04.03.20

Diocesan clergy, faithful keep focus on Christ during COVID-19 crisis Bishop encourages faithful Diocese of Fall River, Mass. † Friday, April 3, 2020

Cape Cod deacon creates Rosary for these trying times Page two

Dear Brother and Sisters, I recognize, as you do, that we are facing the most challenging time we have ever seen with this pandemic of the Coronavirus. Because of it, we will have the most unusual Easter we have ever seen, without being able to go to church, to participate in the Mass, to receiving the Sacraments and celebrate the joy that Easter brings.

This year, we are left with our faith and our hope for better days soon. We have gone through a real Lent of tremendous sacrifice, but we cannot lose faith or hope knowing that this crisis will pass. When it is over, we can rebuild our world and our lives. Counting on God’s help and with strong faith, we will be better people and build a better world.

Blessings on you and your family, and may we experience the peace of the Risen Christ in our hearts.

My prayers for best wishes for a blessed Easter to all of you.

Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V. Bishop of Fall River

Diocesan youth keep focus on Christ, each other though miles apart Page 10

Parishes offer online Masses FALL RIVER — The following parishes are streaming their Masses for viewing over the Internet and via Facebook Live. Keep in mind that most parishes also archive these Masses for viewing at a later time as well.

Parishes are listed alphabetically by their city/ town location.

Holy Redeemer Parish, Chatham Visit: www.youtube.com/channel/ UCSfcCANRiZ7oFjGotUgUJeA Sunday Mass at 10 a.m.

St. Anthony Parish, East Falmouth Visit www.falmouthcatholic.org 8 Turn to page 14

Priests take to the skies to bring Christ to shut-in diocesan faithful

By Kenneth J. Souza Web Editor

kensouza@anchornews.org

NEW BEDFORD — In an effort to raise the spirits of faithful across the diocese during the Coronavirus pandemic, two diocesan priests recently decided to raise themselves and the ultimate Spirit — Our Lord, Jesus Christ — literally thousands of feet into the air.

Around 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, Father Chris Peschel, parochial administrator of Our Lady of Grace Parish in Westport, and Father Jay Mello, pastor of St. Michael and St. Joseph parishes in Fall River, boarded a private plane — dubbed Angel Flight 1961 — at the New Bedford Municipal Airport and took a 90-minute journey from one end of the diocese to the other, bringing with them Father Jay Mello

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Father April 3,Chris 2020Peschel †

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Cape Cod permanent deacon creates ‘Rosary in Times of Epidemic Disease’ to join faithful in prayer and provide solace

By Dave Jolivet Print Editor

davejolivet@anchornews.org

SOUTH YARMOUTH — Everyone across the Diocese of Fall River is feeling the effects of life turned upside down by a deadly virus that has aggressively made its way across the world, sickening and even killing thousands. No one is safe from the wave of illness which has become a pandemic in recent weeks.

Yet, a permanent deacon in South Yarmouth, on loan from the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., is trying to, and succeeding in bringing the comfort and hope of Christ to home-bound area Catholics.

Deacon Bill Gallerizzo has turned to a prayer not unfamiliar with folks in and near the Fall River Diocese — the Rosary.

It seems fitting that this powerful prayer, given to us by the Blessed Mother

to meditate on her beloved Son, should be a source of solace, since one of the greatest advocates of the Rosary, a priest who is currently being considered for sainthood, Servant of God Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C., is interred within the diocese.

Deacon Gallerizzo, who has also completed studies in bioethics was moved by the Lord to provide believers with a publication called “The Rosary in Times of Epidemic Disease.”

He told The Anchor, “One of my great joys is doing Benediction for Holy Hour where I usually include the Rosary and for each mystery a reflection on something applicable to the mystery toward current issues, most often Pro-Life and bioethics,

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and Church teaching on them. Since completing my studies in bioethics, I began sending my regular homilies to about 200 people on six continents in English and Italian.

Some have been recorded and broadcast on Cape Cod cable access.

“With my background in sciences, I am a firm believer that we discover things only God knows because we are open to the hints, details, ideas, etc., that He provides and we then recognize the patterns. Hence, there are few coincidences in God’s will.”

Deacon Gallerizzo said the God provided him with the idea for a Rosary in times of epidemic disease because churches are by and large closed and homilies weren’t available for the faithful who can no longer engage in community worship.

“Since many are familiar with the Rosary, and they often go to it when

attending Mass is not possible, this seemed like a timely tool for prayerful engagement,” he said.

“My only goal is that this is freely given to all who wish to use it. The need is in the here and now. I cannot leave home as my wife’s immune system is not strong.

So this was what I could do from here at home.”

A link to the 13-page Rosary booklet can be found at The Anchor website at anchornews.org.

It can be viewed on the site or printed for easier access.

The booklet provides an introduction by Deacon Gallerizzo, instructions on how to pray the Rosary, and a complete listing of the 20 Rosary mysteries, the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous, and their meanings, and the days on which they are normally prayed.

In his introduction Deacon Gallerizzo explains, “At the time of this writing, COVID-19 has circled the globe; some countries have been hit harder than others, but it has been tragically impacting everywhere.

“Countless people are making efforts on many fronts. Some are testing for potential cases, some are treating the sick. Some are researching for vaccines and medicines to halt its decimation. Some

are continuing to keep the public supplied with food and essentials. Some are providing much-needed leadership. They all need our prayers.”

Expounding on the crucial need for prayer at this time, Deacon Gallerizzo wrote, “These are times that try our souls.

These are times that we all need to pray. The Holy Father, Pope Francis, has reminded us that the Rosary is by far one of our most powerful prayers outside of the Mass. In consideration for all we are facing, these reflections hopefully focus our Spiritual energy toward contemplating God, and away from the crisis and turmoil that clouds our sight from what is truly important and truly lasting. We all need prayer to keep this focus in sight.”

God’s greatest gift to us was His Son’s passion, death and Resurrection.

And one of Christ’s greatest gift to His faitful was the Sacraments. But during these unprecidented times, many Catholic faithful cannot receive the Sacraments. Deacon Gallerizzo addressed this heartbreaking situation: “ The Mass is our perfect prayer. But sometimes during adversity — sickness, epidemic, political and social upheaval, natural disasters — we will try to attend Mass, not because of obligation, but because we value beyond all else God’s physical and Spiritual union with each of us individu8 Turn to page seven

Bishop da Cunha releases additional directives in response to Coronavirus outbreak FALL RIVER — Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., has issued further directives addressing various aspects of Liturgical and Sacramental practices in parishes in the Fall River Diocese in the midst of this coronavirus outbreak.

In a letter to priests of the diocese dated March 26, Bishop da Cunha wrote, “In recent weeks, our diocese has joined with others across the country and around the world in taking unprecedented action in response to the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.

“It is my fervent prayer that these steps will help in the prevention of further spread of the virus and in the overall support of the

health and well-being of all persons in our communities.”

The bishop goes on to point out that these steps, while necessary, significantly affect parish life and have raised questions “with regard to the best way to continue to serve our faithful given these extraordinary times, in a way that is consistent across our Fall River Diocese.”

In response, Bishop da Cunha issued a series of directives to provide instruction to parishes and to ensure unified practices in all diocesan parishes. To become effective immediately, they build upon and in some areas supersede previous diocesan guidelines and rules.

A summary of the di-

rectives follows: Public Hours for Churches Churches may con-

to visit for private prayer.

Either the pastor or a designated parish staff member must be attentive to the number of visitors present at any given time (not to exceed 10) and the need for ongoing cleaning and sanitizing during and after public hours. The elderly and others considered especially vulnerable to the virus are strongly discouraged for their own protection and are encouraged to pray at home instead.

Holy Communion tinue to remain open for No distribution of limited times during the Holy Communion is to day — to the extent postake place either inside or sible and at the discretion outside the church to miniof the pastor — to provide mize the risk of infection parishioners who still and spread. Exceptions wish with an opportunity are permitted for cases of

Viaticum.

Sacrament of Reconciliation Parishes are to cancel all Lenten Penance services and suspend all regularly scheduled Confession times. Priests may offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation only in danger of death, or by appointment in extraordinary situations. In these cases, social distancing practices must be observed, while at the same time ensuring privacy for the penitent. There are to be no Confessions by telephone, other electronic means, or by “drive by.”

As Pope Francis reminded us in his homily of March 20, priests are encouraged to remind the 8 Turn to page seven

Nationwide ReportBishopAbuse.org launched; will replace regional reporting system FALL RIVER—In response to the apostolic letter

by Pope Francis in May 2019 Vos extis lux mundi, (You are the Light of the World), a new independent thirdparty reporting system is in place to receive allegations of sexual misconduct against U.S. bishops. The Catholic Bishops Abuse Reporting Service, or CBAR, went live on March 16, 2020, and is now available for individuals who wish to file an allegation of misconduct involving a bishop or cardinal.

There are two ways to file an allegation: online at reportbishopabuse.org; or by phone, where trained personnel will receive the information regarding the allegation. The number to call is 1-800-276-1562. Individuals can remain anonymous if they choose in both instances.

This third-party report-

ing system is provided by Convercent, Inc., which is a commercial vendor of ethics reporting services and has no authority within the Catholic Church. The service reflects Convercent’s standard design for confidentiality receiving and relaying reports, additionally tailored to fit the requirements of Church law.

“I am pleased that the nationwide system to report abuse and misconduct against any bishop is now in place, implementing in our country one of the key directives of Pope Francis’ Vos estis,” said Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V. “It is meant to ensure that all clergy, regardless of their rank in the hierarchy, will be held accountable for acts of sexual abuse and related misconduct. It is imperative that the Church remain ever vigilant to

safeguard our young people and to eliminate the abuse of children in all forms and all places.”

This newly-launched system will replace the existing EthicsPoint instituted by the Boston Province in August 2019 to serve as a temporary reporting mechanism until the nationwide one was implemented. The Boston Province includes the Archdiocese of Boston along with the dioceses of Fall River, Springfield and Worcester in Massachusetts and the dioceses of Portland, Maine; Manchester, N.H.; and Burlington, Vt. Anyone who has already filed a complaint through EthicsPoint can continue to monitor the progress on that platform, which will remain active.

The Catholic Bishop Abuse Reporting (CBAR) service will accept specific types of abuse allegations

against bishops and cardinals: • Forced someone to perform or submit to sexual acts through violence, threat, or abuse of authority; • Performed sexual acts with a minor or vulnerable person; • Produced, exhibited, possessed, or distributed child pornography, or recruited or induced a minor or a vulnerable person to participate in pornographic exhibitions; • Or a diocesan or eparchial bishop, or a cleric overseeing a diocese/eparchy in the absence of a diocesan or eparchial bishop, who has intentionally interfered with a civil or Church investigation into allegations of sexual abuse committed by another cleric or religious.

CBAR does not replace existing reporting systems for complaints against

priests, deacons, religious or laity. CBAR was designed to respond only to complaints against bishops for issues related to sexual misconduct.

The reporting of sexual misconduct by anyone in diocesan ministry who is not a bishop, such as priests, deacons, religious Brothers and Sisters, or lay persons working or volunteering for the Church should continue to be handled in accordance with the Fall River Diocesan Policies and Procedures for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults and with proper civil authorities. For information on Fall River Diocesan policies and procedures, please visit: fallriverdiocese.org and click on the Safe Environment tab.

For more information on CBAR, please visit: ReportBishopAbuse.org.

April 3, 2020 †

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Mary, Mother of the Church, the entire mystical Body of Christ

ur Lenten observance was punctuated with the Solemnity of the Annunciation on March 25. In this Joyful Mystery of the announcement of the Angel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary “in the fullness of time” we recall that this was the moment all creation was awaiting since the fall of Adam and Eve. The Church reminds us to celebrate the mystery of the Annunciation and Incarnation of the Lord in Mary’s Immaculate Heart and in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit.

We gratefully celebrate the moment in which the “Word was made Flesh” and became one of us while still remaining fully God. This solemnity comes to us this year during this global pandemic as a great consolation and hope amidst a period of fear and sorrow for the knowledge that many may still die as a result of this virus — worse still are the millions more who die the Spiritual death from the virus of sin unrepented. The light of this solemnity for us now can be compared to the mystery of the Transfiguration which came as a great consolation and hope to the Apostles on Mount Tabor even as our Lord set His face toward Jerusalem where He would carry the cross to be crucified for our sins. We are to have our faith anchored in the virtue of hope of the Resurrection even as we walk the way of the cross.

In this article, we meditate how in Mary, the Annunciation already carries within it the seed of our Redemption which “became Flesh” Mary’s faith-filled reception of the Word of God spoken by the angel. We too, in this time of physical 4

distance from the Liturgical life of the Church, can meditate on the mystery of the Annunciation and recognize that we too, have been given the great announcement of the angel to Mary through the Gospels and in union with Mary we too, can hope to receive the “Word made Flesh” Sacramentally or at least in many fervent Spiritual communions in order to unite ourselves to our Savior and to adore, thank and petition Him for graces even as we ponder His eternal promises in our hearts. These promises depend on our fidelity to the covenant we have made with God in our Baptism. It would be good for us to remind ourselves of this by making the sign of the cross often in memory of Christ’s Redemption.

Let us strive to lovingly embrace the little crosses sent to us to share in His cross even as Mary did at the Annunciation and throughout each mystery of her life until her glorious Assumption and crowning in Heaven.

Meditating on the Annunciation we can understand something of Mary’s personality and nature from Luke 2:51: “And His mother kept all these words in her heart.” This verse comes after the loss of Jesus for three days and His finding in the temple. From this verse we can infer that the Virgin Mary had a meditative heart, one in which she treasured the experiences in her life and read about in the Old Testament.

Mary pondered upon the Scriptures and like many in Israel she awaited the

† April 3, 2020

with God’s plan of Salvation by her “Fiat.” This word, “let it be done” became her “Yes” to a covenant of love which would unite Heaven to earth in her womb, and by the power of the same Holy Spirit unite Earth to Heaven in the birth of the Church at Pentecost. Mary, the true mother of the living, restored the true role of woman and mother as a unifier and lifegiver whereas Eve brought disobedience, insubordination, death and separation from God. Mary’s “Fiat” was the principle that animated her entire life. As our mother, Mary is there for us to call upon shall divide the spoils with the mighty, because He sur- to help us say our “yes” to the crosses we receive in rendered Himself to death and was counted among the order to cooperate through her with Jesus in the Salwicked: And He shall take vation of souls. We need away the sins of many, and only to remember that at win pardon for their ofFatima, the Blessed Virgin fenses” (Is 53:11b-12).

Mary taught us to pray The Angel Gabriel was this prayer when making a sent from Heaven to announce the Good News, to sacrifice, “Oh my Jesus, it the Virgin of Nazareth who is for love of Thee, for the also lived in turbulent times conversion of sinners, and but her heart was steadfast- in reparation for the sins against the Immaculate ly awaiting the fulfillment of God’s promises to send a Heart of Mary.”

Pope St. John Paul the Redeemer. Therefore, when Great in his general audithe Angel Gabriel said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord ence address of May 4, 1983 stated: is with you,” the angel was “The ‘Yes’ of the Anacknowledging that she was nunciation constituted not the Immaculate Conceponly the acceptance of the tion, already having reoffered motherhood, but ceived the gift of Redempsignified above all Mary’s tion in view of the Passion commitment to service of and death of Jesus on the the mystery of the Redempcross. God had called tion. Redemption was the Mary from the beginning work of her Son; Mary was to be set apart as the Imassociated with it on a submaculate, and she, having ordinate level. Nevertheless, received the grace freely, her participation was real consecrated her virginity and demanding. Giving her to Him. Mary consented and consciously cooperated consent to the angel’s mespromised Messiah Who would come through a virgin. She would have read and pondered deeply in her heart the sorrows the Messiah would undergo for our sins. The prophet Isaiah foretells it, “Through His suffering, my Servant shall justify many, and their guilt He shall bear. Therefore I will give Him His portion among the great and He

sage, Mary agreed to collaborate in the whole work of mankind’s reconciliation with God, just as her Son would accomplish it.”

We are called to imitate our Mother Mary and Mother of the Church in believing our identity as chosen children of God called by our Baptism for life in union with God, already begun here in this life and to last for all eternity. With this trajectory in mind we can unite the daily occurrences of our life, and strengthen our faith in Mary, who has traced the way before us.

Mary has graced us with the gift of the Holy Rosary to remember the marvels the Lord has done for her who believed. The Lord extends the same promise and reward to us who remain faithful and believe. “Blessed is she who believed that the words spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled.” May we cleave to Mary with our “Yes” of consecration so as to make our life for Christ bear ever more abundant fruit for our Salvation and that of many souls entrusted to us.

In the next article, we will meditate on the sorrows of Mary in the Passion of Jesus.

Anchor guest columnist Grace Small and her husband Bill are parishioners of St. Vincent’s Parish in Attleboro and have recently made their solemn profession as Third Order Franciscans of the Immaculate on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. They are also attending classes with TINE at the Pastoral Center in Braintree, toward a certificate in Catechetical Studies.

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his Lent has been one few of us will ever forget.

On Ash Wednesday, we were marked with ashes and reminded that we are dust and unto dust we shall return. Few of us realized just how Lent would become an extended meditation on the reality of death coming to so many, so suddenly, as a result of the Coronavirus.

We have all been led into the experience of the desert, far away not only from distractions — sports, late night shows, parties, outside commitments, faceto-face contact with most of our friends, family and neighbors — but also from the typical experiences of school and work.

Many of our Lenten resolutions have been revised by circumstances. Our fast has involved a fast from Mass, Holy Communion and the Sacrament of Penance. Our prayer has taken place not in churches but in domestic monasteries. Our almsgiving has featured not drawing near to those in need but socially distancing from them.

And if these were not all sufficient penances, some have been suffering with Coronavirus and caring for those who have gotten it or tragically succumbed to it.

Others have had to deal with consequences of losing jobs.

The Coronavirus, and its religious, civic, economic and social repercussions, have turned our Lent, and our life, upside down. Many of us come to the last week of Lent not gearing up with enthusiasm for the home stretch but trying stoically to survive.

If this Lent has been unusual, this Holy Week will be even stranger, when we will mark Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good

Preparing for an atypical Holy Week Friday and Easter not in church with our fellow Catholics but at home.

The Liturgies of Holy Week are so powerful that, when we show up and are attentive, the prayers, readings, music, homilies, smells and bells will normally bring us into the heart of the mysteries.

Prioritizing the time to be there already predisposes us to receive what God wants to give. Just entering into the church is a choice to leave the profane and enter the Sacred.

Such settings cannot be replicated. But this Holy Week we’re summoned to do the best we can.

To live it well will require taking responsibility to give greater than normal cooperation with God’s grace, more focused prayer, and far greater interior and exterior preparation.

The interior preparations are going to involve prayer and reading. There are some great books to help us. I would recommend Bishop Alban Goodier’s classic “The Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ,” and Pope Benedict’s “Jesus of Nazareth, Part II, Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection,” which could be read individually or, better, as a family.

It would also be a time to watch some of the great movies about Jesus, which help us retrace the steps of Jesus’ life that led to the Upper Room, Calvary and the tomb. Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” can help us enter into the major moments and the suffering Jesus loved us enough to endure. The Visual Bible’s “Gospel of Matthew,”

“Gospel of John,” “Gospel of Luke” and “Gospel of Mark,” while of variable cinematically quality, follow the words of Sacred Scripture and are a visual lectio divina. Zeffirelli’s “Jesus of Nazareth,” likewise can help enter Jesus’ milieu. As most of us will have to watch the Sacred ceremonies on television or on devices, learning how to use these media better to focus on Jesus through movies like these will make it easier for us to

pray through them better as we watch the ceremonies.

The exterior preparations are likewise important. They begin with trying to create, as best we can, Sacred space in our home where we can block out distractions. The place should be cleaned and put in order, like a well-cleaned church. We should dress up like we would if we were attending our parish. We should actively participate in the Liturgies to the extent possible, praying aloud the responses, kneeling, standing, and sitting as normal.

Even though we will not be receiving Holy Communion, it would be good nevertheless to fast for an hour in preparation for Mass, to increase our hunger for God and to prevent needing to run needlessly to the restroom. We should turn off all our other devices, to prevent interruptions and distractions.

Another part of the external preparations is finding the broadcast to watch

that will best foster prayer at home. Some will prefer the livestream from their church or rectory chapel celebrating with their parish priests. Others will find a one-camera broadcast from a cellphone via Facebook, with its various visual and audio limitations, hard to endure for the length of the Holy Week Liturgies. If so, a little homework to find a broadcast from churches or chapels used to televising Mass — with music, multiple angles to focus better on what is happening in the Liturgy, and much greater experience conveying the Sacred mysteries through media — would be time well spent. Many cathedrals are equipped each week to livestream the Mass with the bishop with many permanent highdefinition cameras. Type “livestream Catholic Mass” in a search engine, click on the on-demand recordings of previous Sundays and find one that feeds your hungers.

A few other suggestions to live Holy Week well: On Palm Sunday, it’s fine to use the palms from last year that you have hopefully retained at home; otherwise, substitute other branches.

Pray for the grace to welcome Jesus within like the people of Jerusalem welcomed Him within the city walls.

On Holy Thursday, when we celebrate the institution of the Eucharist and of the priesthood that brings it to us, pray in a special way that the involuntary Eucharistic fast because of COVID-19 will help people learn to appreciate even more the importance of the Real Presence of Christ. Please pray, too, for priests and priestly vocations, that they

may grow to model their lives on what they celebrate and never cease to bring this greatest gift of God to His people. After watching Mass, it might be good to drive to your local parish and spend an hour in vigil outside the church where Jesus rests in the Tabernacle.

On Good Friday, spend the whole day entering into the Passion of Christ as well as you can. In addition to the reading and videos mentioned above, it might be helpful to listen or watch one of the many recordings of Jesus’ seven last words available on the Internet, to pray the Stations at home, to begin the Novena to Divine Mercy. It would be a special day to entrust to Jesus all those who have died or whose lives are at risk because of the Coronavirus, that they might receive what Jesus gave the Good Thief.

On Holy Saturday, prepare interiorly for the Easter Vigil after the long Lent of 2020. It’s the longest and richest Mass of the year, in which we relive so many of the principal events of Salvation history.

Stoke your gratitude for all God has done. Pray for the grace to enter fully into Jesus’ triumph over death, commit yourself to seek the things that are above, open yourself to the joy that the Risen Christ is with us until the end of time.

While the first Holy Week was chaotic, it still accomplished its purpose.

As we relive those mysteries next week in the midst of multiple challenges, the God of miracles can nevertheless make it the holiest week or our year.

Anchor columnist Father Roger Landry can be contacted at fatherlandry@ catholicpreaching.com.

April 3, 2020 †

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Editorial Night and the cross

“And it was night” (Jn 13:30). The Gospel notes Judas’ departure from the Last Supper to go off and betray Jesus with these words. John is not giving a “time check.” He is referring to what was going on Spiritually in Judas’ soul and in the entire world that night, as Jesus was about to be betrayed and killed.

At the Colosseum for the Stations of the Cross in 2014, Pope Francis used that image of night and linked it to the reality that many face today. “God placed on Jesus’ cross all the weight of our sins, all the injustices perpetrated by every Cain against his brother. It was a heavy cross, like night experienced by abandoned people, heavy like the death of loved ones, heavy because it carries all the ugliness of evil.”

The pope then gave his listeners hope. “The cross is also glorious like the dawn after a long night, for it represents all the love of God, which is greater than our iniquities and our betrayals. In the cross we see the monstrosity of man, when he allows evil to guide him; but we also see the immensity of the mercy of God, Who does not treat us according to our sins but according to His mercy. Before the cross of Jesus, we apprehend in a way that we can almost touch with our hands how much we are eternally loved.”

In the terrible “night” which the entire world is enduring at this moment, Christ is with us. He calls upon us to love Him in the sick. In that Good Friday meditation, the Holy Father insisted, “Let us remember the sick, let us remember all those who have been abandoned under the weight of the cross, that they may find in the trial of the cross the strength of hope, of hope, in the Resurrection and love of God.” The sick and those who valiantly care for them are certainly walking “through the valley of the shadow of death” (Ps 23:4). The psalmist (attributed to King David, who dealt with a pestilence during his reign) does have hope — he says to God, “Your rod and Your staff comfort me” (ibid.). That rod and staff turn out to be the cross, in which Jesus shows us that He is always at our side — in our prayer, in the person who takes care of us, in the person for whom we are caring.

On March 27, Pope Francis led a special prayer service for the entire world from an empty St. Peter’s Square. His homily began with the words, “When evening had come” (Mk 4:35). The pope was referring to the night when Jesus slept in the boat while the Apostles were terrified by a storm. We are living that now. “For weeks now it has been evening. Thick darkness has gathered over our squares, our streets and our cities; it has taken over our lives, filling everything with a deafening silence and a distressing void, that stops everything as it passes by; we feel it in the air.

We find ourselves afraid and lost. Like the disciples in the Gospel we were caught off guard by an unexpected, turbulent storm. We have realized that we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at the same time important and needed, all of us called to row together, each of us in need of comforting the other.

On this boat — are all of us. Just like those disciples, who spoke anxiously with one voice, saying ‘We are perishing’ (v. 38), so we too have realized that we cannot go on thinking of ourselves, but only together can we do this.”

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† April 3, 2020

In other words, to deal with this “night” of the Coronavirus, we need to not contribute to the “night” of Holy Thursday — by turning away from our sinful selfishness, we can help save lives, for this life and for the life to come, including our own.

“The storm” that we are living right now “exposes our vulnerability and uncovers those false and superfluous certainties around which we have constructed our daily schedules, our projects, our habits and priorities,” the pope said. “It shows us how we have allowed to become dull and feeble the very things that nourish, sustain and strengthen our lives and our communities. The tempest lays bare all our prepackaged ideas and forgetfulness of what nourishes our people’s souls; all those attempts that anesthetize us with ways of thinking and acting that supposedly ‘save’ us, but instead prove incapable of putting us in touch with our roots and keeping alive the memory of those who have gone before us. We deprive ourselves of the antibodies we need to confront adversity.”

The pope kept on repeating Jesus’ words to the Apostles in the boat, “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” (Mk 4:40). After talking about how we consciously or unconsciously have thought we could manage life without God and now we are in this mess and beckoning for God’s help, Pope Francis explained that Jesus wasn’t questioning the Apostles or us as to whether we believe He exists, but rather do we trust God. Addressing God for all of us, the pope prayed, “You are calling on us to seize this time of trial as a time of choosing. It is not the time of Your judgment, but of our judgment: a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not. It is a time to get our lives back on track with regard to You, Lord, and to others. We can look to so many exemplary companions for the journey, who, even though fearful, have reacted by giving their lives. This is the force of the Spirit poured out and fashioned in courageous and generous self-denial. It is the life in the Spirit that can redeem, value and demonstrate how our lives are woven together and sustained by ordinary people, who without any doubt are in these very days writing the decisive events of our time: doctors, nurses, supermarket employees, cleaners, caregivers, providers of transport, law and order forces, volunteers, priests, religious men and women and so very many others who have understood that no one reaches Salvation by themselves. In the face of so much suffering we experience the priestly prayer of Jesus: ‘That they may all be one’ (Jn 17:21). How many people every day are exercising patience and offering hope, taking care to sow not panic but a shared responsibility. How many fathers, mothers, grandparents and teachers are showing our children, in small everyday gestures, how to face up to and navigate a crisis by adjusting their routines, lifting their gaze and fostering prayer. How many are praying, offering and interceding for the good of all. Prayer and quiet service: these are our victorious weapons.”

Armed with them, we will come to the Easter “Morning Star,” Christ, in this life and in the life to come.

Daily Readings † April 4 - April 17

Sat. Apr. 4, Ez 37:21-28; Jer 31:10-13; Jn 11:45-56. Sun. Apr. 5, Palm Sunday, Procession: Mt 21:111. Mass: Is 50:4-7; Ps 22:8-9,17-20,23-24; Phil 2:6-11; Mt 26:14—27:66. Mon. Apr. 6, Is 42:1-7; Ps 27:1-3,13-14; Jn 12:1-11. Tue. Apr. 7, Is 49:1-6; Ps 71:1-4a,5ab-6ab,15,17; Jn 13:21-33,36-38.

Wed. Apr. 8, Is 50:4-9a; Ps 69:8-10,21-22,31,33-34; Mt 26:14-25. Thu. Apr. 9, Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper: Ex 12:1-8,11-14; Ps 116:12-13,15-16bc,17-18; 1 Cor 11:23-26; Jn 13:1-15. Fri. Apr. 10, Celebration of the Lord’s Passion: Is 52:13—53:12; Ps 31:2,6.,12-13,15-17,25; Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9; Jn 18:1—19:42.

Sat. Apr. 11, Holy Saturday, Easter Vigil: Gn 1:1—2:2 or 1:1.26-31a; Ps 104:1-2,5-6,10,12-14,24,35 or Ps 33:4-7,12-13,20-22; Gn 22:1-18 or 22:1-2,9a,10-13, 15-18; Ps 16:5,8-11; Ex 14:15—15:1; Ex 15:1-6,17-18; Is 54:5-14; Ps 30:2,4-6, 11-13; Is 55:1-11; Is 12:2-6; Bar 3:9-15,32—4:4; Ps19:8-11; Ez 36:16-17a,18-28; Ps 42:3,5; 43:3- 4 or Is 12:2-6 or Ps 51:12-15,18-19; Rom 6:3-11; Ps 118:1-2,1617,22-23; Mt 28:1-10. Sun. Apr. 12, Easter Sunday, Acts 10 34a,37-43; Ps 118:1-2,16-17,22-23; Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8; Sequence Victimae Paschali Laudes; Jn 20:1-9 or Mt 28 1-10 or, at an afternoon or evening Mass, Lk 24:13-35. Easter Triduum ends after Evening Prayer.. Mon. Apr. 13, Acts 2:14,22-33; Ps 16:1-2a,5,7-11; Mt 28:8-15. Tue. Apr. 14, Acts 2:36-41; Ps 33:4-5,18-20, 22; Jn 20:11-18. Wed. Apr. 15, Acts 3:1-10; Ps 105:1-4,6-9; Lk 24:13-35. Thu. Apr. 16, Acts 3:11-26; Ps 8:2ab,5-9; Lk 24:35-48. Fri. Apr. 17, Acts 4:1-12; Ps 118:1-2,4,22-27a; Jn 21:1-14.

Bishop releases additional virus-related directives continued from page three

faithful who are physically unable to attend individual Confession of the Church’s teaching on perfect contrition. Such contrition arises when the penitent expresses a love of God above all else, the sincere desire for forgiveness, and firm resolution to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation as soon as possible when available.

Perfect contrition obtains the forgiveness of sins both venial and mortal (cfr.

“Catechism of the Catholic Church” 1452).

Baptisms and Weddings Families should be strongly encouraged to postpone these celebrations, understanding how difficult this will be for them as they seek these Sacramental gifts. If they are to be celebrated because of extraordinary concerns, the following should be noted: only the immediate family should attend, not to exceed a total of 10 persons in the church at any time; and weddings are to take place without the celebration of Mass.

Funerals Funeral Masses are not permitted in keeping with our priority to minimize the risk of transmission of the virus. Funerals may take place only in the form of “The Rite of Committal with Final Commendation” (also known as the “graveside service”) at the cemetery, to be celebrated outdoors, and only the immediate family should attend. Memorial Mass should be scheduled at a later date when the restrictions for public gathering have been lifted.

Palm Sunday Public celebrations may not take place. Private celebrations may take place using the Solemn Entrance when Mass is live streamed or televised. Following the Palm Sunday Mass/ Blessing, the blessed palm branches should be made available to parishioners either in the vestibule of the church or in an appropriate place outside one of the entrances. Please note that this is subject to change depending on the circumstances of the virus outbreak at that time.

Chrism Mass Bishop da Cunha will celebrate the annual Chrism Mass in St. Mary’s Cathedral on Holy Thursday, April 9, at 10 a.m. with a small group of priests concelebrating. Plans are being made to live stream the Chrism Mass and instead of attending this year, priests and the faithful are encouraged to watch the Mass.

Lenten Abstinence With regard to the rule of abstaining from meat on the Fridays of Lent, anyone having difficulty obtaining alternatives for sustenance

during this crisis is dispensed from this obligation with the exception of on Good Friday. Fridays of Lent remain days of penance and prayer, and those dispensed from abstinence should be encouraged to practice some other form of denial in its place.

In his closing comments to priests, Bishop da Cunha recognized that, “the remainder of this Lent and our upcoming Holy Week will be like no other any of us have ever experienced.”

The bishop understands that the same will be true for parishioners of the Fall River Diocese.

“I want to assure all of the faithful of our diocese that I — along with your priests — continue to pray for you and your loved ones, for your health and well-being in these unsettling and challenging days,” said Bishop da Cunha.

“I ask all of you to join your prayers with mine in a special way for those who have died from COVID-19 and those who are now infected with the virus, may Christ, the Divine Physician, bring them healing and strength.”

Deacon shares Rosary for tyring times continued from page two

ally. Yet, in those times, when we might benefit most readily, it may be impossible under the circumstances. We pray that all those who cannot attend Mass may still benefit from God’s grace; in times of restriction we all may attain Spiritual union with Christ even in face of physical absence and our lack of control.

Amen.”

Deacon William Orazio Gallerizzo is a Catholic permanent deacon, incardinated with the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. (Class of 2006), and currently on loan to the Diocese of Fall River Besides holding degrees in science education and curriculum development from the Univer-

sity of Maryland (College Park), he holds a masters and licentiate in Catholic bioethics from Athenaeum Pontificium Regina Apostolorum, European College, Rome, Italy.

Before entering ordained ministry, he taught natural sciences and mathematics, and developed curriculum and instructional programs at the secondary level in modern biology, general physics, mathematics, and civil engineering applications.

April 3, 2020 †

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Ghostbusters Of Kalaupapa

I

was here in my easy chair, where I tend to think better, when they burst onto the scene. Some were carrying white buckets while others were toting back tanks from which hoses protruded. They looked like

ghostbusters. I wondered if they had been sent here by the Board of Health to fumigate the church property or perhaps the resident pastor himself. Then I recognized their supervisor was Kaohulani. So I felt safe to go out to

meet and greet them.

In actuality these “ghostbusters” are a group of students from the University of Hawaii at Hilo on the Big Island. They are with us for a couple of weeks spraying and scrubbing the many grave markers of the peninsula under the guidance of Kaohulani McGuire of the National Park Service.

They seem to enjoy their work, judging by their laughter, and there is no need for Kaohulani to crack the whip. After I had encouraged them with my signature greeting, “Let us Spray!” they did just that

as they went to work cleaning the concrete base of the Sacred Heart statue on our front lawn.

While these young students work on the graves, (I do not know if they have encountered any spirits) Deacon Mike Shizuma from St. Damien Church on Topside has been laboring over a hot stove at McVeigh Hall in an effort to keep their growing bodies nourished and healthy. All of this is happening here in this peninsula where we are cut off from the rest of the outside world by sheer cliffs and the surrounding ocean, even as the feared virus, COVID-19, is ravaging much of the civilized world. We are blessed to be living in the land of Saints Damien and Marianne.

Here in Kalaupapa tours are not operating at this time, we are not receiving visitors and we are not celebrating public Masses at the directive of Bishop Larry Silva and his advisers. Other than that life goes on as usual. The grocery store shelves are stocked with the usual items including the all-important tissues. My third feline, Mr. Gray, has returned to my front porch after being AWOL for some weeks and the landline is working again.

For these and all our blessings we thank the Lord, St. Damien and St. Marianne, as well as the ghostbusters of Kalaupapa.

Anchor columnist Father Patrick Killilea, SS.CC., is pastor of St. Francis Parish in Kalaupapa, Hawaii.

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† April 3, 2020

Area St. Vincent de Paul societies adapt to social distancing without forgetting the people whom they serve

By Dave Jolivet Print Editor

davejolivet@anchornews.org

ATTLEBORO — A sense of normalcy has become a thing of the past for everyone across the Diocese of Fall River during the COVID-19 pandemic. But there is a group for whom normalcy rarely, if ever exists. Those who are homeless, or don’t know where the next meal is coming from, or whose utilities have been or will be shut off, always live in fear, anxiety and doubt.

And with the avalanche of changes brought about by the need for caution amid the pandemic, the doubts and fears for these people have increased many fold.

But area St. Vincent de Paul societies are doing everything they can to continue to reach out those in need in the Fall River Diocese.

Irene Frechette, vice president for the New England Region of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, encompassing all of New England and New York, told The Anchor, “Our national society has canceled all national conferences and meetings until further notice. They have made Connex Lines available to all leaders in each of the eight regions to use as a means of communication with their membership.”

Frechette also said, “All of our Thrift Shops are closed. Our kitchens are serving take out only and our food pantries are giving curb-side service.

All home visits have been suspended.

“We are being cautious as to providing rental assistance until we know how landlords react and until the Federal Government begins distributing

the supplemental checks to working folks.”

Jean Desrosiers works with the Taunton area SVdP. She told The Anchor that the “St. Vincent de Paul food pantry has been changed from Wednesday night free choice to appointment with a pre-packed package. We service Berkley, Dighton, Easton, Raynham and Taunton. Individuals who are coming for the first time need to be prepared to answer our client information sheet. They need to bring a picture ID and proof of residence in our catchment area. This means two forms of ID, a license does not count as proof of residence.

“To make an appointment, call 508-823-6676.

You will be given a day and time to come pick up food. When you arrive at the center, please knock on the door and wait for us to answer. Do not come into the building. Our volunteers are mostly over 65 and we are trying to keep them healthy so we can keep working.”

Mary Dwyer from the Attleboro area SVdP told The Anchor, “Our SVdP District Council of Attleboro is actively preparing to meet today’s new challenges. We expect a sharp increase in requests for basic needs, including food, housing, heat, utilities, clothing, etc., as our neighbors in need suffer layoffs, job loss or insufficient income to support their families.

“We have been forced to cancel our upcoming Family Walk event, which is our only annual fundraiser supporting rental assistance throughout the District Council’s Six communities. Because

we have an even greater need for these funds, we are converting this event into a Virtual Family Walk.

We are actively soliciting funding from corporate sponsorships, preparing an online ‘walk’ experience through our Business and Family Sponsor trail signs to culminate this event.

Business sponsors and donors can contribute online: http://svdpattleboro.org/ FamilyWalk/FamilyWalk. html.

“We are trying to

get the word out to our community residents to contact their Society of St. Vincent de Paul hotlines at their local churches for assistance. These hotline numbers are listed online: http://svdpattleboro.org/ conferences.html “Our local pantries are continuing to provide food assistance to those we serve. Each pantry is using creative solutions to modify their food distribution methods in accordance with public health require-

ments. Pantries are listed on our Conferences web page listed above.

“We have temporarily replaced our traditional home visits with ‘phone visits’ to communicate with those who need assistance, then follow up on these requests through remote communication methods.

“Our Prison Reentry Program continues their active ministry assisting formerly incarcerated 8 Turn to page 14

April 3, 2020 †

9

Young Catholics keep the faith, remain ‘happy together’ while nested miles apart during virus shutdowns

By Dave Jolivet Print Editor

davejolivet@anchornews.org

NORTH DARTMOUTH — It’s a pop/rock song that was released by The Turtles more than 30 years before they were born. The simple, upbeat song is “Happy Together,” and a group of 16 Bishop Stang High School students formed the “virtual chorus” and sent out a message of hope and happiness to anyone who will watch, with an outstanding a cappella version of the tune, each from their own homes with their laptops via the video platform Vimeo. It can be viewed through a link on the anchornews.org website.

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es. See the story on page p.m It may not seem like On the campus minis13 for more information much, but during these try website, Father Fredanxious times, it’s a breath about this. erici and Deacon Lucca tell Also feeling the efof fresh air and a sign that students, the youth “In light of of today UMass D’s care about decision to their fellow suspend all man more in-person than many classes people and other give them events, we credit for. wanted to Paprovide rochial some adschools ditional across the Spiritual diocese resources are stayBishop Stang Virtual Chorus sings “Happy Together” on Vimeo. to aid us at ing in this time. contact Know that Father David fects of the recent shutwith the young minds and I are available for downs are the students at they are helping shape through a number of on- nearby UMass Dartmouth. online conversation/Spiritual direction should you line classes and resourc- Campus ministers Fawish to take advantage of ther David Frederici and that. Contact us via email Deacon Frank Lucca may at Father.David@umassd. not be able to meet and edu or flucca@umassd.edu. greet the students with Liturgies, prayer meetings Take care of yourself and each other.” and spaghetti suppers for Deacon Lucca also what may be months, but told The Anchor that the that hasn’t stopped them campus ministry website from keeping the students’ is filled with opportunities minds focused on Christ, for students to stay conthe Church, and their nected with each other, the peers. ministers and with Christ.

“We have many different opportunities for keep- When visiting the site students can make the menu ing the faith in times of COVID-19” Deacon Lucca choice “Keeping the Faith,” and they will be connected told The Anchor. to pathways for online The UMD campus Masses, a “Busy Student’s ministry team is offering Retreat,” and a healthy students the opportunity selection of online Spirito regularly share in the Mass with streamed online tual resources. There is also an option for students Liturgies. Livestream who feel the need to speak Masses are offered on the to someone, called “Need campus ministry website, to talk? Virtual drop-in,” umassdcatholics.com, which will connect the each day at 8 a.m. and user to Father Frederici or on tape on the website Deacon Lucca via email. of St. Mary’s Parish in The UMD campus South Dartmouth at ministry team is also constmarysdartmouth.org. tacting students directly to The St. Mary’s Parish “check in on them,” during website also offers these trying times. livestream Eucharistic And perhaps one of the Adoration daily from 6-7

† April 3, 2020

most important resources provided, not only to students, but to all Catholic faithful during this pandemic is a daily prayer of intercession to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of the Americas: Holy Virgin of Guadalupe, Queen of the Angels and Mother of the Americas.

We fly to you today as your beloved children.

We ask you to intercede for us with your Son, As you did at the wedding in Cana.

Pray for us, loving Mother, And gain for our nation and world, And for all our families and loved ones, The protection of your holy angels, That we may be spared the worst of this illness.

For those already afflicted, We ask you to obtain the grace of healing and deliverance.

Hear the cries of those who are vulnerable and fearful, Wipe away their tears and help them to trust.

In this time of trial and testing, teach all of us in the Church to love one another and to be patient and kind.

Help us to bring the peace of Jesus to our land and to our hearts.

We come to you with confidence, Knowing that you truly are our compassionate mother, Health of the sick and cause of our joy.

Shelter us under the mantle of your protection, Keep us in the embrace of your arms, Help us always to know the love of your Son, Jesus.

Amen.

I

n our current trial, in which anxious people are isolated from their normal routines — including attendance at Holy Mass — we have a wonderful teaching moment to reiterate what the Catholic Church believes about herself as a communion of persons. While we might have a glancing familiarity with the history of the Church as an institution, and a more personal association with those parishes we have attended over the years, we may not often call to mind the deeper Spiritual reality in which we were immersed on the day of our Baptism.

Baptism is a Sacrament with a two-fold effect, washing us clean from original sin and grafting us onto Christ’s Own Body. This initiation unites us into a profound communion with believers — those we might see on a daily basis, those we once knew who have since died, and those we never knew but who have held the torch of faith aloft since the Resurrection.

This universal commu-

No quarantine for grace

nion in the Mystical Body of Christ is what makes the Church “a mystery of communion with the God Who is love” (“CCC,” 1118).

The beauty of this Mystical Body is that it is strengthened by God’s own life, which we call grace. It is most efficiently transmitted through the Sacraments, and thus after Baptism, we are invited to partake of the Eucharist, the Sacrament of the Paschal Mystery from which the Church was born, and through which she draws her very life. Pope St. John Paul II wrote that “this truth does not simply express a daily experience of faith, but recapitulates the heart of the mystery of the Church” (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 1). The other name for the Eucharist — Holy Communion — points to the reality that our faith is one of corporate belief, encouraging us to share in each other’s joys and sorrows, to bind ourselves through Corporal and

Spiritual Works, and to place the gifts and fruits of the Spirit we enjoy at the disposal of all.

There are three bonds of unity in particular: the profession of one Apostolic faith, the recognition of Apostolic succession as a visible sign of magisterial authority, and the “common celebration of Divine

worship” (“CCC,” 815), the last unfortunately having been interrupted in recent weeks. That this is distressing is to a great degree a testament to the value we place on Sunday Mass; but that many have bewailed the loss in overly dramatic terms is not edifying — and may actually mean that we have mislaid the fundamental truths about the economy of grace.

Let us think for a moment about an exhausted

young mother whose care for her newborn doesn’t allow her to attend Holy Mass, or devoted caregivers and their charges who are confined on any given Sunday, or persecuted believers who are far from the Sacraments for years on end due to repressive regimes. In each of these cases, their Baptism suffices, and the prayers of the faithful (yes, those nearly rote prayers we only half attend to because we’re scrambling for the weekly envelope) encompass them into the life-giving Communion that will soon spill over from the altar of sacrifice.

Those who cannot join the “common celebration” should take comfort knowing that all over the world there are those who pray for them: priests who will daily offer the Mass, myriad communities of consecrated souls who have oblated themselves on behalf of a world in need, and a Heaven bursting with saints who consistently watch over and

intercede for those who remain in this “vale of tears.”

We cannot know how soon we may attend public Liturgies at our local parishes, and we may find ourselves cloistered in place when our hearts want nothing more than to walk the profound path of Holy Week and Easter, but St. John Paul II assured us that “the Eucharist is always in some way celebrated on the altar of the world” (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 8). Its infinite value is ours for the taking, and perhaps during this time we can devote ourselves to prayers of gratitude for our priests, intercession for those discouraged by their isolation, and deeper appreciation for Christ’s life-giving sacrifice that makes us “as it were, one mystical person” (Lumen gentium, 11).

In that regard, there is no quarantine that can ever truly separate us!

Anchor columnist Genevieve Kineke is the author of “The Authentic Catholic Woman.” She blogs at feminine-genius. typepad.com.

April 3, 2020 †

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A

F ocus on C hurch Y outh How will we, the Church, emerge from this crisis?

s Catholics, how will we emerge as a Church from the COVID-19 crisis and this unprecedented time of social distancing? Perhaps after all the scandal and corruption in recent years, this moment marks an opportunity for Catholics to reassess what is most essential to our faith, and to move forward as a renewed Body of Christ to proclaim the Gospel.

Will we emerge from this time with a deeper love for Jesus in the Eucharist? Will this love draw others to believe when so many disbelieve? By now you may be aware of the woeful numbers of those who actually believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. A 2019 Pew Research statistic indicated that only a third of U.S. adults

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who identify as Catholics believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. This statistic should shock us into action! During this time when we can’t receive Jesus in the Eucharist, does our desire for Him burn in our hearts and become a light to those who don’t believe? Do our priests who are celebrating privately become renewed with a zeal to share God’s special and abundant grace? When we receive the Body of Christ, do we become the Body of Christ so that others might encounter and know the Lord?

Will we emerge from this crisis with a deeper love for our brothers and sisters within our own Catholic commu-

† April 3, 2020

nity? The Church can be hopelessly divided.

At times we are divided because of ideology, and we are more than willing to allow the powers that

be influence our understanding of Catholicism.

There are other times when we become insular and unwelcoming, forgetting the evangelical mission essential to the Church. How can we be a sign of God’s love in the world when we are divided or don’t care about one another?

The Oneness of the Church that we profess in the Creed is often overlooked. However, we can’t be fully holy, Catholic or Apostolic if we are not one. Will we emerge from this crisis, when we have been isolated from one another, with a deeper appreciation of our need for one another? Or will we to continue to allow ideology and petty grievances continue to divide the Body of Christ?

Will we emerge from this crisis with a deeper calling to serve those in our community who are most vulnerable? As we know, COVID-19 poses

a particular threat to the elderly and sick. Many of us live daily with the fear that our parents or grandparents will contract the disease. We also see daily the risk posed to the elderly in nursing homes.

Pope Francis has spoken often about the importance of listening to the wisdom of our elders, and of valuing their contribution to our families and society. When we return to our daily lives, will we emerge with a newfound honor and respect for our elders? Will we make a commitment to visit them and listen to their wisdom? Will we emerge with a passion to serve other forgotten and neglected populations?

This time of isolation also provides an incredible opportunity to pray. Are we using this time to develop good daily habits of personal prayer? Are we actively searching out opportunities to connect in prayer with our parish family, our pastors, Bishop da Cunha and Pope Francis? Are we making a Spiritual communion and being sure to observe the Sabbath by praying the Mass online if possible. Are we praying with our families?

We should not underestimate how much God

blesses us and holds our families together when we pray together. We certainly have plenty of time for Netflix and XBox, but are we making time for prayer? If we do so, we will emerge from this period strong in our union with God, and able to accomplish great things through His love and grace.

In every crisis lies an opportunity. This is a moment of great opportunity for us as Catholics to live up to our calling as the People of God. It is our calling which brings great gifts, but also great demands. Can there be any doubt that God desires a people of passionate faith, rooted in prayer, powerfully renewed in the gift of the Eucharist, united in Christ and prepared to help those who are most vulnerable among us? Hopefully we will soon emerge from our homes with a prayerful and renewed sense of mission to proclaim and live the Gospel.

Anchor columnist Peter Shaughnessy is president/principal of Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth. He resides in Fairhaven with his wife, Anabela Vasconcelos Shaughnessy (Class of ’94), and their four children: Luke (Class of ’24), Emilia (Class of ’25), Dominic (Class of ’27) and Clare (Class of ‘30).

Diocesan schools quickly transition to remote learning FALL RIVER — Only weeks ago, students attending Catholic schools in the Diocese of Fall River were planning Confirmations, First Communions, retreats, graduation ceremonies, and proms as they gathered in the halls and classrooms of their

respective schools. Within 24 hours, the schedule and routine they had always relied upon was suddenly turned upside down due to the threats of the Coronavirus.

Fortunately, the diocesan and school planning for extended snow days

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, April 5 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, Providence

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, April 12 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from Immaculate Conception Church, New Bedford

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, April 5 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Msgr. Stephen J. Avila, V.F., Pastor of St. Anthony’s Parish, East Falmouth; St. Elizabeth Seton Parish, North Falmouth; and St. Patrick’s Parish in Falmouth

Easter Sunday, April 12 at 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Celebrant is Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V.

years ago has paid off, as all 22 Catholic schools were able to quickly and seamlessly convert to a remote learning environment — which includes online learning for older students and packets of curriculum for the early grades.

“We are so blessed to have dedicated school leaders and teachers who work in our schools as a vocation,” said Stephen A. Perla, superintendent of Catholic schools. “Their commitment to the education of students is unlike any other educational system, especially in this very challenging and uncertain time. The feedback from families has been overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic for this ‘new way of life.’ Times of uncertainty are difficult on children who may not fully understand what is happening. Being able to interact with their teachers and classmates, even virtually, brings a sense of normalcy and structure to their days.”

Steve Pereira, father of two children in New Bedford Catholic schools, said: “We’d like to thank you for your effort, caring, and dedication to maintaining an active learning environment during this unprecedented challenging time for our family and for yours. Your quick turnaround to provide a remote solution for our children helps maintain continuity and a sense of normalcy where it is so desperately needed. We are again reminded that we made the right choice more than a decade ago to send our children to

Catholic schools. The family atmosphere and genuine caring of the faculty and staff has always been a primary reason to entrust our children’s education to St. Joseph’s, and you are no less a shining light during these cloudy times.”

Lisa Levie, parent of a Holy Trinity School student, agreed. “You guys are doing awesome! No down time, no extra weeks off, and we are all up and learning, while other schools are scrambling to figure it out — we are ahead of the curve and rocking it! I am so proud of all my kid’s teachers for all their hard work!”

Julia Almeida, mother of two sons at Bishop Stang High School, added, “I just wanted to send you a quick note commending you and the entire staff at Bishop Stang for organizing and doing such a fantastic job in such a short amount of time. Bishop Stang is the only school in the area that I know of — both private and public — that was able to put this together last week. Both of my sons love the online classes and love the socializing with their peers online before and after school. Again, we are so appreciative and impressed with the swift efforts of the entire staff at Bishop Stang during a very difficult and

stressful time.”

Wendy and Joe O’Keefe summed it up this way: “We want to say how grateful we are for the structure, commitment, and unbelievably speedy planning St. John Paul II High School pulled off for our son and all of the students. I cannot imagine what it would be like without the structure and interaction, even if it’s just virtual. I am also working from home and trying to juggle it all. Just monitoring the kids has been a challenge, if I had to homeschool them right now I don’t know what I would do. That all of us have an Internet connection, computers, dedicated teachers and staff is so humbling.

We are so unbelievably lucky and blessed.”

Should the statewide closure of schools last much longer than a few weeks, the Diocese of Fall River Catholic schools are prepared to continue the full academic agenda, ensuring these students do not lose out on critical learning skills that could have a longer term impact on their future education.

For more information about the Catholic Schools Alliance, please go to www. catholicschoolsalliance. org.

April 3, 2020 †

13

Diocesan parishes offer online Masses

In Your Prayers

continued from page one

Daily Mass Monday through Friday at 8 a.m., Saturday at 4 p.m., and Sunday at 7, 8:45 and 11 a.m.

Holy Name Parish, Fall River Visit: youtu.be/FGu2-Ot4Gg or www.holynamefr.com/ Sunday Mass posted Saturday at 4 p.m.

Espirito Santo and St. Anthony of Padua Parishes, Fall River Live streamed on both parishes’ Facebook pages.

Visit: www.facebook.com/ Espirito-Santo-ChurchRectory-111531408884886 Visit: www.facebook.com/ StAntPadFR/ Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in English and 11 a.m. in Portuguese Santo Christo Parish, Fall River Visit www.facebook.com/ SantoChristoParish/ Daily Mass and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. (in Portuguese) Catholic Community of Central Fall River Visit www. fb.com/3CFallRiver Mass is streamed live every day at 12 noon on the community’s Facebook page.

The video is then posted on its website www.3cfallriver.org for viewing.

Fall River Community Media is also carrying this Mass Monday through Friday as it is streamed on channel 95 beginning at 12 noon.

Good Shepherd Parish, Martha’s Vineyard Visit www. goodshepherdmv.com Daily Mass Monday through Friday at 8 a.m., Saturday at 7 p.m. in Portuguese; and Sunday at 9 a.m.

Christ the King Parish, Mashpee

Visit www. christthekingparish.com Daily Mass Monday through Friday at 8:30 a.m., Saturday at 4 p.m., and Sunday at 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 5:30 p.m.

St. Anthony Parish, Mattapoisett, and St. Rita Parish, Marion Visit: www.facebook. com/St-AnthonysParish-Mattapoisettand-St-Ritas-ParishMarion-127940760603702/ Sunday Mass at 10 a.m.

St. Mary, Our Lady of the Isle Parish, Nantucket Visit www. stmarysnantucket.org Daily Mass Monday through Friday at 7:30 a.m., Saturday at 5 p.m. and on Sunday at 8 and 11 a.m., and 6 p.m. in Spanish Transfiguration of the Lord Parish, North Attleborough Visit www.facebook.com/ Transfiguration-of-the-LordParish-North-Attleborough Daily Mass Tuesday through Friday at 4:30 p.m., on Saturday at 4 p.m., and Sunday at 9:30 a.m.

St. John the Evangelist Parish, Pocasset Visit www. stjohnspocasset.org Daily Mass Monday through Thursday at 7:30 a.m., Saturday at 4 p.m. and on Sunday at 9 a.m.

Corpus Christi Parish, Sandwich https://www. corpuschristiparish.org/ livestream Daily Masses Monday – Saturday 9 a.m.; Saturday 4 p.m.; Sunday 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., and 10:45 a.m.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Seekonk Visit: www.facebook.com/ OLMCSeekonkMA/

Daily Mass at 9 a.m.

St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, South Attleboro Visit: sainttheresaattleboro.org Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

St. Mary Parish, South Dartmouth Visit www. stmarysdartmouth.org Daily Mass Monday through Saturday at 8 a.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m. and on Sunday at 8, 10 and 11:30 a.m.

Eucharistic Adoration Monday through Friday from 6 to 7 p.m.

St. Pius X, South Yarmouth www.facebook.com/ stpiusxsy/ Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

Taunton Catholic Churches North Collaborative Visit www.cntaunton.org/ live-stream-of-the-mass.html Daily Mass Monday through Friday at 8 a.m., Friday 6 p.m. (Spanish), Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 9 and 11 a.m. (in Portuguese), 12:15 p.m.

(Spanish) Taunton Catholic Churches South Collaborative Visit: https://cstaunton.org Masses are made available on the website at the conclusion of the celebration.

Posted Masses follow daily Mass Monday through Friday at 8 a.m., Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 8 and 10:30 a.m.

St. Patrick’s Church Wareham Visit: https://www. facebook.com/stpatswareham/ or http://stpatrickswareham. org/ Masses Saturday at 4:00 p.m.; Sunday at 10 a.m. and 12 noon; Daily Masses Monday Friday at 10 a.m.

svdpattleboro.org or 508455-2054.

“We are an all-volunteer District Council.

Our Vincentian volunteers are actively using remote communication and assistance distribu-

Area SVdP chapters still reaching out to those in need continued from page nine

men and women, offering outreach mostly by email and telephone. They can be reached at Reentry@ 14

† April 3, 2020

Please pray for these priests and deacons during the coming weeks: April 3 Rev. Henry F. Kinnerny, Former Pastor, St. Peter, Sandwich, 1905 Rev. Clarence P. Murphy, Retired 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, C.S.C., 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, O.F.M., Retired, Our Lady’s Chapel, New Bedford, 1988 April 8 Rev. Bento R. Fraga, 2012 April 9 Rev. Cornelius McSwiney, Retired Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Fall River, 1919 Rev. Edward F. Dowling, Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Fall River, 1965 April 10 Rev. John P. Doyle, Pastor, St. William, Fall River, 1944 April 11 Rev. John F. Downey, Pastor, Corpus Christi, Sandwich, 1914 April 12 Rev. John Tobin, Assistant, St. Patrick, Fall River, 1909 Rev. Msgr. Alfred J. Gendreau, S.T.D., Retired Pastor, Notre Dame, Fall River, 1996 Rev. Edward P. Doyle, O.P., St. Raymond, Providence, R.I., 1997 Rev. Bertrand R. Chabot, Retired Pastor, St. Anthony of Padua, New Bedford, 2002 April 14 Rev. Louis N. Dequoy, Pastor, Sacred Heart, North Attleboro, 1935 Rev. Cosmas Chaloner, SS.CC., St. Francis Xavier, Acushnet, 1977 April 15 Rev. Christopher G. Hughes, D.D., Retired Rector, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fall River, 1908 Permanent Deacon Oscar Drinkwater, 2011 April 16 Rev. Arthur E. Langlois, on sick leave, Denver, Colo., 1928 Rev. Norman F. Lord, C.S.Sp., Hemet, Calif., 1995 Rev. John W. Pegnam, USN, Retired Chaplain, 1996

tion methods to continue responding to all inquiries for our help during these unprecedented difficult circumstances.”

Area contacts: Fall River Diocesan Council: Steve Meaney (themeaneys@live.com) Fall River District: Roger Poisson (pfsx3@comcast.net); Gerald Morrissette

(geraldmorrissettenew@ gmail.com) New Bedford District: Lynne Kuczewski (lynnemk21@gmail.com) Taunton District: Jean Desrosiers (rareheart75@ yahoo.com) Cape and the Islands District: Mary Ellen Powers (mpowers444@ hotmail.com).

I

don’t want to do this.

I truly don’t want to do this. For nearly 20 years I have been sharing my life with you; the fun times with family and friends and my beloved Igor, and the bad times — losing my infant son, my mom, my hero dad, and my best friend Igor.

I have enjoyed the laughs and the witty comments from readers in emails, on phone calls, and in person.

I have taken some right crosses on the chin sometimes from folks who don’t care for me, or what I have to say. I welcomingly accept it all, because if I can evoke some kind of response, then I’ve done my job as a columnist.

But after all these years, I come to a column I just don’t want to write — but I have to.

For most Americans, March 2020 is the month that wasn’t, or better put, never should have been. And by all indications, April is heading on the same path.

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned everyone’s world upside down. Abnormal is the new normal. Caution is the theme of every day for everyone. Hand-washing, social distancing, selfquarantining, working from home, take-out or delivery meals, grocery home deliveries, are all activities which are becoming commonplace for many of us.

For goodness sake, we can’t even go to Mass any

I’m so with you more; we can’t receive the Body of Christ any more; we can’t hug friends and family any more; we can’t run into friends and neighbors at the supermarket any more; we can’t go to concerts, movies, restaurants, parties, First Communions, Confirmations, and even stop on the street to chat with a fellow walker. But we’re all rising above that. We’re all adapting, changing, evolving, and moving on until this blows over.

Everyone has an opinion on this pandemic. Everyone has advice.

Everyone shares dos and don’ts.

Many have become “experts, doctors, and advisors.”

For most people, the fears, worries and anxieties of the spreading virus are in check and something they can control to a degree.

Here comes the tough part now. Not everyone is handling this pandemic with common sense and logic. There is group of us who cannot handle this with common sense and logic.

There are a group of us who have a problem that won’t allow us to do that. There is a group of us who have a disorder, some diagnosed, others implied, that will not allow us to process all of the warnings, advice, recommendations, and calls to be calm and rational.

I am going to speak for

myself now, knowing full well there are many of my peers out there who feel the same things I do, to one degree or another. I have never shared with my readers that I suffer from a medically diagnosed anxiety disorder, for which I am treated, but frankly that treatment only goes so far.

I have been “blessed” with the ability to take a small problem, if one even

exists, and magnify it to the point where it becomes overwhelming and paralyzing.

I have been this way since I was a child, and never shared it with anyone until I was in my 30s when everyday life became such an incredible burden that I had to seek help.

Why am I telling you this? It’s because there are many people out there, people you know, who are having a very difficult time dealing with the COVID-19 epidemic.

I used to be on Facebook and I used to enjoy it.

I loved sharing sports topics and music topics and just plain silliness. I used to be on Facebook. I had to disable

my account because Facebook became for me a source of panic, worry and hopelessness during this pandemic. Friends and people I don’t even know would offer daily advice, warnings, and “need-to-know” Coronavirus information. Each day I would read these posts and slip deeper and deeper into despair, until I told my wife that it’s not a question of if we get the virus, it’s a question of will we survive? I had to remove myself from Facebook to escape the dire warnings and news. I hope I can return to it someday.

For someone with an anxiety disorder, or depression, or anything in between the daily barrage of information, statistics and warnings paint us deeper and deeper into a corner.

How often do I wash my hands? When do I wash my hands? Where can I go to buy a loaf of bread and not be exposed? How much do I sanitize the packages that come in from the supermarket or food delivery?

People like me never know.

Never. And then we dwell on the fear that we didn’t wash enough, weren’t careful enough, and have now become a danger to ourselves and worse, to others. That’s where the guilt comes in.

That’s when we start blaming ourselves for bad things that will probably never happen.

I don’t mean this to be a confession of sorts, or to have people look at me differently, or feel sorry for me.

People like me do carry on, we do live day to day, and we are useful members of society. In fact it’s humor that gets me through times like these; it’s writing; it’s sports; it’s music; it’s people.

I’m writing this to let others know that some of their brothers and sisters don’t “have it together” as much as others during this time.

Please pray for us. Please be aware that while everyone is worried and anxious about the virus and finances and normalcy, there are others who are paralyzed by these worries and anxieties.

If you know of anyone like us, reach out to us; just to say hi. Please don’t say, “Don’t worry,” or “Everything is going to be OK,” or worse yet, “You can deal with it.” If we could, we would. Jesus says in the Bible “Be not afraid.” We can’t do that. It’s not because we don’t believe.

God knows what’s in everyone’s hearts. He knows what each of us is capable of and what we’re not.

To my brothers and sisters like me, please know that I know what you’re going through. I also know there is nothing I can say to you to ease this heavy burden other than I’m so with you in heart and mind and spirit.

I didn’t want to do this, but I’m glad I did. davejolivet@anchornews.org.

April 3, 2020 †

15

Priests take to the skies to bring Christ to diocesan faithful continued from page one

a gold monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament.

“A priest in another part of the country had done it and I thought it would be a new way to bring the blessing of the Blessed Sacrament to the people of this diocese,” Father Peschel told The Anchor. “Knowing this was the first Sunday that our churches were closed and that people were deprived of being able to receive the Sacrament and being able to go to Sunday Mass … there was a lot of hurt and angst and I just wanted to be able to — in one way or another — bring the blessings of the Blessed Sacrament to them.”

Knowing one of his parishioners, Donald Stockwell, was a pilot, Father Peschel approached him about the idea, and he was immediately onboard. Stockwell then enlisted the help of another pilot, Richard Canastra, because he had a plane that was “bigger and faster,” according to Father Peschel.

“Then Don said there’s enough room if you want someone else to come along, so I asked Father Jay Mello to come with me and he was most willing to come along with us,” Father Peschel said.

“It was all Father Chris’ idea and planning,” Father Mello told The Anchor. “He gets all the credit for that.”

With Stockwell and Canastra at the controls and Christ as their co-pilot, the two priests flew out of New Bedford, looped around Fall River, Westport and Dartmouth, then flew out over Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, back up the arm of Cape Cod, traveled along Route 495 towards Raynham, Taunton, Mansfield, North Attleboro, and then cut back towards Providence, R.I. to fly over Attleboro, Seekonk, Swansea and Somerset, before heading back to Fall River and then returning via Freetown, Acushnet, Mattapoisett, Marion, and Fairhaven.

“We tried to fly over all of the towns that our diocese encompasses,” Father Peschel said.

16

† April 3, 2020

“We prayed the Rosary up there, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and we had some deliverance prayers that we were saying, just recognizing that a lot of people are living in fear that this sickness is out there and just trying to bring a little bit of hope.”

Thankfully, neither priest had a fear of flying and both were comfortable traveling aboard the small commuter plane.

“There were a couple of spots where it got a little bumpy because of the wind, and of course you’re in a small airplane that only sits six people,” Father Peschel said. “But there was an element of it that was a bit of a thrill, too. Of course, we were up there really to do the work of the priesthood — to bring that hope and I think that that was definitely accomplished.”

For Father Mello, it was also another creative response to a difficult situation.

“In one sense, it is very difficult to be distant from the people and to have our normal routine and normal ways of ministering restricted, but it has also provided us opportunities for those things as priests we often wish we had more time for — especially prayer, reading, exercise, etc.,” he said. “It has also provided great opportunities for being creative and using social media for reaching parishioners to catechize, evangelize and encourage people during this struggle.”

With the ongoing threat of the COVID-19 virus forcing everyone to exercise social distancing measures and remain at least six feet apart, priests across the diocese have been forced to find other ways to stay connected to their parishioners.

“Priests have to think outside the box,” Father Peschel said.

“It’s just forced me to do things differently. It’s forced me to do what I can through my phone. It’s killing my phone battery — it’s almost dead by 3 p.m. — but you can’t give up. You’ve got to press on and you’ve got to keep giving people hope.”

To that end, he has been

posting daily Mass celebrations on the parish website which have received upwards of 1,000 views.

“I definitely don’t have a thousand people at daily Mass every day, but people are sitting at home and they’re seeking the grace of the Sacraments or at least some word of encouragement and hope,” he said. “Obviously, the ministry is very different, because so much of what we do as priests is person-to-person and we can’t get close to people or gather groups of people together.

“It’s obviously not ideal because I think there’s really something to be said for a personal ministry and being there, face to face. But this is an OK substitute in the meantime, and I’m glad people are taking advantage of it.

I get emails and messages all the time from folks just saying how appreciative they are that it’s even being done.”

“I have been using social media for some time to reach parishioners and those who are estranged from the Church,” Father Mello said. “I think it is a great tool, but I also believe strongly that while it is creative and innovative, it does not and cannot replace gathering together in our parish church to worship together and — most especially — to receive Holy Communion, the source and the center of our lives.

“It is certainly keeping people from feeling alone and isolated.

Let’s just pray the Internet doesn’t go down.”

Like everyone else, diocesan priests have had to adjust to the “new normal” in light of the

pandemic, and it’s been especially challenging during this otherwise busy season of Lent.

“We had daily Confessions and Eucharistic Adoration planned and we were going to be having a Lenten mission the last week of March into April, which had to get called off,” Father Peschel said. “These things that were going to be Spiritually-enriching for people in the run-up to Easter, all of a sudden got the brakes put on them because of what’s going on in the world.

But I think it’s helping to remind people, no matter what age they are, that there are still means by which we can be Spirituallyenriched by using what’s available to us in technology.”

“The Eucharist is the source and summit of our lives and many Catholics are suffering greatly by not being able to receive Our Lord in the Eucharist,” Father Mello said. “I’m blessed as a priest to be able to celebrate Mass every day and have access to Holy Communion, but my heart breaks for those who truly desire it and are not able to receive it.”

And just as every dark cloud has a silver lining, Father Peschel admitted he’s been able to get a few unfinished items off his to-do list during this unexpected downtime.

“I mean it has certainly given everyone the time that they always said they never had,” he said. “I built a little chapel in the rectory. I had all this stuff ready to go for it, and it had been sitting in a pile and it gave me an opportunity to just kind of work on that house project that had been on the back burner up to that point.”