04.01.11

Diocese of Fall River

The Anchor

F riday , April 1, 2011

Seeking God’s mercy

More teens remaining abstinent

WEST HARWICH — While the new “Confession: A Roman Catholic App” application for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch made headlines earlier this year as an innovative way to draw people back to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Father Edward J. Healey, pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in West Harwich, has been equally successful at enticing parishioners with some tasty pizza.

Father Healey will repeat this annual parochial tradition tonight at 6 p.m. with his “Penance and Pizza” service, during which confessions will be heard followed by a supper in the parish hall of meatless pizza, salad and dessert in keeping with the Lenten practice of abstinence.

“This will be the fourth year that we’ve hosted ‘Penance and Pizza’ on a Friday during Lent,” Father Healey said. “While all parishioners are welcome, it is aimed at attracting our younger families and has been fairly successful in this regard.”

Since Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence, Father Healey said he was struck by the idea that many families tended to order a cheese pizza for dinner on those nights, and he thought he could connect that routine with a penance service.

“Why not invite everyone to a penance service and then follow it with a communal meal of pizza,” he asked.

Although Father Healey said no one attending is ever coerced into the confessional, it does provide another convenient opportunity to take advantage of the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Lent and many parishioTurn to page 14

BOSTON — The number of teens remaining abstinent has increased by more than seven percent since 2002, according to statistics released by The Centers of Disease Control last month.

The data, taken from a 20062008 survey, found that young people, ages 15-19 were 7.6 percent more likely to refrain from sexual behavior. In 2002, 35.4 percent of teens reported remaining abstinent, which rose to 43 percent in 2006-2008. The greatest percent change was seen among women.

Each survey interviewed more than 2,500 teens and included data from people aged 15-44.

Sexual behaviors for the entire group of 15-44 year-olds “were generally similar.”

Kristian Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute, told The Anchor, “We’re very encouraged by the CDC report. It proves that abstinence education works.”

He added that if schools are going to instruct on sexuality, the foremost message should be abstinence. He called the teen-age years a “critical” time for learning and development.

Recently there has been a major shift in the number of federal dollars supporting abstinencecentered education. According to statistics from the National Abstinence Education Association, President Barack Obama’s administration is funding comprehensive sex education at a rate 16 times that of abstinence education.

As early as 2008, the ratio was four to one in favor of comprehensive sex education. In 2007 and 2008, abstinence education received $176.5 million. In 2009, that dropped to $152.1 million and in 2010 it was just $50 million — a decrease of nearly 400 percent in two years. Non-abstinence based programs saw their funds increase at a similar rate.

Currently, 23 states, including Massachusetts, do not take advantage of federal funding for abstinence programs under Title

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

By Christine M. Williams Anchor Correspondent

in harmony — Students from St. James-St. John, Holy Family-Holy Name, and All Saints Catholic schools in New Bedford, and St. Francis Xavier School in Acushnet rehearse with New Bedford Symphony Orchestra cellist Bonnie Harlow at St. James Church in New Bedford. The schools are part of the NBSO’s Catholic Schools’ Collaborative String Ensemble program. (Photo by Dave Jolivet)

New Bedford area Catholic elementary school students go classical; with strings attached

By Dave Jolivet, Editor

NEW BEDFORD — Music has the ability not only to please the auditory senses, but to reach one’s very soul and evoke a range of emotions. One of the most notable musicians, singers and poets in history was King David who praised God in the psalms and earned the thanks of the troubled Saul who was soothed by David’s harp and voice.

Catholic elementary school students in New Bed-

ford, Fairhaven and Acushnet are experiencing the joyful and melodic strains of classical music as part of the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra’s “Music in the Morning” program that brings classical music to New Bedford area students for five minutes each school day.

Taking that exposure to the symphonic sound even further, a group of 50 youngsters are receiving handsTurn to page 15

Adults, youths heralded at Pro-Life Mass for advancing the culture of life

By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff

NORTH DARTMOUTH — For this year’s Pro-Life essay winners, the director of the Pro-Life Apostolate Marian Desrosiers chose those students who demonstrated not only a superb writing ability but also essays that focused on this year’s theme, “The Measure of Love is to Love Without Measure.”

“We look for the contestant who can express with accuracy and clarity their position and an understanding of the life issues,” said Desrosiers. “We also

look for their conviction and commitment to the sacredness and dignity of all human life and to love without measure.”

On hand to present the win-

ners with certificates, Bishop George W. Coleman’s homily modeled those convictions during his homily at the annual ProTurn to page 11

life support — Kathleen Packard, center, a teacher at St. Joseph’s School in Fairhaven, accepts the diocesan John Cardinal O’Connor Pro-Life award from Bishop George W. Coleman at the recent Pro-Life Mass at St. Julie Billiart Church in North Dartmouth, as diocesan director of the Pro-Life Apostolate, Marian Desrosiers, looks on. (Photo by Becky Aubut)

Turn to page 12

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News From the Vatican

April 1, 2011

Vatican: Priests can’t skip metaphysics

VATICAN CITY (Zenit.org) — With the human ability to think under fire from relativism, priests and theologians need to study more philosophy, the Vatican says. This was one of the main points of the “Decree on the Reform of Ecclesiastical Studies of Philosophy,” which Benedict XVI approved January 28 (the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas), and Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, presented Tuesday.

The cardinal explained that the Church is always adapting to respond to the needs of changing historical-cultural circumstances, and that many ecclesial institutions today are lacking in philosophical formation.

This absence is particularly noteworthy at a time “in which reason itself is menaced by utilitarianism, skepticism, relativism and distrust of reason’s ability to know the truth regarding the fundamental problems of life,” he reflected.

New guidelines are in accordance with Pope John Paul II’s “Fides et Ratio,” the cardinal added, which notes that “theology has always had and continues to have need of a philosophical contribution.”

Cardinal Grocholewski said the Church intends to recover metaphysics, namely a philosophy that will again pose the most profound questions of the human being.

The Vatican official stressed that technology and science cannot “satiate man’s thirst in regard to the ultimate questions: What does happiness consist of? Who am I? Is the world the fruit of chance? What is my destiny? etc. Today, more than ever, the sciences are in need of wisdom.”

He said that the “original vocation” of

philosophy needs to be recovered: “the search for truth and its sapiential and metaphysical dimension.”

The cardinal also emphasized the importance of logic, calling it a discipline that structures reason and that has disappeared because of the present crisis of Christian culture.

The rector of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), Dominican Father Charles Morerod, added that there is no contradiction between philosophy and faith.

“Christianity presupposes a harmony between God and human reason,” he said.

“The importance of philosophy is linked directly with the human desire to know the truth and to organize it,” the rector explained. “Experience shows that knowledge of philosophy helps us to better organize, in cooperation with other disciplines, the study of any science.”

“Metaphysics seeks to know the whole of reality — culminating in knowledge of the First Cause of everything — and to show the mutual relationship between the different fields of learning, avoiding any closing in on themselves of the individual sciences,” he added.

Ecclesiastical philosophy degrees will thus increase to 180 credits, going from two-year programs to three-year. There will also be more stringent requirements for professors, with greater demands for doctors in philosophy, preferably with degrees earned from an ecclesiastical institution. Theology degree programs will not be longer, but will have more philosophy credits during the first years.

native greeting — Pope Benedict XVI accepts a gift from Canadian Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) Grand Chief David Harper at the end of a recent weekly audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters)

Pope says parishes are places for prayer, learning, charity

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

ROME — A parish church is a place for people to get to know God better, to worship Him together and to learn how to take the message of His love to the neighborhood and the world, Pope Benedict XVI said at the dedication of a new church in Rome.

“Grow in the knowledge and love of Christ as individuals and as a parish community and encounter Him in the Eucharist, in listening to His word, in prayer and in charity,” the pope told parishioners at the new St. Corbinian Church March 20.

The parish on the southern edge of Rome was financed with help from the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, Germany, where Pope Benedict served as archbishop in the late 1970s and early 1980s before being named prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

And, he told parishioners, his papal coat of arms features the symbol most closely associated with St. Corbinian: a brown bear loaded with a pack on his back.

Legend holds that St. Corbinian, a Frenchman who became the first bishop of Freising in the early 700s, was on his way to Rome when a bear attacked and killed his horse. St. Corbinian punished the bear by making him carry the saint’s belongings the rest of the way to Rome.

The Gospel reading at the Mass for the dedication of the church was St. Matthew’s account of Jesus’ transfiguration, which Pope Benedict said was the revelation of Jesus’ real identity.

Seeing Jesus’ divine splendor, “the disciples are prepared for Jesus’ paschal mystery” and are given the strength and

knowledge they need “to overcome the terrible trial of His passion and to understand the luminous fact of His resurrection,” the pope said in his homily.

Pope Benedict said church buildings and parish communities are essential for Christian life and worship.

“In every neighborhood where people live and work, the Church wants to be present with the evangelical witness of coherent and faithful Christians, but also with buildings where they can gather for prayer and the sacraments, for Christian formation and to establish relationships of friendship and brotherhood and where children, youths, families and the aged can grow in that spirit of community that Christ taught us and that the world needs so badly,” he said.

The pope returned to the Vatican by helicopter in time to lead the recitation of the Angelus prayer at noon.

Talking about the Transfiguration reading, Pope Benedict tried to help people gathered in St. Peter’s Square imagine what it would have been like to see Jesus’ face shine “like the sun” and His clothes become “white as light,” as the Gospel described it.

“Sunlight is the most intense light found in nature,” the pope said, but the spiritual experience of the disciples allowed them to see “an even more intense splendor, that of Jesus’ divine glory, which enlightens the whole history of salvation.”

The Transfiguration did not change Jesus, but revealed His divinity to the disciples, the pope said.

“Dear friends, we also can participate in this vision and this supernatural gift by giving space to prayer and to listening to the word of God,” he told the crowd in the square.

The International Church

April 1, 2011

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Pope appeals for suspension of fighting in Libya

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI appealed for a suspension of fighting in Libya and the immediate start of a serious dialogue aimed at restoring peace to the North African country.

Speaking at his weekly blessing March 27, the pope said he was increasingly concerned at the news from Libya, where rebels supported by U.S. and European airstrikes have battled the forces of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

“My fear for the safety and wellbeing of the civilian population is growing, as is my apprehension over how the situation is developing with the use of arms,” the pope said.

“To international agencies and to those with political and military responsibility, I make a heartfelt appeal for the immediate start of a dialogue that will suspend the use of arms,” he said.

The pope said that in moments of great international tension, there was more urgency for diplomatic

efforts that take advantage of “even the weakest sign of openness to reconciliation” among the parties in conflict. Solutions should be “peaceful and lasting,” he said.

The pope offered a prayer for “the return of harmony in Libya” and throughout North Africa.

He also expressed concern about the entire region of the Middle East, where episodes of violence and civil unrest were taking place daily. In Syria, more than 50 people were reported killed in antigovernment demonstrations in late March.

“My thoughts go to the authorities and citizens of the Middle East.

There, too, the path of dialogue and reconciliation should be chosen for a just and brotherly coexistence,” he said.

Earlier in the week, the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, was critical of what it described as “great confusion” among the coalition that was carrying out airstrikes in support of the Libyan reb-

els. After the United Nations passed a resolution March 17 that said member nations may use “all necessary measures” to protect Libyan civilians, bombing was carried out

by U.S., French and British forces.

The Vatican newspaper said France had undertaken the military operation “in haste and without any coordination” with other key members of the international community.

Meeting in Brussels March 27, ambassadors from 28 NATO countries agreed that NATO would take command of the air operations against Gadhafi’s forces.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said the Vatican sent an observer to the international conference on Libya March 29 in London. He said Archbishop Antonio Mennini, the apostolic nuncio to Great Britain, represented the Vatican at the one-day meeting, which was convened to assess the Libyan intervention.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Sacrament of Confession can be a teaching moment for priest and penitent, Pope Benedict XVI said.

While penitents can discover grace and hope from God’s love and forgiveness, priests hearing confession can be inspired to be more honest, humble and transparent about their own sins, he said.

The pope made his comments during an audience March 25 with participants attending a course sponsored by the Apostolic Penitentiary — a Vatican court that handles issues related to the Sacrament of Penance.

The pope said confessors can learn so much from “exemplary penitents about their spiritual life, the seriousness with which they examine their conscience, about their transparency in recognizing their own sins and their docility toward

Church teaching and recommendations from the confessor.”

“We can learn great lessons about humility and faith” when administering the Sacrament of Penance, the pope said.

A priest’s faith in God and in God’s mercy can be strengthened every time he assists and witnesses true “miracles of conversion,” he said.

By hearing confession, a priest will “visit the depths of the human heart, even its darker side,” which can test the faith of priests just like it tests other people’s faith, said the pope. On the other hand, it also can foster the certainty evil never has the last word and that God and His mercy make all things new, he said.

People not only learn about humility and recognize their own fragility when confessing their sins, they become aware of their need

for God’s forgiveness and of the fact that divine grace can transform their lives, he said.

In a world “marked by noise, distraction and solitude, the conversation between penitent and confessor can be one of the few, if not the only, occasion to be really and completely listened to,” he said.

The relativism of modern times has weakened people’s knowledge of their true being, which in turn has led to people no longer practicing the Sacrament of Penance, the pope said.

Yet examining one’s conscience in confession has enormous value because it teaches people to “take a sincere look at their existence and confront it with the truth of the Gospel and evaluate it with parameters that are not just man-made, but that emerge from divine revelation,” he said.

Confession is a teaching moment for priest, penitent, says pope

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out of its element — A car sits in a cemetery in HigashiMatsushima, Japan, following the magnitude 9 earthquake and tsunami March 11. The massive quake killed more than 8,600 people and more than 13,000 remain missing. (CNS photo/Yuriko Nakao, Reuters)

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April 1, 2011 The Church in the U.S. Archbishop Dolan assures Japanese prelate of U.S. prayers, solidarity

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standing tall — The 33-foot-tall statue called Our Lady of the New Millennium stands outside the John Paul II Newman Center at the University of Illinois in Chicago in this file photo. The stainless steel statue weighing more than 8,000 pounds has been taken from parish to parish around the Chicago area for more than a decade. It is being moved this month to a permanent location at the Shrine of Christ’s Passion in St. John, Ind. (CNS photo/Karen Callaway, Catholic New World)

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WASHINGTON (CNS) — New York Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan has assured Japanese Archbishop Leo Jun Ikenaga of Osaka of the prayers and solidarity of the U.S. Catholic Church amid the ongoing rescue and relief efforts in his nation.

“I write today conscious of the terrible earthquake that has struck Japan. The first news reports of the preliminary estimates of suffering, loss of life and physical damage challenge our ability to grasp the reality of such a massive event,” Archbishop Dolan wrote March 14 as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The letter, released March 16, was addressed to the Archbishop Ikenaga as head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan.

“My letter is to make a first contact with you to assure you of the prayers and solidarity of the bishops and faithful in the United States at this difficult moment,” the USCCB president said. “We commend the Church and the people of Japan to the intercession of Mary, the mother of Jesus, asking her to care for all of those left in conditions of suffering because of the quake and the aftershocks.”

Japanese Church officials are setting up an emergency center to coordinate humanitarian aid operations in Sendai, the area most devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. A Caritas Japan worker will be stationed there to coordinate aid work. The death toll

is expected to exceed 20,000.

The U.S. bishops’ Catholic Relief Services is responding to the tragedy by working with Caritas Japan and by receiving donations, said Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz., chairman of the CRS board.

“These will be used for the immediate humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable and support the local Catholic Church in its ongoing mission,” Bishop Kicanas said.

Catholics interested in supporting CRS relief efforts can visit http://crs.org/japan.

Several U.S. dioceses have announced a special collection for CRS relief efforts will be taken up during weekend Masses.

Seattle Archbishop J. Peter Sartain added his voice to the call for prayers and solidarity with the Japanese people.

“The Catholic faith community in western Washington joins with the entire international community to express our heartfelt compassion for our neighbors across the Pacific in Japan,” he said.

As Japan struggles to recover, “we are reminded of our deep connection to all peoples,” Archbishop Sartain said. “This relationship is especially important when our sisters and brothers confront pain and suffering and when they endure tragic loss of life.

“We therefore offer our heartfelt prayers to the people of Japan and commit ourselves to their material assistance both during this time of

emergency and in their long-term recovery effort.”

Archbishop Sartain also urged Catholics, members of other faiths and “all people of good will” to support CRS and its global partner in the relief efforts.

In a posting on his blog, Archbishop Dolan noted that it was no surprise that “as international relief began to arrive in fractured Japan after the awful earthquake and tsunami, among the first were Catholic agencies.”

“Religious communities provide the most massive private (nongovernmental) relief and care in the world, and first among the world’s communities of faith is the Catholic Church,” he said.

The archbishop said he was noting this “not as an act of pride” but as “an act of gratitude for our wonderfully generous Catholic people who rise to the occasion whenever there’s an international need, like the one now in Japan, and as a word of encouragement to those splendid Catholic relief agencies that so effectively bring our aid to those most in need.”

“Lent is a providential time to thank God for the heroic charity and generosity of the Church, and to affirm our conviction that our international relief is so effective precisely because it is inspired by Jesus, flows through and from His Church, and is as close to the heart of Christ and His vicar on earth, the pope, as possible,” Archbishop Dolan added.

April 1, 2011

The Church in the U.S.

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Doctors and med school students spearheading new Pro-Life conversation

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Dr. John Bruchalski has a message for medical students who don’t want to use the skills they are learning to end lives: You are not alone and you are needed.

The founder of Tepeyac Family Center in Fairfax, Va., recently completed a two-week, 15-state speaking tour at 23 medical schools and universities, where he shared his own journey from abortion provider to Pro-Life obstetrician and gynecologist and encouraged students to challenge those who think Pro-Life doctors have no place in medicine.

The “national bioethics symposium and tour” by Bruchalski and Dominique J. Monlezun Jr., national coordinator of Medical Students for Life of America, also was aimed at highlighting threats to the conscience rights of health care providers posed by recently announced changes in federal regulations on conscience protection.

After receiving more than 300,000 comments about a proposed rescission of 2008 regulations protecting conscience rights, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services eliminated much of the regulations but announced an education and outreach effort to ensure health care providers knew their rights under existing laws.

“By reducing conscience rights, we reduce health care access by slashing the number of life-respecting medical professionals who no

longer in many cases have the legal right to opt out of procedures deemed unethical by their wellformed consciences,” said Monlezun, who is set to graduate from Tulane University in New Orleans this spring and will enter Tulane School of Medicine in the fall.

Bruchalski said his primary hope for the tour was to “create good conversation” about reproductive rights and conscience rights in medicine between those who support keeping abortion legal and those who would like to see it end.

At the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, the last stop on the speaking tour, only one of the 15 or so students in attendance identified herself as “prochoice” on the abortion issue.

The situation was quite different the day before at Harvard Medical School, where Pro-Life students were outnumbered by 4-to-1 or 5-to-1, Bruchalski said, adding that any med student accepted to Harvard must agree to perform abortions as part of his or her training.

At George Washington, Bruchalski was careful to thank the student who identified herself as pro-choice for following her own conscience on the issue but said those on both sides of the abortion issue need to “reframe the debate.”

“As long as the Pro-Life folks continue to say the fetus is the only thing that matters, and the prochoicers say it is all about the wom-

an, we’re going to have a problem,” he said.

Bruchalski found backing for some of his arguments from an unusual source — Frances Kissling, the former president of the organization now called Catholics for Choice, a group the U.S. bishops said years ago had no affiliation with the Catholic Church. She is a visiting scholar at the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania and Bruchalski calls her “the spiritual grandmother of the pro-choice movement.”

In a recent opinion piece in The Washington Post, Kissling said those who want to keep abortion legal “can no longer pretend the fetus is invisible. We must end the fiction that an abortion at 26 weeks is no different than one at six weeks.”

Kissling said the changes she was calling for were “not compromises or strategic concessions” but “a necessary evolution.”

“The fetus is more visible than ever before, and the abortion rights movement needs to accept its existence and its value,” she added.

“Abortion is not merely a medical

matter, and there is an unintended coarseness to claiming that it is.”

Kissling told her fellow supporters of legal abortion that “the positions we have taken up to now are inadequate for the questions of the 21st century.” As recently as 1995, 56 percent of Americans described themselves as pro-choice, while only 45 percent did so in 2010, according to Gallup polls, she noted.

“We know more than we knew in 1973, and our positions should reflect that,” she added.

Bruchalski agreed, saying “the political constructs that got us legal abortion are not working today.”

He told the George Washington students that 55 percent of Americans now say they want to go to a physician who is Pro-Life and “the vast majority” want abortion to be “legal but restricted.”

“You are providing an alternative to those women who want to choose” a Pro-Life physician, he said. “I’m not sure you’re in the minority as much as you think you are.”

Kristan Hawkins, executive director of Students for Life of Amer-

ica, the parent organization of Medical Students for Life, said Pro-Life medical students “need the support and training necessary to promote and protect all human life as future medical professionals.”

Because of the HHS revisions of the conscience protection regulations, Pro-Life medical students “are targeted not only by pro-abortion administrators, but also from the federal government now,” she added.

Bruchalski called for a model of medical care “based on relationships” and said doctors must see their female patients as “more than their ovaries.”

He said doctors who value their patients should support regulation of abortion clinics and should look closely at research that shows women who have an abortion are more likely to experience depression or anxiety disorders and to be diagnosed with breast cancer.

“Both sides need to take a better look at the data we’re massaging,” he said. “We need to stop buying the party line that there is no problem at all.”

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The Anchor The joint defense of marriage and democracy

Last November, Bishop Sal Cordileone, the youthful and talented bishop of Oakland, Calif., was appointed to head the U.S. bishops’ efforts to defend marriage. While an auxiliary bishop in San Diego, he had led the efforts of the Catholic Church in California to pass Proposition 8, which defined that the only marriage that would be considered valid in state law would be between a man and a woman. Upon his nomination to head the Church’s national efforts, he forcefully restated his and the Church’s conviction that marriage is the “most vital and defining issue of our day.”

“Marriage and the family,” he affirmed, “are the essential coordinates for society. How well we as a society protect and promote marriage and the family is the measure of how well we stand for the inviolable dignity and good of every individual in our society, without exception. The consequences for our future — especially that of our nation’s children — cannot be greater and must not be ignored.”

This connection between the future of marriage and the future of our country he elucidated in a powerful article entitled “Future Prospects of Marriage, Democracy Go Hand-in-Hand” in the March 7 edition of The Catholic Voice, the Catholic newspaper of the Diocese of Oakland. In it he described several of the most salient “ironies” as examples illustrating how the means of those pushing for the redefinition of marriage are not only undermining the foundations for marriage and the raising of children, but are enfeebling the foundational structures of our democracy as a whole.

The first irony is how political leaders who once employed the “shibboleth” that they wouldn’t “force” their personal beliefs on others are now doing just that with respect to the redefinition of marriage. He noted how newly-elected California Governor Jerry Brown, while attorney general two years ago, refused to defend California law concerning the constitutionality of Proposition 8 because he was “personally opposed” to it. Bishop Cordileone noted: “After decades of hearing Catholic legislators … claim that they could not let their personal views on a public issue (in this case, abortion) influence their public role, we now have the chief law enforcer in the state doing exactly that.” While Catholics like Brown claimed that it was not fair to use the democratic processes of the legislature to foster a culture of life, they now claim that personal belief is sufficient justification totally to avoid even more serious responsibilities. Pushing a gay agenda, in other words, is a more important value than keeping their oaths to uphold their state constitutions and enforce state laws.

The next irony he mentioned is how political leaders, while claiming that they’re advancing the putative “rights” of people of the same-sex to marry, do not hesitate to suppress the rights of other citizens who do not want to see the legal and cultural definition of marriage dismantled. He cited what has recently happened in the District of Columbia, where the city council passed an ordinance allowing same-sex marriage. Local citizens began to organize a referendum drive so that on something so fundamental the citizens could decide for themselves at the polls. But the city council, with Machiavellian maneuvering, has so far triumphed in not allowing the question to get to the ballot. Bishop Cordileone observed that this shows how “a small group of political elites … in a claim to expand rights, deny one of the most fundamental rights in a constitutional democracy — the right to vote — to the masses.”

Several other ironies have recently been evinced by President Obama and his administration.

The first is that, in order to push for the “constitutional right” for those who are gay to marry, the president needed to disparage the institution of marriage, the Constitution and all those who overwhelmingly supported the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). “In an egregious violation of separation of powers,” Bishop Cordileone wrote, “the President of the United States has ordered the Department of Justice not to defend” DOMA. “Obama claimed to do so on the basis that it discriminates against a sexual minority, and is unconstitutional and irrational.” Pushing the redefinition of marriage, in other words, required the president to claim that the founding fathers, not to mention President Clinton and all those in both parties who supported DOMA in 1996 were acting unconstitutionally and irrationally. Supporting the so-called right of those of the same-sex marriage has changed overnight from being literally unthinkable and obviously constitutionally unsupported to the only rational and constitutionally supportable position, both retrospectively and prospectively.

An added irony is that up until a couple of years ago, Barack Obama himself was as “irrational” and constitutionally ungrounded on the issue as almost everyone else. For a man whose curriculum vitae says that he taught Constitutional Law, for him to have “irrationally” supported the traditional and “unconstitutional” definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman is particularly incongruous. “During the presidential campaign,” Bishop Cordileone commented, “Obama stated that he favored preserving marriage as the union of one man and one woman. In a change of course, he more recently had said he favors the repeal of DOMA, but asserts it should be done through the legislative process, not the courts. Now, he has taken an action that does exactly that, i.e., repeals DOMA by the decision of a federal court judge.” Pushing the redefinition of marriage, in other words, has brought the president to abandon the ideas and principles he taught in the classroom, trumpeted on the campaign, and apparently once firmly believed.

The “most disturbing” irony of all, however, is that to push same-sex marriage, the president has sought to ignore not just what the Constitution powerfully does not say about same-sex marriage but also what it does say about the separation of powers, one of the most important foundations of our structure of government. He did this — as our March 4 editorial noted — by seeking to usurp for the executive branch the power of determining the constitutionality of legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by his predecessors. It is “not the role of the executive branch to decide which laws are unconstitutional,” the Bishop of Oakland stressed, repeating a point that an elementary school social studies student learns. “That is the exclusive purview of the courts. The job of the executive branch is to administer and defend the law of the land. That is why this latest decision of our president is an egregious violation of the separation of powers.”

Reviewing all of the “ironies” — which in context is clearly a euphemism for instances of hypocrisy — Bishop Cordileone concluded: “The fact of the matter is, wherever ‘gay marriage’ has become the law of the land, it has happened in a way that avoids the democratic process, and sometimes even goes directly against it. On the other hand, whenever the people have had the chance to vote on marriage, they have consistently affirmed it. And this, despite the proponents being outspent (sometimes by huge margins), facing opposition from the cultural elites and enduring strong media bias.”

The stakes of the marriage debate clearly go beyond marriage to the future of democracy, he asserted. “Regardless of one’s position on the marriage issue, these and so many other moves by our public officials should give cause for concern about the fate of democracy in our country.”

The actions of those pushing for the redefinition of marriage put “the future prospects of our democracy at stake.” He cites President Abraham Lincoln who reminded us all that the “great task remaining before us” is that “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

It’s time for all those who care about our country to note the “ironies” that Bishop Cordileone points out and how they are undermining not just marriage but the foundational principles and workings of our form of government. Then, conscious of the stakes, it’s time for us to get involved personally in ensuring that that government of, by and for the people is appreciated, defended, endures and thrives once again.

April 1, 2011

‘Open wide the doors to Christ’

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as was the case in 1983 when a Holy s we continue our reflection on Year was declared to mark the 1,950th the extraordinary life of Pope anniversary of the death and resurJohn Paul II, let us think back to Oct. 22, 1978, when Karol Wojtyla began his rection of our Lord. One of the major aspects of a Holy Year has been to make ministry as the successor of St. Peter. I a pilgrimage to Rome. John Paul II used wasn’t around then, but I was sitting in these pilgrimages as an opportunity to St. Peter’s Square when Pope Benedict evangelize and catechize the faithful.

XVI began his papal ministry in April For those who were able to make 2005. During the homily, Pope Benedict such a pilgrimage during the Holy Year, XVI reflected on the powerful words that Pope John Paul II used back in Oc- they had the opportunity to pass through the Holy Door. In “Incarnationis tober 1978 and explained how relevant Mysterium” the papal bull proclaiming they still are today. the Holy Year, the pope stated that the Pope Benedict said that, “John Paul “Holy Door evokes the passage from II’s words on that occasion constantly sin to grace which every Christian is echo: ‘Do not be afraid! Open wide the called to accomplish. Jesus said, ‘I am doors for Christ!’ The pope was adthe door’ (Jn 10:7) in order to make it dressing the mighty, the powerful of this world, who feared that Christ might clear that no one can come to the Father except through Him. This designation take away something of their power if which Jesus applies to Himself testifies they were to let Him in, if they were to allow the faith to be free. Yes, He would to the fact that He alone is the Savior sent by the Father. There is only one certainly have taken something away way that opens wide the entrance into from them: the dominion of corruption, the manipulation of law and the freedom this life of communion with God: Jesus to do as they pleased. But He would not Christ — the one and absolute way to salvation.” have taken The action away anything of passing that pertains Putting Into through the to human Holy Door freedom or the Deep symbolically dignity, or to represented the building of

By Father passing from a just society.” this world “Open Jay Mello into the preswide the doors ence of God, to Christ!”

This was the message of the Polish pope as was the case in the old Temple of Jerusalem, where the high priest would throughout his pontificate. Over and pass through the door of the Holy of over again and throughout the world he Holies to enter into the presence of would continually call upon the memGod. It was there, on the feast of Yom bers of the Church and the entire world Kippur that he would make atonement to open wide the doors of their hearts for sins. John Paul II invited the Church to Jesus Christ. Knowing and firmly to pass through this door (physically for believing in the fact that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life motivat- those who were able to come to Rome, or spiritually for those who were not) ed him to make this one of the central into a greater fidelity to Christ and into themes of his papacy.

This idea of “opening wide the doors a deeper communion with Him. There were certainly many important moto Christ,” was not just some abstract ments during his pontificate, but leading concept in his preaching, but was also the Church across the threshold of the a very real image into which John Paul new millennium ranks among the most II would lead the entire Church. He significant. saw the jubilee of the year 2000 and In November 1994, the pope issued a the beginning of a new millennium as a document, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, golden opportunity to make this mesin which he explained, “All jubilees sage very concrete. He saw this historipoint to the ‘fullness of time’ and refer cal event as an opportunity to energize to the Messianic mission of Christ, who and renew the identity of Catholicism came as the One ‘anointed’ by the Holy as it opened the doors to a new millenSpirit, the One ‘sent by the Father.’ The nium.

Jubilee year characterizes all the activity While many people throughout the of Jesus; it is not merely the recurrence world became increasingly anxious of an anniversary in time.” John Paul about an apocalyptic breakdown of society at the stroke of midnight on Jan. used this historic moment to point to the 1, 2000, Pope John Paul II had different fact that Jesus Christ is not just a great historical figure of the past, but He is reasons for awaiting the new millentruly the Lord of yesterday, today and nium. John Paul began the Jubilee Year on Christmas Eve by opening the “Holy forever.

In January of 2001, he issued Door.” You might recall that dramatic Novo Millennio Ineunte, his pastoral scene as the frail pope, balancing himself with his pastoral staff knelt down on plan on how the Church is to move forward with zeal and fidelity. After the step and pushed open the doors, not reflecting upon the great events of only symbolizing the 2,000th birthday of Christ, the beginning of the new mil- the jubilee year, he urged us to start afresh: “It is not a matter of inventlennium, but also the opening up of our ing a ‘new program.’ The program hearts to the Lord.

Pope Boniface VIII declared the first already exists: it is the plan found in the Gospel and in the living tradiHoly Year in the year 1300. Since then, the Church has celebrated “Holy Years” tion.” This plan consists in “opening wide the doors to Christ!” usually every 25 years. There are, Father Mello is a parochial vicar at however, examples of Holy Years being St. Patrick’s Parish in Falmouth. designated for special circumstances,

April 1, 2011

Q: Why are crosses and images covered during the last weeks of Lent? — D.K., Oakland, Calif.

A: First of all, I would first like to recommend Msgr.

Peter Elliott’s excellent guide “Celebrations of the Liturgical Year” published by Ignatius Press in 2002. It is a very useful resource for all those involved in the practical aspects of liturgical planning.

The duration of such veiling varies from place to place. The custom in many places is to veil from before first vespers or the vigil Mass of the Fifth Sunday of Lent while others limit this veiling from after the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday.

In some places images and statues are actually removed from the church and not simply veiled, especially after Holy Thursday.

Crosses are unveiled after the Good Friday ceremonies.

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Covering statues during Lent

As Msgr. Elliott remarks, All other images are unveiled “The custom of veiling crosses shortly before the Mass of the and images … has much Easter Vigil. to commend it in terms of Neither the Stations of the religious psychology, because Cross nor stained glass winit helps us to concentrate on dows are ever veiled. the great essentials of Christ’s The bishops’ conference may decide if the veiling during this period should be obligatory within its territory.

The veils are usually made of lightweight purple cloth without

By Father any decoration.

Edward McNamara The custom of veiling the images during the last two weeks of Lent was work of Redemption.”

Although this is true, the prominent during the former historical origin of this pracliturgical calendar in which tice lies elsewhere. It probably the Fifth Sunday of Lent was derives from a custom, noted called “Passion Sunday.” The in Germany from the ninth period following the Fifth century, of extending a large Sunday of Lent was called cloth before the altar from the Passiontide. A remnant of this custom is the obligatory use of beginning of Lent.

This cloth, called the the first Preface of the Lord’s “Hungertuch” (hunger cloth), Passion during the Fifth Week hid the altar entirely from the of Lent.

Liturgical Q&A

faithful during Lent and was not removed until during the reading of the Passion on Holy Wednesday at the words “the veil of the temple was rent in two.”

Some authors say there was a practical reason for this practice insofar as the often-illiterate faithful needed a way to know it was Lent.

For analogous motives, later on in the Middle Ages, the images of crosses and saints were also covered from the start of Lent.

The rule of limiting this veiling to Passiontide came later and does not appear until the publication of the Bishops’ Ceremonial of the 17th century.

After the Second Vatican Council there were moves to abolish all veiling of images, but the practice survived, although in a mitigated form.

The altar or processional cross is not veiled and, indeed, its use is implied in the rubrics for the solemn Masses of Palm Sunday and Holy Thursday.

A reader from Lagos, Nigeria, asked whether we should extend the practice to individual homes by covering all the statues and crucifixes in offices, homes, etc.?

Given the historical context of the origin of this practice, there is no requirement to extend it to the home, school or other areas where sacred images are set up for devotional purposes.

Father Edward McNamara is a Legionary of Christ and professor of Liturgy at Regina Apostolorum University in Rome. His column appears weekly at zenit.org. Send questions to liturgy@zenit. org. Put the word “Liturgy” in the subject field. Text should include initials, city and state.

The Fourth Phase: A ‘New Liturgical Movement’ Crystallizes

ardinal Ratzinger’s critical analysis of the liturgical reform encouraged new efforts to make known the problems with the liturgy and to find avenues for improvement.

In 1995, Jesuit Father Joseph Fessio, citing both Pope John Paul II and Cardinal Ratzinger as sources of inspiration, cofounded the Adoremus Society for the Renewal of the Sacred Liturgy (www.adoremus.org), which seeks to restore “the beauty, the holiness, the power of the Church’s rich liturgical tradition while remaining faithful to an organic, living process of renewal.” In the same year, Msgr. M. Francis Mannion, then rector of the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City, founded the Society for Catholic Liturgy (www.liturgysociety.org), a multidisciplinary association of Catholic clergy, scholars, architects, and musicians “committed to promoting the scholarly study and authentic renewal of the Church’s liturgy.”

The publication in 1996 of the “Oxford Declaration on the Liturgy,” which Ratzinger commended, was another significant step in what has come to be known as the “new Liturgical Movement,” a phrase first appearing in 1997, when the cardinal published a set of memoirs about his life up to 1977 under the title Milestones. The Oxford Declaration accepts, in principle, the liturgical reform of Vatican II and counts as its good fruits “the introduction of the

vernacular, the opening up of ancient liturgy while remaining the treasury of the Sacred Scrip- completely in communion with tures, increased participation Rome. in the liturgy, and the enrichThe Jubilee Year 2000 saw ment of the process of Christian the publication in English of initiation.” At the same time, it Ratzinger’s masterwork, “The denounces the thwarting of the Spirit of the Liturgy,” which Council’s intentions by “poweropens up the full riches of the ful contrary forces, which could Church’s liturgical life. At the be described as bureaucratic, end of the preface, Ratzinger philistine and secularist,” and calls for “the enrichment, correction and resacralization of Catholic liturgical practice.”

Paralleling these

By Father developments, in 1984 Thomas M. Kocik the Holy See granted an indult for bishops to authorize celebration of Mass according to the calls for a second Liturgical Roman Missal of 1962, the last Movement, “a movement toof the pre-Vatican II missals. ward the liturgy and toward the Already in Dominicae Cenae right way of celebrating the lit(1980), Pope John Paul had urgy, inwardly and outwardly.” given indications of this direcAround this time the Holy tion when he wrote of those See began to exercise more who, “having been educated on control over the direction of the basis of the old liturgy in reform. Liturgiam AuthentiLatin, experience the lack of this cam, the fifth Instruction on ‘one language,’ which in all the the proper implementation of world was an expression of the the Constitution on the Sacred unity of the Church and through Liturgy (2001), established its dignified character elicited new standards for vernacular a profound sense of the Euchatranslations, requiring greater ristic Mystery.” In 1988, after fidelity to the official Latin failing to prevent the schism of texts. (The new English transthe Society of St. Pius X led by lation of the Roman Missal, traditionalist Archbishop Marcel which takes effect on the first Lefebvre, the pope called upon Sunday of Advent 2011, is bishops to be more generous partly a response to this docuin applying the permissions ment.) Ratzinger was also one granted in 1984. This led to the of the prime movers behind the founding of priestly communi2004 Instruction Redemptionis ties that make use of the more Sacramentum, which sought to

The Liturgical Movement

bring an end to “abuses, even quite grave ones, against the nature of the liturgy and the sacraments,” such as the use of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion when circumstances do not warrant it.

With Ratzinger’s election to the papacy in 2005, prospects for a new Liturgical Movement looked more promising than ever before.

Pope Benedict’s broad approach is best described in terms of “continuity,” that is, recovering elements of liturgical tradition that were hastily abandoned in the first wave of reform. His own style when he celebrates Mass reflects this thrust. He administers Communion to the faithful who kneel and receive on the tongue. Gregorian chant figures prominently. A crucifix stands at the center of the altar to bring home a point he made in The Spirit of the Liturgy: “Looking at the priest has no importance. What matters is looking together at the Lord.”

Benedict has even used the eastward-facing altar in the Sistine Chapel, thereby encouraging us to revisit the value of celebrating Mass with priest and people standing together on the same side of the altar, facing the liturgical east of the rising sun, meaning the risen Son who is to come.

Perhaps the strongest instance of the Holy Father’s program of continuity is Summorum Pontifi-

cum, his 2007 Apostolic Letter easing restrictions on the use of the liturgical books promulgated or in force in 1962. Authorization to celebrate the older rites is thus no longer subject to an indult given by the bishop, who nonetheless retains his role as “moderator of the liturgical life of his diocese.” As Benedict explains in his accompanying letter to bishops, his aim is to lessen the distance between the older (“extraordinary”) and modern (“ordinary”) forms of the Roman liturgy, particularly in the art of celebration. He even suggests ways in which the two forms can be mutually enriching.

With that, he has left to Divine Providence the larger questions of what needs correction with the modern rites and what role the earlier Roman liturgy will play in the Church’s life.

Father Kocik, parochial vicar of Santo Christo Parish in Fall River, is editor of “Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal,” author of two liturgy-related books, and contributor to the forthcoming “T&T Clark Companion to Liturgical Studies.”

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o you wear glasses, or contacts, or is your vision 20/20? Can you distinguish light from darkness or is your vision impeded by cataracts or glaucoma? We take our eyesight for granted unless we were born without it or begin to experience difficulties with our vision during life.

Today we meet a nameless beggar in the Gospel who was born blind. He couldn’t gaze into the eyes of his parents, or be enraptured by the beauty of a sunset. He had no concept of color. His world was darkness.

He had to learn how to navigate his world with a keen sense of hearing, touching, and smelling.

Dependence on other people, family and friends, was indispensable. The day Jesus passed by, his life changed. Jesus anointed his eyes, told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam, and then he was able to see. As his conversation with Jesus continued, he experiences physical sight and spiritual insight. Not

April 1, 2011

The Anchor

Is your spiritual vision 20/20?

only could he see the face of racts. So during Lent we ask the Jesus, and the amazement of the Lord to help us to see — to see crowd, but also there was the His light and to be beacons of dawning of a religious relationthat light. Unlike the Pharisees ship with his healer. The One whom we so often meet in the who identified Himself as the Scriptures, the blind man’s new Light of the World had touched relationship with Jesus is the him physically and spiritually. He was a new creation and his Homily of the Week life was just beginning.

Fourth Sunday The sighted beggar assists us in reflecting of Lent on the Lenten journey

By Father George that we began on Ash C. Bellenoit Wednesday, a journey from darkness to light, from blindness to sight.

Like David who was anointed spark that ignited the gradual

by Samuel in today’s first readimprovement of his spiritual viing and the Gospel’s blind begsion. He has a message for us. gar, we also have been anointed As we reflect on our lives, we and washed clean in Baptism. can probably recognize times Incidentally, the cleansing water when we were in the darkness of the Pool of Siloam parallels brought about by sinful habits, the waters of our Baptism. With rocky relationships, or maybe the experiences of daily life our forgiveness withheld. We’ve clear spiritual vision can become gossiped, given and received clouded, similar to the physical cold shoulders and snide revision of a person with catamarks. Maybe we’ve even failed

to take the Commandments of God seriously.

Then there are people who don’t appreciate what they have.

They are always looking for more because “more is better.”

There’s the successful executive with a great position, fine family and three kids with a fascination for a woman at his office; a woman with a comfortable apartment obsessed with getting a better job and a bigger condo. People “trade up” cars, cookwear, homes, and relationships. Meanwhile credit card debts soar, marriages crumble, and landfills rise. If we only had eyes to see. These and other attitudes by which we fail to love our God and neighbor perpetuate the darkness.

During our 40-day Lenten retreat we seek to let the light in, as did the beggar. We invite Jesus the Light to replace our spiritual darkness and blindness with

sight. Through the Mass, Stations of the Cross, prayer, spiritual reading, sacrifice, and almsgiving we seek to draw closer to the light so that the cloudy lenses of our lives might be cleansed.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation, the sacrament of the Lord’s forgiveness, is, itself, a means of encountering the Lord. How blessed we are when we realize that the Lord who forgives us in this sacrament is the same Jesus who touched the blind beggar. It is our opportunity to encounter the “Light of the world,” the One who replaces our spiritual blindness with sight.

With the sighted beggar we rejoice this middle Sunday of Lent, traditionally known as Laetare Sunday. We rejoice even in the midst of this penitential season because we know that we live in the light of the risen Christ every day of the year.

Father Bellenoit is pastor of St. Pius X Parish in South Yarmouth and Dean of Cape Cod and the Islands.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. Apr.2, Hos 6:1-6; Ps 51:3-4,18-21b; Lk 18:9-14. Sun. Apr. 3, Fourth Sunday of Lent, Sm 16:1b,6-7,10-13a Ps 23:1-6; Eph 5:8-14; Jn 9:1-41 or 9:1,6-9,13-17,34-38. Mon. Apr. 4, Is 65:17-21; Ps 30:2,4-6,11-12a,13b; Jn 4:43-54. Tues. Apr. 5, Ez 47:1-9,12; Ps 46:2-3,5-6,8-9; Jn 5:1-16. Wed. Apr. 6, Is 49:8-15; Ps 145:8-9,13c-14,17-18; Jn 5:17-30. Thur. Apr. 7, Ex 32:7-14; Ps 106:19-23; Jn 5:31-47. Fri. Apr. 8, Wis 2:1a,12-22; Ps 34:17-21,23; Jn 7:1-2,10,25-30.

S

everal weeks ago, the Vatican announced that it would not grant the necessary approval for Lesley-Anne Knight’s second, four-year term as secretary general of Caritas International, a global network of 165 Catholic agencies working primarily in the Third World on development and health care issues. Predictably, the Vatican black ball was deplored by some leaders of Caritas-affiliated agencies, who have been complaining to their diplomatic representatives at the Holy See that this clumsy and unwelcome intervention in their internal affairs would imperil their effectiveness in working with other international non-governmental organizations (INGOs).

If that’s the case, it won’t be because of anything the Vatican did. Rather, it will be because the INGO world is dominated by an unbending “progressive” orthodoxy on development and health

Reforming Caritas International

so, what is it?” Her first answer: care questions that sits poorly “I fear that there may be people with Catholic understandings of here in Vienna this week who how people are empowered to would answer that it is one charbreak out of the cycle of povacterized by dogma, hypocrisy, erty. INGO shibboleths are also in sharp conflict with Catholic understandings of the best way to fight the AIDS plague in Africa and other poverty-stricken parts of the world. There is very

By George Weigel little public evidence that Caritas International, under Knight’s leadership, challenged moralizing, and condemnation.” the rigidities in INGO thinking True enough, given the attitude that are a real-world obstacle toward the Church’s sexual ethic to empowering the poor and prevalent in the INGO universe. to driving down the incidence But did Knight challenge this of HIV/AIDS. A case in point caricature? Not really. The best was her address to a “Catholic Networking Session” at the 2010 she could manage was to lament that Catholic AIDS workers (the International AIDS Conference largest group of non-governin Vienna.

There, Knight asked, “Is there mental care-providers for people suffering from AIDS) “are still a uniquely Catholic approach to the global HIV pandemic? And if dogged by these criticisms.”

The Catholic Difference

Nor, in answering her own question, did Leslie-Anne Knight say what she might have said, which is this: “Yes, there is a uniquely Catholic approach to the global HIV pandemic. It is an approach that takes seriously the dignity of the human person, which includes the capacity of men and women to change patterns of behavior that put themselves, their families, and their communities at risk. It is an approach that takes the spiritual and moral dimensions of the AIDS crisis seriously.

It is an approach that stresses abstinence before marriage and fidelity within marriage — both of which have been shown by independent scholars to drive down the incidence of AIDS in vulnerable populations. It is an approach that refuses to accept the empirically unproven claims that poverty, stigma, and low levels of education drive AIDS epidemics. And it is an approach that refuses to burn incense at the altar of the false god latex, where the real votaries of rigid dogma are to be found among those for whom condoms are instruments of salvation.”

Knight, I hardly need add, said none of this. To the con-

trary: she put the authority of her position behind a reiteration of the poverty/stigma/loweducational-levels mythology.

Which is to say, she reinforced the rigidities that are the true obstacles to the “development innovation and collaboration” for which she called.

I don’t mean to suggest that Knight is singularly wrongheaded. What she said (and didn’t say) in Vienna expressed what is quite likely the consensus among many Caritas International-affiliated agencies. These agencies have absorbed from the INGO atmosphere in which they work, and from the governments and international agencies on whose funding they have come to depend, the approach to development and AIDS that shaped Knight’s speech and rendered it strangely anemic in its Catholic identity.

That identity is what the Holy See is determined to reassert in global Catholic development and health care efforts. As the drama of that reset unfolds, support for the Vatican’s efforts by the leadership of the U.S. bishops’ Catholic Relief Services would be in order.

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

You’ve got ashes

Friday 1 April 2011 — at home in The Dightons — April Fool’s Day ere we are halfway through the season of Lent and I’m still recovering from the trauma of Ash Wednesday.

Hopefully, I’ll be fully recuperated in time for Holy Week.

On March 9, phones were ringing off the hook in parish offices and rectories across the land. And what was the question all America was asking? “What time are the ashes?” The answer went something like this: “Ashes will be distributed within the context of Mass. Masses on Ash Wednesday are at 8 and 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.”

You wouldn’t believe the responses that sometimes follow.

“That’s it? Those times are inconvenient for me.”

“Mass? I just want the ashes.”

“When precisely will the 7

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April 1, 2011 p.m. Mass end so I can rush in and get the ashes?”

“Can I get my ashes on Thursday? I’m too busy Wednesday.”

How can I make the distribution of ashes more convenient?

Maybe next year I should mail the ashes with the budget envelopes. No, that mailing list is

much too short. Perhaps I should install a drive-up window on the side of the church. Penitents could receive the ashes without ever having to leave the car. No, there would be a traffic jam. How about a do-it-yourself table with a big bowl of ashes? The prayer

formula and instructions could be printed on an index card. No, that wouldn’t work either.

Give me a break. It’s enough to give a poor pastor apoplexy.

The rituals of our Catholic Church are very ancient. In fact, they are so old that, in some cases, the origins have faded from memory. The sacramental of ashes is a good example. All folks remember is that they should get their ashes.

People have forgotten the original context. It was the early Church’s method of culling the flock. Every spring, we pruned the deadwood.

Penance was a very public matter. The public confession of sin, beginning in the fourth century, was in no way as convenient as slipping anonymously into the Reconciliation Chapel on a Saturday afternoon. Here’s how it went.

On Ash Wednesday, the

Our own tsunami

ost of us grew up with a common ditty: “First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage.” We jumped rope to it, I think, but my how things have changed. Anyone who is in touch with the popular culture can see the obvious: marriage is entirely negotiable when arranging one’s adult life. It’s not a necessary step either for intimacy or for having children.

Increasingly, these post-Roe v. Wade children have themselves been welcomed into non-marital arrangements and far fewer live with their biological fathers than ever in our history. Gone is the notion of mother, father and child as a mirror of Trinitarian love — such a transcendent understanding of family life is entirely lost on a culture that neither worships God nor understands his inner life as a paradigm for human relationships.

The new narrative is illustrated with a stripping away of modesty, an early introduction to sexual angst, a flurry of suggestive texts, various fleeting hookups, not-so-secret trysts and the eventual urgent decisions about single-motherhood vs. abortion.

The new slogans concerning “choice” have conquered, and the “story of families” has been undone.

In a recent edition of the Wall Street Journal, Jennifer Moses explains what changed about the women now embarking on motherhood: “We are the first moms

in history to have grown up with widely available birth control ....

We were also the first not only to be free of old-fashioned fears about our reputations but actually pressured by our peers and the wider culture to find our true womanhood in the bedroom ….

So here we are, the feminist and postfeminist and postpill generation. We somehow survived our own teen and college years

(except for those who didn’t), and now, with the exception of some Mormons, evangelicals and Orthodox Jews, scads of us don’t know how to teach our own sons and daughters not to give away their bodies so readily. We’re embarrassed, and we don’t want to be, God forbid, hypocrites.”

And so the parents wring their hands, standing by as their children approach adulthood with an entirely different view towards chastity and commitment, and the net result is a firm rejection of tradition. Catholics are no different, as Richard Dujardin wrote recently in the Providence Journal, because statistics for church weddings have also plummeted: “While the overall number of marriages slipped by 17 percent in Rhode Island between 1969 and 2009, the number of Catholic

weddings in this most heavily Catholic state dropped far more severely. It plunged 71 percent — from 4,452 a year to just 1,300.”

While some priests who were contacted about those numbers danced around the issue — citing “destination weddings,” the economy and other factors — these excuses ring hollow when faced with the actual reasons given in the piece by the very couples who avoided Church weddings. One priest sums it up: “It’s not so much that Catholics are getting married someplace else,” he said. “They are not getting married, period.

In 1965, if a couple was living together, it would have been scandalous.

Today, it seems no one blinks an eye.”

We have to face reality: the latest generation has patently rejected the traditional narrative about families. No longer raised to see themselves as the fruit of an exclusive life-long union to which a couple clung for better or worse, these children navigate life without being about to trust in commitments — their own or others.

While many received the news with a shrug, the first item must be to call this crisis what it is: this is our own cultural tsunami that cannot be ignored.

Mrs. Kineke is the author of “The Authentic Catholic Woman” (Servant Books) and editor of the Feminine Genius channel at catholicexchange.com.

congregation assembled in the church. Public sinners who expressed a desire to repent were accepted into the small group called the Order of Penitents.

They came to Mass dressed in burlap (the biblical word is sack cloth). After the homily, they were called forward. A heaping handful of ashes was dumped over the crown of their heads, spilling over onto their face and down onto their shoulders.

They were then ritually escorted from the assembly. They had been “placed on probation,” so to speak. They had 40 days to straighten up and fly right. During the season of Lent, it was their responsibility to prove to everyone in the Church that they had changed their sinful ways.

The penitents were expected to show up at church for all Lenten services, beginning on the First Sunday of Lent. This is the reason the count of 40 days begins on the First Sunday of Lent. They were to be present for the Liturgy of the Word only. Before the Liturgy of the Eucharist began, they were escorted out the front door. If all went well, they could rejoin their friends and neighbors at the altar table at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. If not, it was sayonara.

Also dismissed after the Liturgy of the Word were people in the Order of Catechumens. These were those who were preparing for their full initiation into the Church at the Easter Vigil. The Order of Catechumens has been

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restored. Modern day Catechumens leave the assembly after the Liturgy of the Word. The Order of Penitents has not been restored.

This is, in my opinion, just as well. There would be hardly anyone left in church.

At any rate, on Ash Wednesday this church was filled to the rafters. All of our churches were. Following proper liturgical procedure, ashes were blessed and distributed immediately following the homily. As soon as they had received the ashes, many bolted out the door. The assembly was culling itself. Then it was on to the celebration of the Eucharist.

At the time of Holy Communion, still more people made a bee-line for the parking lot. The spontaneous culling continued. By the time of dismissal, the congregation was noticeably down in number. All that were left were the anawim.

That’s Hebrew for “God’s little ones.” These were the folks who were, at least for now, taking the season of Lent to heart.

At this mid-Lenten point, some of the anawim, well-intentioned as they were, have also gradually disappeared. Never mind. The journey from ashes to Easter continues. Come Easter Sunday, the church will once again be packed to the rafters.

Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I don’t know. Maybe those early Christians were on to something.

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

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The Anchor

April 1, 2011

For devoted woman, everyday begins with her parish

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

BUZZARDS BAY — Since retiring as a civilian employee with the U.S. Coast Guard after 25 years, Ruth Marie Caldwell still maintains a daily routine that begins with prayer at 7:30 a.m. at her beloved St. Margaret’s Parish in Buzzards Bay, followed by Mass at 8 a.m.

“That’s how I begin my day,” Caldwell said. “There is a social component to it, and I know a lot of people from the parish.”

But it’s not just socializing or a matter of having something to do everyday, it’s also her deep-rooted faith that calls her to remain active in the parish she’s been a part of since moving to Cape Cod in July of 1961.

“We first attended St. Mary’s Church in Onset, which is now the mission church of St. Margaret’s Parish,” Caldwell said.

In fact, Caldwell still maintains a soft spot for the quaint St. Mary Star of the Sea Church and until recently she and her husband Paul, who is also retired after working for 25 years at Coca-Cola, were responsible for keeping the mission church clean for wedding and funeral Masses.

“We always made sure it was clean before and after weddings and funerals,”

Caldwell said. “We stopped the church,” she said. “I think to change. doing that about a year ago a lot of the younger women “Our new pastor, Father because my husband has a find it hard to attend our meet- Tom Washburn, recently bad back and that church is ings because they are held at 1 switched our Stations of the completely carpeted under the p.m. on the first Thursday of Cross devotions from 1 p.m. pews, so it’s difficult to get every month. They are work- to 6:30 p.m. and attendance the vacuum in between at the last two was unthem.” believable,” she said, Even though the suggesting the Ladies’ couple no longer asGuild might have to sists with St. Mary’s, consider adapting its that hasn’t stopped Ruth meeting time as well. from taking on a variAlthough time and ety of other parochial health constraints have duties, from serving as forced her to curtail long-time treasurer with some parish activities in the parish Ladies’ Guild recent years — Caldwell to assisting with the and her husband used counting and depositing to sing in the choir at of weekend Mass colweekend Masses and lections. she also helped fold and “We count the weekdistribute the weekly end Mass collections parish bulletin — she every week and assist said parish secretary with making the weekKathy Blais “knows that ly deposits,” she said.

I live close by and I’m “I’ve also been treasurer always available any of the guild since June time they need me.” of 2002. We’re trying “I do what I can do to keep the guild alive and thank God I can,” — a lot of our members she said. “They know are in their 70s and 80s Anchor Person of the Week — Ruth Ma- I’m willing to help if and we can’t seem to rie Caldwell with her husband Paul. needed.” get younger ladies inFor example, Caldwell volved.” recently helped set up, Like so many parishes to- ing mothers and have children serve and clean for the parday, Caldwell said it’s become in school and they can’t be ish’s annual Irish Tea held in a challenge at St. Margaret’s there at that time. But we’ve the gymnasium of St. Margato find younger people to step never tried meeting later be- ret’s Regional School and even up and take over. cause a lot of the older women though her own children at“We’ve tried everything can’t drive at night.” tended public schools in Warefrom putting ads in the weekly Having watched member- ham, she enjoys seeing the stubulletin to printing forms and ship in her guild slowly erode dents from the parochial school handing them out at the back of from about 80 members when at daily Masses. she first joined to “maybe 20 “Many of the school chilor 25 now,” Caldwell said she dren will attend Mass on hopes someone will be able to Tuesday mornings and some carry on the tradition and she of the older students attend on realizes that things will have Wednesday mornings, so I’ve

gotten to know some of them,” she said.

With her own children grown up and now raising families of their own in New Mexico, North Carolina and nearby Mashpee, Caldwell is proud to have passed on her faith to them.

“All four of my children were baptized as Catholics and received their sacraments,” she said. “Our youngest son remains very active to this day. He and his wife attend Christ the King Parish in Mashpee.”

As Ruth and her husband Paul prepare to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary July 14, she counts her many blessings and credits everything to her years of unwavering faith in God and His Church.

“Faith has always been a very important part of my life,” Caldwell said. “I’ve always tried to attend Mass and do the right thing and I’ve never strayed from the Church.”

Expressing surprise at being singled out as The Anchor’s Person of the Week, Caldwell said she knows there are many other people in the parish who do more and are more deserving of the recognition.

“But my husband and I always try to help however we can,” she added. “Whenever there’s a function, we try to pitch in — whether it be setting up tables or cleaning up after an event.”

To submit a Person of the Week nominee, send an email to fatherrogerlandry@ anchornews.org.

The Anchor

April 1, 2011

To advertise in The Anchor, contact Wayne Powers at 508-675-7151 or Email waynepowers@anchornews.org

Loving without Measure — This year’s Pro-Life essay contest winners stand next to Bishop George W. Coleman after receiving their awards. From left: Nida Janulaitis, Kevin Agostinelli, Hanna Dulmaine and Myles Goulart. (Photo by Becky Aubut)

Pro-Life Mass lauds youth, adult efforts continued from page one

Life Mass of the diocese.

“Mary began to ponder the new life growing within her and in doing so, gives us the glimpse of the life of God Himself.

One has only to think of a new mother who has just given birth.

Anyone can observe this mother looking at her new child in a kind of astonishment, almost in awe,” said Bishop Coleman.

The choices people make regarding human dignity constituted the common thread that connected each winner of the essay contest.

Second-place winner in the junior high school division was Myles Goulart, an eighthgrader at St. Joseph’s School in Fairhaven, and he spoke of Jesus’ self-sacrificial love, “to help others and help establish God’s kingdom here on Earth; with love, peace and justice are possible.”

First-place winner in the junior high school division was Kevin Agostinelli, an eighthgrader at St. Francis Xavier Prep School in Hyannis, who spoke of famed Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, whose mother was mistakenly diagnosed with appendicitis and was advised to terminate her pregnancy, saying the treatments may cause a disability in her child. A devout Roman Catholic, his mother chose not to end the life of her child.

“She realized that God had a plan for her beloved and unborn child,” said Agostinelli. “Because of her willingness to put God first, she bore a son who is renowned for his angelic voice.”

Second-place winner in the high school division was Nida Janulaitis, a ninth-grader at Pope John Paul II High School in Hyannis, who said, “Love is the reason for why we were created and why we exist; with the absence of love comes the destruction of peace and the most

precious of all things, life. Everyone who has an abortion forgets love. You must feel a love for others in order to remember it.”

First-place winner for the high school division was Hannah Dulmaine, a senior at Pope John Paul II High School, who analyzed the lack of appreciation for the dignity of the human person in both abortion and euthanasia.

“As the leading cause of death in the United States, the issue of abortion must not just be addressed but eliminated,” said Dulmaine. “In the same way, the practice of euthanasia has been a source of thousands of deaths.”

Two additional awards were handed out during the Pro-Life Mass, an adult and youth were recipients of the John Cardinal O’Connor Award for their ProLife efforts.

Courtney Gareau, a sophomore at Bishop Feehan High School and member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Seekonk, was the winner of the youth award.

“For Courtney, it is much more than being involved with a particular cause,” said Desrosiers. “Even at a young age, she understands that our love for others must be not just in our words or speech, but must be put into action in our daily lives.”

Kathleen Packard, a teacher at St. Joseph’s School in Fairhaven, won the adult award.

“Her message to her students incorporates Jesus’ message of love, holiness and respect for all. Her care and concern for the less fortunate and defenseless is seen by many throughout the school where she works,” said Desrosiers. “She lives the Gospel of life, and encourages others to defend and protect the unborn and denounce abortion as morally wrong.”

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The Anchor

More teens remaining abstinent continued from page one

V of the Social Security Act. Gov. Deval Patrick rejected the funds in 2007. The Commonwealth had been receiving those funds every year since they became available in 1998.

Mineau said, “It is extremely discouraging that both our leaders — President Obama and our governor — refused to use the money that had been set aside by previous Congresses for abstinence education. It’s a travesty. These are the leaders of our nation and our Commonwealth and they do not have the best interest of our children nor of our families.”

In a press release last October, Planned Parenthood claimed that comprehensive sex education is responsible for teens’ making healthier decisions. It said the teen birthrate is lower in states that provide students with “medically accurate” information about sex.

“Sex educators like Planned Parenthood are poised to make tremendous progress in reducing teen pregnancy, because for the first time in American history the federal government has ensured that federal funds will be used primarily by states and community organizations that provide evidence-based sex education to reduce teen pregnancy. This is a radical change from the Bush Administration, which favored and funded abstinence-only sex education. The Obama Administra-

tion’s allocation of $155 million for evidence-based sex education represents a true turning point in the history of sex education in the United States,” the statement said.

Stop Planned Parenthood (STOPP), a project of the American Life League, responded last year, pointing out that Planned Parenthood ignored the fact that the decrease in teen sexual activity and teen pregnancy coincide with the increased availability of abstinence education in the 1990s and into the 2000s.

“When you consider that Planned Parenthood was behind the wheel of sex education in the U.S. during the years when teen sexual activity was increasing dramatically, and that teen pregnancy and sexual activity rates began an almost two-decade decline with the availability and popularity of abstinence programs bolstered by a small amount of public funding, it is truly terrifying to think that the new turning point of sex education in the United States is a 180-degree wrong turn — back into the arms of Planned Parenthood,” the statement said.

On its website, the National Abstinence Education Association details the fact that there is more research on comprehensive sex education, which has been receiving federal funding since the 1970s. Abstinence-centered edu-

cation began receiving tax dollars just over a decade ago.

The NAEA points to a growing body of research that finds that abstinence education delays sexual activity, increases abstinent behavior among sexually experienced teens and decreases the number of sexual partners teens have. The teens that go through these programs are also less likely to use condoms than other teens.

Abstinence-centered education is not limited to abstinence only.

According to federal guidelines, such programs must teach that abstinence from sexual activity is the expected standard for all school-aged children. They also teach that sexual activity outside the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects and that abstinence is the only certain way to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. They are neither encouraged to, nor prohibited from, presenting information on contraception.

On the other hand, comprehensive sex education misleads students by giving them impossible “perfect use” rates for contraceptives. Those programs assume that teens do not have the ability to avoid sexual experimentation and most of their time is spent talking about sex and the use of contraception, the NAEA website said.

April 1, 2011 “Abstinence education is overwhelmingly more comprehensive and holistic than other approaches and focuses on the real-life struggles that teens face as they navigate through the difficult adolescent years,” the website added.

“Abstinence-centered education believes teens can and increasingly do, avoid sex.”

In addition, parents and teens support abstinence education.

A 2007 Zogby poll found that twice as many parents support abstinence education over comprehensive sex education. A study released by the United States Department of Health and Human Services in August 2010 found that 70 percent of parents and 60 percent of teens believe that sex should be reserved for marriage. And among teens that have had sex, 55 percent of boys and 72 percent of girls wish they had waited.

In a March 4 press release, NAEA executive director Valerie Huber said that in 2010, more than one million students lost access to the very programs that encourage the positive trend toward abstinence.

“Funding priority should be given to programs that support this healthy trend rather than capitulating to those who want to normalize sex among teens and simply offer contraception as a solution. The data renders ‘null and void’ the ‘abstinence is unrealistic’ claims made by antiabstinence advocacy groups,” she said.

Kathy Magno, who works with the Massachusetts Catholic Conference’s sex education committee, said the new numbers pro-

vided by the CDC show that it is realistic to encourage abstinence for teens.

“The young people in school, we don’t give them enough credit.

And I think that if you give them the abstinence message, they are perfectly capable of having control over themselves and abstaining. They just need the confidence in order to fully embrace that message,” she told The Anchor.

The MCC has released a brochure on the Massachusetts Health Frameworks that guide sex education in many schools.

The Commonwealth currently recommends that high school programs teach students acceptance of premarital sex and how to get an abortion without parental knowledge. Younger children are taught how to get contraceptives by the end of grade eight and the acceptance of homosexual behavior by the end of grade five.

Magno called the frameworks a “one size fits all” approach that disregards individual development and usurps the rights of parents who often do not know what is being taught or do not know they can opt their children out of the programs.

“From the Catholic Church’s point of view, parents are the primary educators of their children, and that’s something that we believe strongly, especially in the area of sexuality education,” she said.

Parental involvement is particularly important, given the fact that studies show that teens who have talked with their parents about sex are more likely to delay sexual activity.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, April 3 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father William Petrie, provincial, Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus & Mary, Fairhaven

April 1, 2011

L

Helping young people consider the possibilities

ast Friday, the solemnity of the Annunciation on which the Blessed Virgin Mary received her vocation, was a good day for each of us to focus on the calling and mission God has planned for each of us.

We live in a noisy world full of distractions that often make it hard for people to hear the voice of God. As a Church teaching people to pray — not just with rote memorized words, but to have an actual conversation with God, and to listen attentively for His response — is essential to spreading the Gospel. After all, the faith is a relationship with our God more than just a set of facts and words to be memorized.

So often, however, we know not how to pray or about what to pray. Thankfully the Holy Spirit works in the Church and through its members to teach us how to pray.

This is the purpose of a parish vocation committee, not just to pray for vocations, but also to remind families and especially young people that God has a plan for each and every one of us. Reminding them that our happiness

P

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The Anchor

lanned Parenthood is a big business, one that performs the most abortions in the country.

Founded by Margaret Sanger in 1921 as the American Birth Control League, it has a total annual budget of approximately a billion dollars, with hundreds of millions of dollars coming from the federal government (which means, ultimately, us taxpayers). Congress is now deciding whether to continue that funding.

Abby Johnson was the director of the Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Bryant, Texas in 2009. She began working there as a volunteer while a college student eight years earlier. She is now 30. She also had a couple of abortions herself, but managed to bury the memory for the time being. She seemed sincerely motivated by a desire to reduce unwanted pregnancies and to help women.

Once, for example, when a woman who had come for an abortion found out that she was expecting twins, the woman reacted, “I can’t believe it. I can’t abort twins!” Abby celebrated the woman’s decision to allow the twins to be adopted. Along with the Pro-Life campaigners in front of her clinic, “I celebrated it too because after all, I believed adoption was a wonderful option,

depends on having that conto be in life.” versation with God in prayer Taking kids to seminaries, about His plan for our lives, convents, and monasteries and listening for His response, is an essential part of sharvocation committees help their ing our Catholic culture and pastors to preach the good getting young people to think news, that every life counts about these aspects of our and is important in God’s faith, which sadly are not very plan. present in our everyday life At St. Patrick’s our vocain New England anymore. We tion committee has been very involved with promoting prayer for vocations at Mass, sponsoring vocation plays, dinners and talks; and this past week it sponsored its

By Father Ron P. Floyd first vocation field trip.

In March the Vocation Committee at St. Patrick’s in Wareham sponwant the kids to have a good sored a day trip to St. John’s time with the Lord and their Seminary in Boston for boys faith. As eighth-grader Robin seventh and eighth grade ert Garrity put it, “The trip to and the next day took a group Boston’s seminary was both of girls in the same grades to an adventure and a spiritual visit the Daughters of St. Paul getaway.” in Jamaica Plain. The purpose One of the most important of these trips was not to make parts of these visits is to help the “hard sell,” but to plant young people to understand seeds. that priests and religious As I tell people all the time, aren’t dropped from heaven “I don’t want you to be a immaculately like the Blessed priest or a nun. I want you to Mother. They are ordinary think about and ask yourself, men and women trying to and God, what God wants you love God, trying to do His

Parish Vocations Teams

will, and doing extraordinary things through the power of God. As Garrity noted: “The young men that are training to become priests have their stories but all lead to hearing a calling from God. These young men are still able to have fun and joke around, but when it comes to God, they take the calling very seriously. They go to Mass daily, pray every couple of hours, and have classes like you would in school.”

Many young people, and perhaps Catholics in general, think that all priests and seminarians do is pray — and hopefully this is true in that they make whatever they do a prayer, following St. Paul’s command to “pray always.”

Whenever I bring young people to the seminary, I am always amazed that the thing they are most surprised and impressed about is the fact that seminarians do normal things like play games, watch movies, and compete in sports.

It is important for young people to see this because it makes considering the priesthood seem less strange, and

The unraveling of Planned Parenthood

and I had always preferred adoping to this budget, to increase my tion over abortion. I saw this as abortion revenue and thus my a victory for the cause I believed abortion client count?” in — reducing the number of When she protested, “But we abortions.” are a nonprofit,” she was told in She has written a memoir of no uncertain terms: “Nonprofit is her experiences with Planned a tax status, not a business status.”

Parenthood entitled “Unplanned: She was discovering that it wasn’t The dramatic true story of a former Planned Parenthood leader’s eyeopening journey across the life line” (SaltRiver 2010). One day in 2009, after being called to

By Dwight Duncan assist at an ultrasound abortion, which she did to her horror, she quit her job as clinic director and ended up joining the Pro-Life so much about the principle as demonstrators on the other side of about the money. Fancy that. the fence. That was after a meetShe soon found herself on ing at Houston PP headquarters the other side of Planned Parwhere she was given new client enthood’s graces, which was goals for abortions that were a unplanned, but a grace of a far marked increase over the past, higher sort. Trying to intimidate while client goals for family plan- her, they filed for a gag order ning services were kept relatively against her, which they did not constant. get, since the First Amendment She asked herself, “Shouldn’t still counts for something in this it be the other way around? Our country. This only succeeded in goal at Planned Parenthood is to broadcasting her story to the nadecrease the number of abortions tion and the world. by decreasing the number of unI read her wonderfully-written, wanted pregnancies. That means page-turning memoir around the family planning services — birth time that Dr. Bernard Nathanson, control. That is our stated goal. So another leader of the-abortionwhy am I being asked, accordindustry-turned-Pro-Lifer, died.

Judge For Yourself

Though her memoir does not deal with this development, Abby Johnson is also about to become a Catholic, like Bernard Nathanson, and, indeed, like Norma McCorvey, the original Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade, who had previously also switched to the Pro-Life side after working for Planned Parenthood.

Felix culpa, “happy fault,” is what the Church sings in the Easter Exsultet about man’s original sin. As Pope Benedict writes in his just-published second volume of “Jesus of Nazareth,” which deals with the events of Holy Week, God’s “move toward a new path of love after the initial offer was rejected is entirely plausible.

This ‘flexibility’ on God’s part is utterly characteristic of the paths that He treads with his people, as recounted for us in the Old Testament — he waits for man’s free choice, and whenever the answer

perhaps allows them to picture themselves in seminary.

At the end of the day, none of the boys who went decided to stay, but, of course, that wasn’t our goal for 13- and 14-year-olds! They had, however, experienced a beautiful part of our Catholic faith and were left with some food for thought (and prayer).

“Many Christians decide to choose their own life, others actually listen for the calling of God,” said Garrity. “Some feel they are called to become mothers and fathers. This is what a lot of people feel their calling is. Others, however, feel God wants them to become a nun, monk, or priest. God has many callings that He wants us to hear and sometimes we either can’t hear Him or choose to ignore Him. We have to pay attention and open our ears.”

If you help just one young Catholic man or woman to realize this then our vocation committee considers it a success. And that person, like the Blessed Virgin Mary, just may change the history of the world for God. Father Floyd is a parochial vicar at St. Patrick Parish in Wareham.

is ‘no,’ He opens up a new path of love. We would describe the Cross as the most radical expression of God’s unconditional love, as He offers Himself despite all rejection on the part of men, taking men’s ‘no’ upon Himself and drawing it into his ‘yes’” (cf. 2 Cor 1:19).

Abby Johnson puts it somewhat differently, “Self-deception is a powerful force. So is confession.”

“We are there to bear witness to what we know, to what we’ve already experienced ourselves.

We are there to love and befriend and pray for the clients who enter abortion clinics and the workers who staff them. Just as I was prayed for, loved, and befriended.”

Unplanned, but amazing grace.

Dwight Duncan is a professor at UMass School of Law Dartmouth. He holds degrees in civil and canon law.

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Seeking God’s mercy and forgiveness during Lent continued from page one

ners have embraced the idea.

“Our Religious Education coordinator, Catherine Kane, always has supervised activities for younger children who have not yet received the sacraments ready in the hall, so this frees the parents up to go to Reconciliation,” Father Healey said.

“As I said, it is our fourth year now and we would not be offering it again had we considered it unsuccessful.”

In addition to “Penance and Pizza,” Father Healey said Holy Trinity Parish also offers a more traditional communal penance service on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday between 4 and 7 p.m., which has drawn an impressive number of parishioners in the past.

“On the Sunday prior to this I preach at all the Masses about Lent as a season ‘to do’ penance for the sins we have confessed by fasting, praying, and giving alms,” he said. “In this we are tapping into the old tradition of ‘Shrove Tuesday’ as the day to be ‘shriven,’ or to have one’s confession heard in order to receive ashes with integrity on Ash Wednesday and thereby be marked as a penitent and em-

bark on the 40 days of penance through the traditional disciplines of Lent.”

Even though Shrove Tuesday has more recently been supplanted with the last-minute gorging and celebrating of Mardi Gras, or “Fat Tuesday,” before commencing with fasts and abstinence for Lent, Father Healey said the message is still relevant.

“On that day our two confessionals go steadily for three hours with many people coming back to the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time in years,” he said. “Many express the desire to live this Lent well as their motive for coming to be reconciled, and there are no surprises in the penance to be given — it’s fast, pray and give alms for 40 days. I think this is a good example of how the best of some of the largely-forgotten Lenten traditions can still serve us well today.”

Many parishes throughout the Fall River Diocese are scheduling additional opportunities for people to take advantage of the Sacrament of Reconciliation this Lent. The parishes of the Taunton Deanery are jointly

sponsoring a Reconciliation Weekend that begins tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. and continues tomorrow from 1 to 3 p.m.

The participating parishes include St. Nicholas of Myra, North Dighton; Immaculate Conception, North Easton; St. Ann, Raynham; Holy Cross, South Easton; Annunciation of the Lord, Taunton; Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, Taunton; St. Anthony, Taunton; St. Andrew the Apostle, Taunton; St. Jude the Apostle, Taunton; and St. Mary, Taunton.

Father Timothy P. Reis, pastor of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish and dean of the Taunton Deanery, said he talked about scheduling a reconciliation weekend with his fellow pastors and they thought it would be a good opportunity to bring people to the confessional who otherwise don’t normally come.

“We’re hoping to get a good turnout this weekend,” he said.

“Lent is the perfect time for conversion of heart and spiritual renewal in preparation for the celebration of Easter.”

The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attle-

April 1, 2011 boro will also offer extraordinary times for the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Lent.

Confessions will be heard at the shrine on Monday through Friday between 2 and 3 p.m. and again between 5 and 6 p.m. In addition, there will be confessions from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. There will be no confessions heard on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday.

Those in the New Bedford area can take advantage of the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Lent at Our Lady’s Chapel, 600 Pleasant Street in downtown New Bedford, Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. The chapel also offers perpetual eucharistic adoration along with daily Masses at 6:45 a.m. and 12:10 p.m. and Sunday Mass at 8:30 a.m.

Other special Lenten penance services scheduled in the diocese include: — Attleboro — St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Parish: April 13 and 20 following the 7 p.m.

Mass; — Brewster — Our Lady of the Cape Parish: every Saturday 3 to 3:45 p.m.; tonight and April 13 at 7 p.m.; April 19 at 3 p.m.;

— Buzzards Bay — St. Margaret’s Parish: Friday nights, 6 to 7 p.m.; Saturdays from 3 to 4 p.m.; — East Freetown — St. John Neumann Parish: April 18 at 7 p.m.; — New Bedford — Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parish: April 18 at 11 a.m.; Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish: April 16 11 a.m. to noon, and 3 to 4:30 p.m.; April 20 at 7 p.m.; St. Anthony of Padua Parish: Monday through Thursday at 5:20 p.m., Friday at 5:45 p.m., and Saturday at 2:45 p.m.; Sunday mornings (April 3 and 17) from 8 to 8:30 a.m.; Good Friday at 3 p.m.; St. John the Baptist Parish: April 15 at 7 p.m.; April 16 from 2 to 3:30 p.m.; — North Easton — Immaculate Conception Parish: April 14 at 7 p.m. (final night of Lenten Mission); — Orleans — St. Joan of Arc Parish: April 20 at 7 p.m.; — Somerset — St. Patrick’s Parish: April 10 at 3 p.m. (including exposition of the Blessed Sacrament); — South Yarmouth — St. Pius X Parish: April 18 at 7 p.m.

(Penance Service); April 20 from 4 to 5 p.m. (confessions); — Taunton — St. Anthony’s Parish: April 15 at 7 p.m.

April 1, 2011

Catholic school students go classical; with strings attached continued from page one

on instruction in the violin, viola or cello as part of the NBSO’s Catholic Schools’ Collaborative String Ensemble program.

For the last five years elementary schools in the New Bedford area begin each school day listening to five minutes of classical music.

One classical piece is played for five consecutive days along with a brief narrative relaying facts about the piece, the composer and the performers.

Terry Wolkowicz, a pianist with the NBSO and a part-time music teacher at St. James-St. John School in New Bedford told The Anchor, “The ‘Music in the Morning’ program is a wonderful way for students to start the day. It enhances their morning prayer and meditation. It also creates access to classical music the students might not otherwise receive.”

Wolkowicz added, “In the public schools where there is no morning prayer, it allows the students to settle down and center themselves — something that may not be available to them elsewhere.”

More than 17,000 New Bedford area students, encompassing 52 schools on the South Coast, currently benefit from this five-minute morning hiatus each school day.

Prior to the 2010-11 academic year, Wolkowicz and NBSO music director Dr. David MacKenzie presented diocesan superintendent of schools Dr. George A. Milot a proposal that would bring a NBSO musician into the three New Bedford Catholic elementary schools and St. Francis Xavier School in Acushnet once a week to teach small-group string lessons during the school day. In addition, the students from the four schools would meet once a week after school to perform as a collaborative string ensemble, also under the direction of an NBSO musician.

“Dr. Milot loved the idea,” said Wolkowicz. “He said ‘Go with it,’ and we eagerly began last fall.”

At the onset, Wolkowicz didn’t know what to expect from the program which is open to students from second to eighth grade. Most of the students who signed on had little or no training with a musical instrument. “I was worried at first. String instruments are not easy to play and I was wondering if I would need Motrin for each rehearsal,” she quipped. “But these students have done remarkably well in such a short time. And many of the parents are amazed at their progress. I’m so proud of them.” Wolkowicz’s son Justin, a student at St. James-St. John, is an ensemble member.

Bonnie Harlow, a cellist with the NBSO is currently instructing the children. She has been with the NBSO for nearly 30 years and has been teaching music to school chil-

15

The Anchor dren for nearly 20 years. “Working with Catholic school children has been a great experience,” Harlow told The Anchor. “There has been enthusiastic support from the school staff in each of the schools and students have a well-developed sense of responsibility about working hard and enjoying themselves as well.”

Harlow explained that seeing a student once a week can be tough for the learning process.

“But with the Catholic Schools’ Collaborative, I get to see them twice a week, once as individCatherine ual small Manoukian groups and once as an ensemble, it works best.

The string instruments are the most difficult to start out with. There are so many ways to make mistakes; incorrect fingering, the wrong angle with the bow, and instruments not correctly tuned. Seeing them twice a week helps a great deal.

They’re beginning to develop an ear for when they are out of tune or not fingering correctly. They are playing so well after such a short time. It’s fantastic.”

The students have been working on traditional folk songs “French

Folk Song” and “Cripple Creek,” and “Mountain William” by Albert Stoutamire.

Linda Dugas has a daughter, Rena, in fifth-grade at All Saints Catholic School who is part of the collaborative. “She takes guitar lessons, but she really took an interest in the cello,” said Dugas. “Bonnie is just fabulous with the children.”

“It’s really good to be a part of this,” said daughter Rena. “I get to meet people from other schools and I like classical music. When I listen to it, I can pick out the cello parts.”

Kyle Manny, also a fifth-grader, and attends St. James-St. John School is learning the violin. “It’s a little challenging,” he told The Anchor. “I used to play the guitar, but this is fun. I like all kinds of music, including classical.”

Kyle’s mother, Anna, is a nurse at St. James-St. John’s School, and values her son’s participation in the program. “It’s a great experience for Kyle and the other students to be exposed to classical music,” she said. “He was interested in it right away. Everyone involved has been so patient with the students. It’s unbelievable how far they’ve come since the beginning of the year.

I’ve seen such growth.”

Fifth-grader Alex Andrews attends All Saints Catholic School and is also a part of the ensemble as a violinist. “This is my first time playing the violin,” he said, “and it’s a great experience. I like

it when we get together with the other schools every Wednesday.”

He added he has a greater interest in classical music than he had prior to this experience.

“Father Rich Wilson has been so kind and supportive allowing us to use the hall at St. James Church,” added Wolkowicz.

The students’ adventure in the world of classical music doesn’t end with the “Music in the Morning” and ensemble program.

They also perform two concerts a year, one last Christmas and another May 31 at St. Lawrence Church in New Bedford; attend a NBSO performance; and on April 7, they will meet world-renowned Russian violinist Catherine Manoukian, who will be performing with the NBSO as a guest soloist.

Manoukian began violin studies with her father in Toronto when she was four years old, and her profes-

sional career began at age 12 when she won the grand prize at the 1994 Canadian Music Competition. She has soloed with many major North American and international symphony orchestras including the Boston Pops and Keith Lockhart, the Toronto, Instanbul State, Tokyo, and Armenian symphony orchestras. She has also released five CD recordings.

“Ms. Manoukian will come to All Saints Catholic School and perform for just the ensemble, and they will perform for her,” said Wolkowicz. “After that she will share some of her story and then we’ll have a question and answer session with the student musicians.

We’re hoping this will inspire them to keep at it.”

“It’s our hope that these fine, gifted, talented students will remain in tune with classical music,” added Harlow.

Gail Archer is an international concert organist, recording artist, choral conductor and lecturer. Ms. Archer is a college organist at Vassar College, and director of the music program at Barnard College, Columbia University where she conducts the Barnard-Columbia Chorus. She serves as director of the artist and young organ artist recitals at historic Central Synagogue, New York City.

Concert to benefit ST. ANTHONY RESTORATION FUND

Concert followed by a complimentary tea

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Youth Pages

April 1, 2011

playing for the love of the game — The 4 p.m. Mass on March 19 at St. John the Evangelist Church in Attleboro was held for the student athletes of the school. Parents, friends and faculty members attended the service along with the students. The Liturgy was celebrated by pastor, Father Richard Roy, assisted by Deacon Del Malloy. The students participated in various parts of the Mass and the music was performed by the Youth Choir of the Parish led by Maureen Merriam. Shown are the athletes with Father Roy and Deacon Malloy.

Operation Cam O’ Sham — As their Dress Down Day donation to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, students from St. Pius X School in South Yarmouth brought in items to be donated to Cape Cod Cares for the troops. Items collected were Q-tips, handsanitizer, deodorant, shaving cream, power bars, eye drops, Kleenex, mouthwash, decks of cards, and shampoo and conditioner. Pictured are the 2010-2011 St. Pius X School Student Council Members.

stepping out of their comfort zone — The Bishop Feehan High School community donated $10,000 to help rekindle the flame of education in the still devastated country of Haiti. These funds were presented by student officers of Cultural Awareness and Racial Equality to Father John Unni, a priest in the Archdiocese of Boston who has a direct connection to Hearts with Haiti (www.heartswithhaiti.org). The mission of this organization is to provide support to St. Joseph’s in Port-au-Prince, Wings of Hope in Fermathe, and Trinity House in Jacmel. The funds will assist the children as they attempt to bring the normalcy of education back into their lives. Throughout Lent, students at the Attleboro school will continue to raise funds to help those in need in Haiti. Father Unni spoke to the student body about the personal benefits of stepping out of your comfort zone to help someone else. Father Unni accepts a check towards Haitian relief from officers of Feehan’s C.A.R.E club. From left, juniors Maive Arbuckle, Colleen Werkheiser, Olivia Cortellini, and An Nguyen.

they can dig it — Fifth- and sixth-grade students at St. Joseph School in Fairhaven enjoyed a lesson in archaeology presented by Mary Concannon from Heritage and Education Services. After an interactive PowerPoint presentation, students had an opportunity to handle artifacts in small groups, speculating as to their historical use and possible origin.

Youth Pages

April 1, 2011

17

Reality, reality everywhere and not a drop to drink

I

’ll admit it. I love watching television — scripted television that is. It’s how I decompress; how I get my brain to stop thinking of every task to get done or project to complete. Sometimes I simply need what I like to call “brain candy.” But lately I have not been getting the same enjoyment out of TV for the simple fact that every time I change the channel (no matter what channel), I am slapped in the face with yet another “reality” show.

Reality? Ha! Double ha!

If we are not bombarded with the latest “Real Housewives of Boca Raton” or which blonde bombshell the latest bachelor will choose, then there seems to be virtually nothing on television.

I mean really, I just don’t care. I have my own reality to face every day and I’ll pass on what the networks foolishly dub as reality.

I remember growing up and watching the TGIFriday line-up on ABC — all family friendly shows that showcased, oddly enough, families. They were good for laughs and often dealt with the

By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff

NORTH DARTMOUTH – The setting sun highlighted the football field of Bishop Stang High School as students tossed footballs, huddled together to talk, or added finishing touches to their cardboard boxes that would be their sleeping quarters for the night. The school’s annual Cardboard Tent City, a project that is part of the Faith in Action Together program, raises awareness of the plight of the homeless.

“We do that so the students can understand the plight of the homeless and realize how fortunate we all are,” explained Sarah Custadio, assistant coordinator of the event.

“Spending the night out in the cold in a box gives them a good perspective.”

Each student is responsible for finding his or her own box and is allowed to bring sleeping bags, a pillow and a tarp to help cover the box.

Electronic devices like cell phones and iPods are not allowed, and the only food students can bring is a sandwich that fits into a container provided by event organizers.

“They’re not Subway footlongs,” joked Custadio.

Water and apples were also provided and the students woke up to a breakfast consisting of three-dayold bagels donated by New York Bagels. It is about living on bare minimum, a lesson that head coordinator of the event, Jacqueline McCarthy, hopes the students will take away.

“We hope they appreciate what they have,” said McCarthy. “I think just being away from the luxury and comfort that they’re used to, whether it’s food or electronics —

typical teen issues of the day. Sure, videos anymore? Last I knew the “M” stood for music), we are it was unrealistic to have the issue glued to our sets watching in awe resolved in a nice little package and counting the days to the next within 22 minutes but they had new episode. heart to them.

Can you imagine if we attended Unfortunately, that is not the Mass and listened to our priests’ case with many of today’s shows.

In a society where instant gratifica- homilies with such attentive tion does not seem to be instant enough, we want more. We are addicted to other people’s problems (how many times can we hear about Charlie Sheen “spiraling out of conBy Crystal Medeiros trol”?). We have become voyeurs into the problems and issues of these “reality fervor? What would our parishes stars” — if you can go so far as look like if we counted the days to call them that. Networks have between Sundays, eager to hear the created the glass houses and our Word of God and join Him at the television remotes have become altar for our eucharistic feast? the stones with which we judge If it is drama, war and strife, and keep asking for more. mystery and love people are I cannot help but wonder how hungry for, why not turn to Sacred desensitized our young people Scripture? The Word of God has and even some of their parents all of those elements and then are becoming by watching such some. If you want reality, how shows. Instead of being outraged about the reality of our Catholic at some of the antics of the cast faith that is so rooted in Scripture? mates of “The Jersey Shore,” (by We may know the stories of the the way, does MTV show music

Bible and the parables of Jesus inside and out, but when we listen to the Word at Mass each Sunday or even be so brazen as to open our Bibles that have been collecting dust on our shelves, we find something new that was not there when we heard or read them last.

In a few short weeks we will live out Holy Week. We will hear the Lord’s Passion as we do every year. Yet if we are open to it — if we are truly open to hearing God’s Word — then we could be hearing His passion for the very time first time. We could walk the journey with Jesus as He carries His cross along the Via Dolorosa toward Calvary.

We will experience His resurrection and all of the joy it brings on Easter Sunday. Most importantly we will truly experience and feel God’s love for us as we come into a full understanding of “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life,” (Jn 3:16).

Some may think and feel that attending Mass and hearing or reading the Word of God is simply “more of the same,” reruns if you will. But each time we embrace the Word and consume the Host and Precious Blood, it is like a new episode building on the previous, thus leading us to the climactic end — eternal life — which is actually the pilot episode of a new series.

A few reading this may think it trite that I compare reality TV to Sacred Scripture and the Mass but wouldn’t you rather live in the reality of God’s love and mercy than the reality of how high Snookie can get her poof? I know I would. For as we heard Jesus tell the Samaritan woman this past weekend, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty,” (Jn 4:13).

So the question remains: are you thirsty for the reality of God’s love?

Crystal is assistant director for Youth & Young Adult Ministry for the diocese. She can be contacted at cmedeiros@dfrcec.com.

what happens,” she said. “You can see someone who is homeless but you’re never going to know what he or she is going through. To actually do this, you get to know what it actually feels like. You have your box and some people don’t even have a box to sleep in.”

“It’s a whole other world and

to dispel some of the stereotypes of the homeless, that they don’t want to work, that they’re all bums and poorly educated,” said McCarthy.

“That’s simply not the case. The number of families has gone up dramatically. It would be hard for them to ignore the fact that they exist.”

The rest of the money will be given to Catholic Social Services to be distributed among area food pantries.

“The need is tremendous and these kids respond,” said McCarthy. “Every year it gets bigger, word spreads and the kids feel good about doing something.”

Freshman Patrick McGovern said he wanted to do something charitable and “to feel what it’s like for someone who is less fortunate.”

Senior Seamus Gallagher embraced that mantra by deciding not to sleep in a box but under the open sky.

“I had a box every year and managed pretty well, so I thought I’d try it without a box this year. I wasn’t expecting it to be this cold out, though,” he laughed. “I’m sticking with it.”

By participating every year, Gallagher said he really has a better perspective what the homeless go through, adding “This is a great opportunity to open up a little bit and be thinking about them.”

And that’s exactly what the event coordinators want to hear.

“I think what happens,” said McCarthy, “oftentimes kids take things for granted. They forget how lucky they are.”

“I really hope the kids, when they go home and have that hot shower and get into their warm beds, they really appreciate how fortunate we all are and how making these efforts of giving up their time really makes an impact in their future,” said Custadio. “Maybe they’ll think of the homeless a little bit differently and not add to those stereotypes, I think we all seem to have at times.”

Be Not Afraid

City of homeless, city of hope

just being able to get up and get something when they want it, they don’t have that luxury.”

Each student needed to raise a minimum of $50 to participate, and students were encouraged to look beyond mom’s or dad’s writing a check and instead reach out to explain what the event was about. Thi

Gimme Shelter — Under a clear sky, 218 students of Bishop Stang High School braved cold temperatures for an overnight stay on the stadium field to highlight the plight of the homeless at this year’s Cardboard Tent City. Sleeping in nothing more than a cardboard box and sleeping bag, the students raised more than $13,000 to benefit food pantries and homeless shelters. (Photo by Becky Aubut)

s is something sophomore Dorothy Mahoney-Pacheco took to heart, raising $275 by having a readymade response if a potential donor was hesitant.

“Anyone could be homeless, it could happen to you,” said Mahoney-Pacheco. “As soon as you say it could happen to anyone, they will give money.”

Having already participated as a freshman, Mahoney-Pacheco appreciated the experience.

“I definitely really liked doing it and you get the real feeling of

honestly, it’s a huge sacrifice,” said Custadio. “We tell them that if they can’t make that sacrifice, choose a different community service project.”

The students were allowed to setup their “homes” and then all attended Mass at St. Julie Billiart; but it was the early evening presentation of two previously homeless people sharing their personal stories that McCarthy felt humanized the individuals suffering on the streets.

“Part of the program is we try

The first year of the event saw 100 students raise $4,000 and last year’s 192 students raised more than $12,000. This year a new record was set as 218 students raised $13,000, with money still coming in from Mass donations and students arriving on the field to hand McCarthy last-minute contributions. Some money had already been spent purchasing winter accessories and toiletry items that were delivered to four homeless shelters in New Bedford and a shelter in Fall River.

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The Anchor Visit The Anchor online at http://www.anchornews.org

April 1, 2011

Deacon Franciszek “Frank” W. Mis

FALL RIVER — Deacon Frank W. Mis, 90, a permanent deacon of St. Stanislaus Church in Fall River, died March 18.

He was the widower of Mary (Lindo) Mis. He died at Saint Anne’s Hospital, Fall River.

He was born in Fall River a son of the late Vincent and Helena (Kipa) Mis and had been a lifelong resident of the city.

He was employed as a foreman at the former Arkwright Finishing for more than 40 years retiring in 1985. He served in the United States Navy during World War II.

He was ordained Permanent Deacon in 1980. He was a member of the St. Vincent de

Deacon Frank W. Mis

Around the Diocese 4/2

Espirito Santo School will host a 100-year celebration craft show tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the church hall, 311 Alden Street, Fall River. The event will include various crafters and vendors, arts and crafts for the kids, plenty of great food including malassadas and baked goods. For more information call 508-672-2229.

Our Lady’s Monthly Message From Medjugorje March 25, 2011

Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina “Dear children! In a special way today I desire to call you to conversion. As of today, may new life begin in your heart. Children, I desire to see your ‘yes,’ and may your life be a joyful living of God’s will at every moment of your life. In a special way today, I bless you with my motherly blessing of peace, love and unity in my heart and in the heart of my Son Jesus.

“Thank you for having responded to my call.”

Spiritual Life Center of Marian Community One Marian Way Medway, MA 02053 • Tel. 508-533-5377 Paid advertisement

4/3 4/8

The Knights of Columbus Council No. 12380 will sponsor a blood drive Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Notre Dame Parish, Eastern Avenue, Fall River. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for all donors.

The Cape Cod Deanery of the diocese will sponsor a Life in the Spirit Seminar at Our Lady of the Cape Parish in Brewster from April 8 through April 10. The seminar will meet on Friday from 7 to 9 p.m., Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Father Edward Murphy will celebrate Mass and officiate at the Baptism of the Holy Spirit on Sunday. For more information call Pam at 508-759-2737 or Charlie at 508-540-1808.

4/10

Singer and songwriter Vince Ambrosetti will bring his Lenten mission “Awaken Our Hearts” to St. John the Evangelist Parish, North Main Street, Attleboro from April 10 through April 13 beginning at 7 p.m. each night. A Christian artist with a passionate love for God, Ambrosetti has composed more than 350 songs and recorded more than 25 CDs. He sang one of his best-loved songs, “Sanctuary,” at the funeral of Blessed Mother Teresa and performed for the Venerable Pope John Paul II at the Vatican. In 2001 Ambrosetti was named Catholic Artist of the Year. For more information call 508-222-1206 or 508-226-5355.

4/11

Holy Cross Parish in South Easton and Immaculate Conception Parish in North Easton will jointly sponsor a Lenten Mission led by Dr. Ernest Collamati titled “Where Are You God?” from April 11 through April 14 beginning at 7 p.m. each night at Immaculate Conception Church, 193 Main Street, North Easton. A reception will follow the first session, while a reconciliation service with opportunity for individual confessions will be celebrated on the final evening. For more information call 508-238-2235.

4/14

A Theology on Tap discussion for young adults, married or single, in their 20s and 30s will be held April 14 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Ground Round Bar and Grill, 2 George Street in Pawtucket, R.I. on the topic of “Do Not Settle for Mediocrity: The Life and Message of Pope John Paul II.” All are welcome to eat, drink, socialize and enjoy the discussion.

4/14 4/19

A Healing Mass will be held at St. Anne’s Shrine, 818 Middle Street, Fall River, on April 14 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Rosary will precede the Mass at 6 p.m. and Benediction and healing prayers will immediately follow.

Adoption by Choice, an adoption and pregnancy counseling program sponsored by Catholic Social Services, will hold an informational session for individuals interested in domestic newborn or international adoptions on April 19 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Catholic Social Services, 1600 Bay Street, Fall River. To register or for more information call 508-674-4681 or visit www. cssdioc.org.

4/22

The 35th annual Canal Walk for Haiti will take place on Good Friday, April 22 along the Cape Cod Canal service road starting at the railroad bridge in Buzzards Bay. Walkers will proceed to the Herring Run Visitors Center where rest rooms and free refreshments will be available. The total distance of the walk is 10 kilometers, or about 6.3 miles. For more information email vtortora@ capecod.net or ourladyofthecape@yahoo.com.

4/28

The Lazarus Ministry of Our Lady of the Cape Parish in Brewster is offering a six-week bereavement support program called “Come Walk With Me,” on Thursdays beginning April 28 through June 2 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the parish center. The program is designed for people who have lost a loved one within the past year. Pre-registration is required. For information contact Happy Whitman at 508-385-3252 or Eileen Birch at 508-394-0616.

Paul Society and Men’s Club at St. Stanislaus’ Parish.

Deacon Mis was a member of the P.N.A. Lodge 1887 and Kosciwski Men’s Club, both of Fall River, and was a member of the V.F.W. Post 486 of Fall River.

Survivors include a daughter Judith Proctor of Sarasota, Fla.; a son Vincent W. Mis of Somerset; four grandchildren, three great grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. He was the father of the late Thaddeus W. Mis and brother of the late Anna Pytel, Henry Mis and Stanley Mis. A Funeral Mass was held March 22 at St. Stanislaus Church, Fall River, with interment following at Notre Dame Cemetery, Fall River.

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks April 2 Rev. Adolph Banach, OFM Conv., Pastor, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Bedford, 1961 Rev. Donald Belanger, Pastor, St. Stephen, Attleboro, 1976 Rev. James B. Coyle, Retired Pastor, St. Dorothea, Eatontown, N.J., 1993 April 3 Rev. Henry F. Kinnerny, Former Pastor, St. Peter, Sandwich, 1905 Rev. Roger G. Blain, OP, 2000 Rev. Clarence P. Murphy, Former Pastor, Our Lady of the Assumption, Osterville, 2010 April 4 Rev. Lionel Gamache, S.M.M., 1972 Rev. James F. McCarthy, Retired Pastor, Sacred Heart, Fall River, 1985 Rev. Gaspar L. Parente, Retired Pastor, St. Theresa, Patagonia, Ariz., 1991 April 6 Rev. Philip Lariscy, O.S.A. Founder of the New Bedford Mission, 1824 Rev. Edward J. Mongan. Retired Pastor, St. Mary, North Attleboro, 1920 Rev. Msgr. John A. Chippendale, Retired Pastor, St. Patrick, Wareham, 1977 Rev. Lorenzo Morais, Retired Pastor, St. George, Westport, 1980 Rev. Msgr. William D. Thomson, Retired Pastor, St. Francis Xavier, Hyannis, 1987 Rev. Gerald E. Conmy, CSC, Associate Pastor, St. Ann, DeBary, Fla., 1994 Rev. Msgr. Francis J. Gilligan, P.A. STD, Archdiocese of St. Paul, 1997 Rev. Lucien Jusseaume, Chaplain, Our Lady’s Haven, Fairhaven, Retired Pastor, St. Roch, Fall River, 2001 April 7 Rev. James A. Dury, Retired Pastor, Corpus Christi, Sandwich, 1976 Rev. Alvin Matthews, OFM, Retired, Our Lady’s Chapel, New Bedford, 1988

April 1, 2011

Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese Acushnet — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Parish on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Fridays 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays end with Evening Prayer and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.; Saturdays end with Benediction at 2:45 p.m.

ATTLEBORO — St. Joseph Church holds eucharistic adoration in the Adoration Chapel located at the (south) side entrance at 208 South Main Street, Sunday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Brewster — Eucharistic adoration takes place in the La Salette Chapel in the lower level of Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road, on First Fridays following the 11 a.m. Mass until 7:45 a.m. on the First Saturday, concluding with Benediction and Mass. buzzards Bay — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Margaret Church, 141 Main Street, every first Friday after the 8 a.m. Mass and ending the following day before the 8 a.m. Mass.

East Freetown — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. John Neumann Church every Monday (excluding legal holidays) 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Our Lady, Mother of All Nations Chapel. (The base of the bell tower).

East Sandwich — Eucharistic adoration takes place at the Corpus Christi Parish Adoration Chapel, 324 Quaker Meeting House Road, Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Also, 24-hour eucharistic adoration takes place on the First Friday of every month with Benediction at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning.

EAST TAUNTON — Eucharistic adoration takes place in the chapel at Holy Family Parish Center, 438 Middleboro Avenue, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. On First Fridays, eucharistic adoration takes place at Holy Family Church, 370 Middleboro Avenue, following the 8 a.m. Mass until Benediction at 8 p.m.

FAIRHAVEN — St. Mary’s Church, Main St., has eucharistic adoration every Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the Chapel of Reconciliation, with Benediction at noon. Also, there is a First Friday Mass each month at 7 p.m., followed by a Holy Hour with eucharistic adoration. Refreshments follow.

Fall River — Espirito Santo Parish, 311 Alden Street, Fall River. Eucharistic adoration on Mondays following the 8:00 a.m. Mass until Rosary and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.

FALL RIVER — Notre Dame Church, 529 Eastern Ave., has eucharistic adoration on Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the chapel.

FALL RIVER — St. Anthony of the Desert Church, 300 North Eastern Avenue, has eucharistic adoration Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

FALL RIVER — Holy Name Church, 709 Hanover Street, has eucharistic adoration Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Our Lady of Grace Chapel.

FALL RIVER — Good Shepherd Parish has eucharistic adoration every Friday following the 8 a.m. Mass until 6 p.m. in the Daily Mass Chapel. There is a bilingual Holy Hour in English and Portuguese from 5-6 p.m. Park behind the church and enter the back door of the connector between the church and the rectory.

Falmouth — St. Patrick’s Church has eucharistic adoration each First Friday, following the 9 a.m. Mass until Benediction at 4:30 p.m. The Rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

HYANNIS — A Holy Hour with eucharistic adoration will take place each First Friday at St. Francis Xavier Church, 21 Cross Street, beginning at 4 p.m.

MASHPEE — Christ the King Parish, Route 151 and Job’s Fishing Road has 8:30 a.m. Mass every First Friday with special intentions for Respect Life, followed by 24 hours of eucharistic adoration in the Chapel, concluding with Benediction Saturday morning followed immediately by an 8:30 Mass.

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

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

NORTH DARTMOUTH — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Julie Billiart Church, 494 Slocum Road, every Tuesday from 7 to 8 p.m., ending with Benediction. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available at this time.

NORTH DIGHTON — Eucharistic adoration takes place every First Friday at St. Nicholas of Myra Church, 499 Spring Street following the 8 a.m. Mass, ending with Benediction at 6 p.m. The Rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 8 a.m.

OSTERVILLE — Eucharistic adoration takes place at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 76 Wianno Avenue on First Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and every Friday from noon to 5 p.m., with Benediction at 5 p.m.

SEEKONK ­— Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish has eucharistic adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the chapel at 984 Taunton Avenue. For information call 508-336-5549.

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

WAREHAM — Adoration with opportunities for private and formal prayer is offered on the First Friday of each month from 8:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Church, High Street. The Prayer Schedule is as follows: 7:30 a.m. the Rosary; 8 a.m.

Mass; 8:30 a.m. exposition and Morning Prayer; 12 p.m. the Angelus; 3 p.m. Divine Mercy Chaplet; 5:30 p.m. Evening Prayer; 7 p.m. Sacrament of Confession; 8 p.m.

Benediction.

WEST HARWICH — Our Lady of Life Perpetual Adoration Chapel at Holy Trinity Parish, 246 Main Street (Rte. 28), holds perpetual eucharistic adoration. We are a regional chapel serving all of the surrounding parishes. All from other parishes are invited to sign up to cover open hours. For open hours, or to sign up call 508-430-4716.

WOODS HOLE — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Joseph’s Church, 33 Millfield Street, year-round on weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. No adoration on Sundays, Wednesdays, and holidays. For information call 508-274-5435.

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There’s no need to fear ...

o paraphrase the theme is that they will be playing each song of a ’60s canine suother. After tomorrow’s game, the perhero cartoon, “There’s no need bubble will burst for one of them. to fear, the underdogs are here.”

The upside is that one will defiMen’s college basketball’s March Madness has whittled the field of 68 tourney teams to its Final Four. And this year, contrary to some sports pundits who find the level

By Dave Jolivet of play as substandard, is a whole bunch of fun to watch.

Instead of the usual Blue Devils, Tarheels, Jayhawks, and Buckeyes in semifinals, we have a herd of Rams and a pack of Bulldogs who have captured the imagination of hoops fans nationwide.

The 11th-seeded Virginia Commonwealth University Rams, who many thought shouldn’t even have punched a ticket to the big dance, butted its way through five rounds to earn a spot in college basketball’s center stage. And the eighth-seed Butler Bulldogs chewed their way to a shot at making the championship game.

The Rams (28-11) defeated teams seeded 11th sixth, third, 10th and first en route to the school’s first-ever Final Four appearance.

Their opponents had a collective 105-33 record. The Bulldogs (27-9) pushed aside teams seeded ninth, first, fourth and second, with a collective 109-30 record.

There are many days when I wish I was back enjoying my college experience, and I would love to be a student at Butler and VCU this week. Both schools are dreaming of its first NCAA men’s title in the history of the tourney that began in 1939.

Oh yeah, the universities of Kentucky and Connecticut are in the Final Four. Neither is a stranger to the big stage. The Wildcats (29-8) and Huskies (30-9) square off in tomorrow’s second semi.

The only down side of having VCU and Butler in the semifinals

My View From the Stands

nitely be in the title game Monday night. That guarantees an underdog will have a shot. That also means that I’ll have to stay up late Monday night with the hopes of watching a Ram or a Bulldog cut down the nets at Reliant Stadium in Houston. If so, maybe I can enroll at the winning school for a week and join the fun.

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April 1, 2011