72 nonpubli,c schools in the associa- ability of a community."

I can't explain what you can't However, upon making the tion.

A state title does not equate with explain decision, he feels as t~ough the In recent years, several Catholic success, the letter stated. "The truth You're finding things that you "darkness" has turne9, "to light." schools in the Louis Archdiocese is that while winning is a wholesome didn't know The song invitesu~ to consider have won state titles in soccer, ten- and desirable goal, it seems to be I look at you with such disdain how difficult som'e decisions can i nis, golf, baseball, volleyball, track overemphasized in today's culture."

Refrain: be. Perhaps the song's character It cited the collaboration between ~nd basketball. Other private il When darkness turns to light cared for the other person and schools, such as Rockhurst in the public and nonpublic schools. ' It ends tonight would have preferredl!to find a Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Father Doyen said he hopes that It ends tonight way to move beyond their current also have been known for success- further dialogue on the proposal will ' Just a little insight won't make difficulties. show it does not have widespread ful sports program~. this right Most likely, sever~l times Father Mitch Doyen, associate support. He said the letter by the 25 It's too late to fight during life we will face difficult superintendent for secondary educa- schools has been well received by It ends tonight decisions. While there is no sure tion with the Catholic Education Of- public school administrators and athIt ends tonight . way to handle these episodes, fice in St. Louis, said "the tone in letic directors in the St. Louis area.

Now I'm on my own side consider these questic)fis to help St. Louis has been' very collaboraThere has been an ongoing disIt's better than being on your side you reach a decision that will tive" between public schools and cussionabout why particular schools It's my fault when you're blind ~ support your life: private and parochial schools. may win a number of championi .

It's better that I see it through -Who could help me thmk There is no animosity between ships, he said. The factors are comyour eyes through my options?i' the groups in St. Louis, though some plex, he noted.

All these thoughts locked inside Processing your dloughts and tension may exist over competition "You assume it's because the Now you're the first to know feelings about the situation with and resource issues, he said. schools are nonpublic, but you have Tonight someone you trust can be very It is generally believed that some very successful public school Insight helpful. Sometimes you just need school districts in other parts ofMis- districts," he said.

When dark,!ess turns to light to hear yourself say aloud what is souri support the split. ' Other divisions co~ld be made It ends tonight going through your rpind. Don't Athletic directors from 25 among schools in richer versus Sung by All American Rejects seek clear answers ft;,om others, nonpublic schools in the, St. Louis poorer communities, for example, he Copyright 2005 by Interscope for the decision is your responsiarea recently addressed the proposal, said. And certain sociological facRecords . ·bility. But do talk ov~r what is which will be voted on through mail tors may have to be considered w,hen The All American Rejects keep occurring with those' who support ballots to be distributed in April and examining certain sports such as golf getting hits off their 2005 disc and care about you. iI due May 1. A statement drafted by or tennis, Father Doyen adaed.

"Move Along." Previously, their -What are my ldrger goals i

Sr

and values?

It is helpful to see a current reality in. light of a larger perspective. For example, if you seek a long-term relationship where conflicts or concerns are addressed and resolved, then measure that hope against what is happening in the present situation.

Determine whether your larger hopes truly represent how you want to live and relate. , -How can I find some time and space to think things through?

When you are caught up in . painful emotions, it is difficult to see clearly what is best for your life. Avoid making quick decisions when you are hurting emotionally. Instead, do some,thing that nurtures your own sense of well-being. Take a break, and allow c,dm to re-enter your heart.

-How much have I shared this situation with God? God is always on your side.

This is most true whenever you think that no light cl;mld overcome the current darkness. Share all your feelings with God. Ask God for clear guidance on what action would support your highest good.

As you reflect on these questions, notice what happens within you. God's guidance often is felt as a sense of peace or relief about how to resolve a situation.

Yes, there also may be sadness or hurt. But trust your sense of what will create peace in your life. Know that with God's help, any darkness can tum to light.

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Your comments are always welcome. Please address: Charlie Martin, 7125 W 200 S, Rockport, , IN 47635, or email: chmartin@swindiana.net.

Defining moments There are, in our lives, particular moments and events that define who we are.

Some of those experiences are life-giving. As soon as your baby brother or sister was born, at least part of your identity ~hanged.

When you turned 10 years old and entered the world of "double digits," or 13 and entered the world of teen-agers, that moment may have caused you to look at yourself differently. When you join a group that gives you a sense of belonging and purpose, it he.lps to define who you are, a~d who you want to be. I have heard so many of the members of the field hockey team at Bishop Stang High School talk about what being part of that team has meant to them, how that experience has changed them, how the team slogan, "first class and always a

lady," is a motto they try to apply choice you make, makes you." I percentage of kids ~ho are just to every aspect of their lives. I . don't know where it came from, going through the motions of but I do know that it is so true. would classify their acceptance as making a commitment but not part of this team as a defining The person each of us ~ecoines allowing their lives to be defined moment in their lives. has been forged from the accumu- by that commitment;- which Some experiences are really isn't lj, commitment harder - and some are at all. I kno~ this group is down right devastating. only a fraction of the high il The death of a parent, or school age students who il sibling, or friend changes are confirmed, but even • Ii you. How it changes you, one IS too many. how it defines you, Confirm~tion is a depends on your reacdefining mOment. How it f tions a~d choices to the defines you,idepends on event. Since there 'are ' your awareness, your many things in our lives over lated decisions of our lives. Each intent, your heart. It can define which we do not have control, the decision in some way reflects you'as one who will rely on 'i measure of our character is really moments that defined us.

Christ for all you need and will II found in how we respond to those Our lives are filled with , devote yourself to living the faith II defining moments. Deciding to things. of the Church he founded, or it become a confirmed Catholic is a . can define you as one who' knows A friend shared this quote with me: "Every day you have choices . huge defining moment Or it how to be a hypocrite, to say one that you have to make, but y~u should be. I sometimes get thing publicly and do things have to remember that every discouraged by the certain privately that don't!i~atch the ~)

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words you professed.

Receiving the sacrament of confirmation is not a matter of simply joining a group or being part of a club. This is an opportunity to be sealed with the Holy Spirit, to be touched by God in a way unlike any other. It should impact every part of who you are.

It should define you as a Catholic Christian 24/7, not just as a Sunday thing. Sad to say, there are some people who have received the Sacrament and it has not even been a Sunday thing.

Don't let this be you. Know what you're doing, mean what you say, and let your decision be a defining moment in your life.

Jean Revil is director of Campus Ministry at Bishop Stang High School, where she has taughtfor 27 years. Comments welcome at: jrevil@bishopstang.com.

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Reconciliation mistake.' Now a mistake is something we don't want to happen. The seriousness of sin is that we chose to do it. And that's what we ask forgiveness for, for making the choice to tum away from God." Father Raymond, who is responsible for Family Theater's television and radio programs across the world, said "Continued education beyond the time of"'preparing for confirmation - the last time we see most people for reli- . gious instruction - is important in every Catholic's life, to keep before our eyes what the Church teaohes about the sacraments, especially that of penance or reconciliation. I find that has become more and more important."

One of the answers, he said, "is the need for continual catechesis, education classes in par~sh communities and on all levels on a regular basis to advance the knowledge of the faith and how the sacraments work and make the point how much we all need them."

Taking up the mission of his colleague Holy Cross priest and famed "Rosary Priest," Father Patrick Peyton, whose cause for sainthood is at the "venerable" stage, Father Raymond called attention to the rosary "as a wonderful Lenten prayer especially the new Luminous Mysteries."

In some of its productions, Family Theater focuses on these mysteries" which speak to us of the kingdom of God we're living in, and especially in Lent as we seek to revive our holiness," he said. "The Luminous Mysteries fill in the gaps the other mysteries of the rosary leave off; talking about Christ as God, and as man; about his baptism; ~d how we are linked to Christ and should live , like him through the sacraments from our baptism too - and in the Eucharist ... marriage, in prayer as we live out and preach the kingdom."

Father Fonte said the three internal factors impacting the sacrament of reconciliation include preaching and teaching how sin, especially mortal sin, "is a grave offense against God 'and his love.

But many people are uncomfortable with hearing that. And yes, there are some priests who feel uncomfortable preaching that

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23,2007

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He said a;second factor "is a weakness that has shown in Religious Education during the past 20 years in explaining the Commandments and the sacraments about the sense of sin. Some of today's Catholic textbooks offer little information on the subject.

That itself can lead to misconcepc. tions. I have found it in preparing candidateS for confirmation, that the~e is a lack of teaching about sin, its seriousness and its consequences like there once was."

The third external factor is that most Catholics hear about their faith only on Sundays in homilies that take from nine to 10 minutes.

"Alone that is insufficient in fostering holiness, and so it is up to priests, deacons, members of religious congregations - and faith-educated laity to re-educate .on matters of faith, especially about sin and explain the many misconceptions that Catholics today have about sin and evil in the world," Father Fonte added. "It has to carryover to the whole parish community with classes for children and adults. Lent is an excellent time for that."

But there is an external factor also playing a role in the slim numbers approaching the confessional, he said.

"The clergy-abuse scandal has caused a lack of confidence in Catholics who used to regularly come to the sacrament of reconciliation," Father Fonte, who was ordained a priest in 1994 and hears confessions daily, c<?n~ tended.

"While many' faith-filled Catholics were not affected by it, some were, and they suddenly found a reluctance to approach a priest one-on-one in the confessional. We've heard the litany so . often: 'Why go to confess to a priest who himself is doing this or that.'''

He idded, "But when people see Hie holiness of the priest who is among them and ministers to them, and how he lives his vows and his priestly life, only then will the people return to him to seek his ab~olution in the confessional."

Confessions are heard at Our Lady's Chapel, 600 Pleasant Street, New Bedford" weekdays from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

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St. Anne's Shrine, 818 Middle Street, Fall River 11 to 11 :30 a.m.

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Our Lady's Chapel, 600 Pleasant Street, New Bedford

10:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.

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National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette, 947 Park Street, Attleboro 2 to 3 p.m., and 5 to 6 p.m.

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SENT FORTH TO SERVE - Sacred Hearts Fathers Provincial William F. Petrie. right. blesses the Mission Cross as Father David P. Reid is sent forth by his religious brothers for his Mission in India.

(Photo by Ja'ck Iddon)

Sacred Hearts Father David P. Reid named regional superior of India FAIRHAVEN - Father David P. Reid, SS.CC., former provincia1 of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary's USJ\ Eastern Province, has ,been appointed regional superior of India. The appointment was announced by Father William F. Petrie, SS.CC.; provincial. In keeping with its missionary spirit, the SS.CC. Community at Damien Residence in Fairhaven, â&#x20AC;˘ celebrated a commissioning ceremony in their chapel on February 18.

Father Reid said, "I feel honored to share in our community's Mission in India and contribute to the work involved in building up the presence of the Congregation in India and Asia. With the grace of God I'll give it my best shot."

Father Reid replaces Father Felipe Hamilton Lazcano, SS.. CC., who was elected as a General ~ouncilor during the Congregation's 37th General Chapter in' September 2006.

Since the early 1990s, the Congregation, a world-wide religious community, has been fostering its growth in India through vocation programs and work with leprosy patients.

In Bhubaneswar, Orissa, the Congregation oversees Damien Social Development Institute, which provides medical services to people with Hansen's disease (leprosy). In addition to health care, in nearby Choudwar, DSDI offers housing for college students whose families have been . touched by leprosy. In 2004, the Congregation purchased land

outside Choudwar, and plans are underway to build a new clinic that will provide care not only for the victims of Hansen's disease, but also for general health including two prevalent diseasesAIDS and tuberculosis.

The community's prenovitiate program is located in Kolkata. In September 2005, the Congregation made headway in its plans to build a seminary and an outreach program in the Archdio- . cese of Bangalore in the south of India. Presently, the community is living in rented quarters in the city of Bangalore, a city which, in additi.on to being the center for Indian information technology, offers philosophical and related academic training institutes. '

Born in Dublin, Ireland, Father Reid was ordained a priest in 1966. He ea~ned his doctorate from the Biblical Institute and Gregorian University in Rome.

He has taught Scripture for many years in many places, including St. Bernard's Institute in Rochester, N.Y. He has also served in parish communities: in Rochester, from 1988-1996 at SS. Peter and Paul and from 1996 until 2000 at Our Lady of the Assumption in New Bedford.

Father Reid served as Provincial for the USA Eastern Province for the past six years.

In November 2006, his new book, The .Grace of the Rosary, was published by Paulist Press.

Holy Land Lenten series to be offered to the public FALL RIVER - A four-week Lenten series entitled ''The Holy Land - Through the Eyes of a Pilgrim" will be offered on the evenings of the first four Mondays ofLent at Holy Trinity Parish, 951 Stafford Road.

Patricia Pasternak, whose most recent trip to the Holy Land was this past October, will "guide" guests on a kind of virtual pilgrimage through a PowerPoint presentation that will lead participants on a path from Nazareth to Bethlehem, Galilee and Jerusalem.

All members of the public are welcomed to come and see the sights and hear the stories that are part ofa pilgrim's experience, and

join in prayer and song. The sessions will begin at 7 p.m. on February26,March5, 12 and 19. The series is offered at no cost.

Pasternak is the director of Religious Education at Holy Trinity Parish. A veteran educator, she formerly has served as director of Religious Education at St. Stanislaus in Fall River and St. Thomas More in Somerset. She was on faculty and served as principal at Dominican Academy in Fall River.

She received her bachelor of arts in mathematics at Rhode Island College, and holds two master's degrees from Providence College, in religious studies and biblical studies.

FEBRUARY

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fighting DIVI AIDS globally

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Annstrong at 508-672-1658.

:Eucharistic Adoration ~_

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By JERRY FILlCAU

ATTLEBORO - A Divine Mercy holy hour is held Wednesdays following the 6:30 p.m. celebration of Mass at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette. The Blessed Sac~ rament is exposed during tht; holy hour. For information call 508-2225410.

FALL RIVER - Sacred Heart Church, 160 Seabury Street, will host exposition and adoration ofthe Blessed Sacrament every Monday following the 8 a.m. Mass unti12:30 p.m.

WEST HARWICH - Perpetual eucharistic adoration is held at Our Lady of Life Chapel at Holy Trinity Church.

For more infonnation call 508-4324000.

WEST HARWICH - A holy hour will be held February 26 at 1 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church, Route 28. It will include Stations ofthe Cross and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. The Pro-Life prayer groups of Holy Trinity Parish and Holy Redeemer Parish will sponsor it.

IHealing MasseslServict'S ATTLEBORO - A healing service will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at the National Shrine of Our Lady ofLa Salette.

La Salette FatherAndre "Pat" Patenaude will lead it. For information call 508222-5410.

[iectureslPresentatioDS CENTERVILLE - The Stations of the Cross will be prayed each Friday evening during Lent at Our Lady of Victory Parish, 230 South Main Street.

All are invited as members of its various faith community groups lead this evening of prayer. For more infonnation cal~Patricia Clock at 508-7755744.

IMusiclPraise ATTLEBORO - Musician John Polce will bring his monthly Bethany Nights Program to the National Shrine ofOur Lady ofLa Salette tonight at 7:30 p.m. It includes music, prayer and healing. For more information call 508-2225410 or visit the Website: www.johnpolce.com.

TAUNTON - St. Michael's College Chorale will perfonn two concerts in the Fall River Diocese. They will be at Coyle and Cassidy High School on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and at the National Shrine of Our Lady ofLa Salette in Attleboro at 7:30 p.m. They are di-, rected by Nathaniel G. Lew and pianist Annemieke Spoelstra will accompany the group. For more infonnation call 802-654-2536.

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DlGHI'ON- The Fall RiverDiocesan Council of Catholic Women will host a Day of Recollection March 24 from 8 am. to 3 p.m. at the Dominican Sisters of the Presentation Home, 312 Elm Street. Leaders will be Deacon Robert G.L. Normandin and Paulette Nonnandin, director of Religious Education at St. LoUis de France Parish in Swansea. A light breakfast and lunch will be served. Reservations must be made by March 17. For infonnation or to make a reservation, call Claudette

FAIRHAVEN - Our Lady's Haven seeks volunteers to" assist at the nursing facility in transPorting residents to and from their rooms to meals, activities and daily Mass. People are needed during the w~k and weekends. For information call Manuel Benevides at 508-999-4561.

FALL RIVER- The Fall River Area 짜en~s First Friday Club will meet March 2 at St. Patrick's Church, 1598 South Main Street. A meal and a special video for Lent" "Our Cross the Devil;' by B,ishop Fulton Sheen will be shown following 6 p.m. Mass in the hall. All men are invited.

FALL RIVER - A soup kitchen 'is open on Mondays from 5-6 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church Hall, 160 Seabury Street Volunteers are welcome to assist beginning at 4 p.m.

NEW BEDFORD - Confessions are heard every Friday night from 5:45-6:30 p.m. at St Anthony of Padua Church, 1359 Acushnet Avenue. It is preceded by eucharistic adoration at 4: 15 p.m. and the celebration ofMass at5:15. For more infonnation call 508-993-1691.

!Pro-Life Actiyiti~ ATTLEBORO - Pro-Life advocates picket and offer prayers on Wednesdays from 4-5 p.m. and Saturdays from 7:309 am. at "4 Women's Clinic," at the corner of Park and Emory streets, where abortions take place on those days. Participants are needed to pray and picket to help save the lives ofunborn children.

HYANNIS - The Cape Cod Pro-Life Group welcomes volunteers to pray the rosary on Wednesday mornings at,lO am. in front of the abortion clinic located at 68 Camp Street.

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FALL RIVER - A dinner dance will be held March 3 at Sacred Heart Church, 160 Seabury Street. For more infonnation call 508-679-2116.

lSupPOrt Grou~ NEW ~EDFORD- Courage, a support group for people deaiirig with same-sex attraction while striving to lead chaste lives, will meet Saturday at 7 p.m. in the rectory of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at St James Church, 233 County Street. The group is faithful to the Catholic Church's teachings on human sexuality. At the same time, the Encourage group, a ministry dedicated to the spiritual needs of relatives and friends ofthose in Courage will also meet For infonnation call Father Richard Wilson at 508-992-9408.

NORm DARTMOUTH - Project Rachel, a ministry of healing and reconciliation for post-abortion women and men is available in the diocese. If you are" hurting from an abortion experience and want help call 508-997-3300.

All calls are confidential.

NORTH DARTMOUTH':"'" The Diocesan Divorced-Separated Support Group will meet February 28 from 78:30 p.m. at the Family Life Center, 500 Slocum Road. It will include a presentation ofthe video, "Understanding and ManagingAnger." Refreshments will be available. For more infonnation call Bob Menard at 508-965-2919.

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON - Catholic social ministry leaders got an unusual message February 12 as they were preparing for a day of lobbying on Capitol Hill: Thank your legislators for supporting the funding of a massive program to combat the spread of the global AIDS/HIV pandemic.

On many issues that Catholic sOcial activists bring up with their senators and representatives, they are challenging current legislation or seeking politically unpopular legislative refoons.

On the Presidential Emergency Program for AIDS !lelief, however, "every yearthe president has asked for a certain amount of money Congress has always given more," said Oblate FatherAndrew Small ofthe U.S. bishops' Office ofIntemational Justice and

Peace.

A briefing on the program, commonlyreferredtoasPEPFAR, was one of numerous sessions on specific legislative issues that participants at the annual Catholic Social Ministries Gathering attended to prepare for meetings with their legislators in Washington.

"Say, 'Thanks for your support for this, but we don't want you to think in any way that this is over,''' Father

In Yotir Praye!.s._~ Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks February 27

Rev. Philip Gillick, Founder, St. Mary, North Attleboro, 1874 Rev. Joseph N. Hamel, Founder, St. Theresa, New Bedford, 1956 Rev. John G. Carroll, Retired Pastor, St. Margaret, Buzzards Bay, 1995 Rev. Roland B. Boule, Retired Pas- ' tor, St. Anne, New Bedford, 2005 February 29

Rev. Msgr. James Dolan, Retired Pastor, St. Mary, Taunton, 1980 MarchI Rev. James F. Masterson, Founder, St., Patrick, Somerset, 1906 Rev. Msgr. Peter L. Robert, P.R., Pastor, Notre Dame, Fall River, 1948 Rev. John McCarthy, CSC, Stonehill College, North Easton, 2003 Rev. William W. Norton, Retired Pastor, Our Lady ofLourdes Wellfleet, 2004

March 2 Rev. Antoine Berube, Pastor, St. Joseph, Attleboro, 1936 Rev. James 1. Brady, Retired Pastor, St. Kilian, New Bedford, 1941 Rev. Tarcisius Dreesen, SS.CC., Sacred Hearts Monastery, Fairhaven, 1952

Rev. Alphonse E. Gauthier, Pastor, , Sacred Heart, New Bedford, 1962 Rev. 1. Orner Lussier, Pastor, Sacred Heart, North Attleboro, 1970 March 3 Rt. Rev. Msgr. Timothy P. Sweeney, LL.D., Pastor, Holy Name, New Bedford, 1960 March 5 Rev. James McGuire, Pastor St. Mary, New Bedford, 1850 Permanent Deacon Manuel H. Camara, 1995

Small said.

Bill O'Keefe, senior director of advocacy at Catholic Relief Services, told some 70 social ministry leaders at the briefing that, while ''we've made great progress in Congress" so far, the program "ends at the end of 2008 unless Congress reauthorizes it."

"We're talking here abOut a problem that keeps getting worse. We need a solution that keeps getting bigger and better," he said.

President George W Bush initiated the program in 2003, setting the goal of spending $15 billion over the next five years on programs of't\lDS education and prevention and the distribution of antiretroviral dnlgs to those with mv in 15 countries toost badly' II ' affected by AIDS. O'Keefe also urged die group to call attention to the importance of keeping a conscience clause in the legislation so that Catholic ai~ncies such as CRS, the overseas aid agency ofthe U.S. Church, are not shut out of the program because they refuse to hand out condoms.

He said CRS is engaged in effective treatment and prevention programs using PEPFAR funds, but before the conscience clause was enacted it had no access to those funds because

it refused to include condom distribution in its education and prevention programs.

In lobbying on the program he also suggested that the social ministry leaders ask their legislators to: - Continue to support abstinence and fidelity as l;entral components of preventive education; . , - maintain "robust" funding to , build on what the program has already achieved; - commit more funding to strengthen the health care systems in the target countries because AIDS has overwhelmed those systems; - expand the current list of 15 target countries, adding other countries on the basis of their rates of infection.

O'Keefe told the group that the House of Representatives recently approved $4.5 billion for the AIDS program in a 2007 continuing resolution, and that resolution was due to come before the Senate later in the week. Anyone visiting his or her senator should ask the senator to keep the House level of funding for that program when it comes to a vote, he said.

He said now is the time to begin pressing for reauthorization of the program for another five ye;us after

2008.

Kathleen "Kitty" Kuhn, 87; was mother of Father .Michael Kuhn MANASSAS, Va. -:- Mrs. Kathleen (Kelly) "Kitty" Kuhn, 87, wife of the late Floyd Kuhn, and mother of Father Mich~el F. Kuhn, a member of the Youth Apostles, who served in the Fall "River Diocese, died at home Febt;Uary 13.

Mrs. Kuhn had tesided in I' Manassas for 53 years; and was a member of All Saints Parish.

Besides her priest son1in McLean, Va., she leaves three bther sons, James Kuhn of Florid~ and Kelly

0:

Kuhn and Mark Kuhn of Vrrginia; five daughters, Joyce of Alaska, Deborah, Michelle, and Judy, all of Vtrginia, and Kandi ofAlaska; a sister, Mary Armstrong; and six grandchildfen; and nieces and nephews.

She was also the sister of the late Madeline Gerhardt.

Her funeral Mass was celebrated by her son, Father Michael F. Kuhn, February 14, in An Saints Church.

Interment was' February 21 in Quantico National Cemetery.

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The Anchor

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FEBRUARY

23, 2007

Annual Acies Ceremony to be held March 4

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FALL RIVER - The 55th annual Acies Ceremony for the Legion of Mary of the Fall River Diocese will be held March 4 at 2:30 p.m. at St. Mary's Cathedral.

Bishop George W. Coleman will preside. The scheduled speaker for the event is Father Philip Hamel, pastor of St. Joseph-St. Therese Parish in New Bedford. Father Hamel is the spiritual director of the Seat of Wisdom Praesidium of his parish.

Each year the active members of the diocesan Legion of Mary gather to renew their dedication to our Lady as they continue to work for the good of all souls.

In this apostolate, a variety of works are assigned - from visits to cheer nursing home residents and shut-ins to visiting families of newly baptized infants. There are also parish census calls, where members are assigned by the pastor. Any work deemed necessary can be given to Legionaries to help the parish priest.

Recruiting for auxiliaries and active members is always a part

of the duty of each member. Auxiiiaries accept to recite the rosary and Legion of Mary prayer daily, while active members are required to attend a weekly meeting, at which prayers are recited and reports of accomplished works are given. The active Legionary work is always performed in the spirit of faith, and in union with Mary.

Currently, there are six active Praesidia in the Diocese of Fall River: a Spanish group at St. Joseph's Parish, Attleboro; a Portuguese group at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, New Bedford; at St. Joseph's Parish, Fall River; St. Mary's Parish, South Dartmouth; and St. Joseph-St. Therese Parish in New Bedford.

Anyone interested in knowing more about the Legion of Mary should contact Father Barry Wall, diocesan director at 508-6727232 or Father Terence Keenan, Curia spiritual director at 508992-7163.

The public is invited to attend the March 4 ceremony at the cathedral. Refreshments will follow the service in the school hall.

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A PLACE OF GRACE - Father George E. Harrison, pastor of Holy Name Parish, Fall River, stands outside the new Our Lady of Grace Chapel at Holy Name Church; Father Harrison reports that parishioners have been very receptive to the home for eucharistic adoration. Below, faithful take time to be with the Lord in the chapel. (Mike Gordon photos)

Chapel

Continued from page one

adoration at St. Joseph's Chapel. ''We started perpetual adoration on Jan. 2, 2000 when Bishop Sean P. O'Malley carried the host from the church and placed it in our chapel.

"I've seen all the blessings and graces that come from adoration. I've seen conversions."

The chapel was recently included in a book by David Pearson,' feature editor for the National Catholic Register entitled, "No Wonder They Call it the Real Presence: Lives Changed

by Christ and Adoration."

Father Hamson was also the founding pastor at St. John Neumann Parish ' in East Freetown. Ithas eucharistic adoration weekdays from 7 am. to 10p.m.

'The Eucharist has been at the cen-¡ ter of my life since I was young," said Father Harrison. "I make a holy hour each day and it's an important part of who I am."

He grew up in St. Thomas More Parish in Somerset where he was an altar server. Serving daily Mass each morning and on the weekends Father Harrison said, "Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and the celebration of Mass were very important for my family and I've always been committed to spending time with our Lord."

He recalled a priest friend of his who had spent time in India working with Blessed Mother Teresa of .Calcutta and had once asked her what he could do to be a good priest. "Make a holy hour each day;' she told him.

Our Lady of Grace Chapel has a handicapped accessible ramp and ' bright outdoor lighting. A new statue of Mary stands outside its door. "We entrust the chapel to Mary and ask her to protect us and guide us," Father Harrison asserted.

Parishioner Donna Masterson attends the chapel weekly and helps coordinate the hours to make sure

someone is always there.

We try to have two people cover each hour," said Masterson. "I spend an hour a week, usually at the end of the day, and find it's a good place to reflect after a busy day, just to talk to God." She added that she believes that people are getting a lot of out the chapel and those she talks to "really look forward to going. They enjoy being in God's presence."

What does one db at an adoration chapel? "Come and be in the presence of Christ;' said Father Harrison.

Long-time parishioner Don Rogers has been attending adoration since it began and goes twice a week on average. ''To me it's peaceful. I enjoy going and spending time with Christ. I'm so glad that Father Harrison has adoration each weekday. I think people receive a lot ofgrace from going." His wife Arlene also attends.

The idea of finding grace is not uncommon. Father Harrison said

many people who attend find solutions to problems. 'They find guidance and wisdom. Those are just some of the graces found there. It keeps us rooted in discipleship."

He added that another important aspect is the small library of spiritual reading materials found in the chapel where people can read about the saints and how they handled problems and situations in their own lives.

'That can strengthen one's spirituallife also."

The chapel is located at 709 Hanover Street. Adorers are encouraged to park on Madison Street where access is easiest. The chapel is heated and has air conditioning ready for the summer months.

Father Harrison's hope is that someday he may be able to bring perpetual eucharistic adoration to Holy Name, but he said that will be all in God's time. "I think tremendous grace comes from it," he said. "It transforms people if you let it."