diocese of fall river
t eanc 0 VOL. 23, NO. 16
FALL RIVER, MASS., THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 1979
20c, $6 Per Year
N. E. Press Assn. Enrolls Anchor
Leaders Praise Papal Letter
The Anchor has been accepted for membership in the New England Press Association by vote of the association's board of directors. By joining NEPA, the diocesan newspaper becomes part of an organization with over 250 members whose chief purpose is to represent the special interests of the community press of New England. Membership provides access to professional services only available through such an association. The Anchor is the largest weekly newspaper in southeastern Massachusetts. It must Turn to Page Seven
Catholic Church leaders in the United States have welcomed Pope John Paul II's recent letter to priests as a supportive, personal document addressed not to th{)se who dissent from church tradition on priestly celibacy but to priests who are faithful to that tradition. "I think the primary intention of the document is to encourage and support priests, and we really are qelighted that the pope would want to talk to us and say such supportive things," said Bishop Thomas C. Kelly, Turn to Page Eleven
DCCW Subject Evangelization "Evangelization: A Way To Let Your lJight Shine" will be the topic of Father Alvin Illig, CSP, keynote speaker for the convention of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women路 to be held Saturday, April 28 at Bishop Stang High School, North Dartmouth. Father Illig is executive director of the evangelization como路 mittee of the National Council of Catholic Bishops and director of his community's evangelization program. With the slogan, "We Care, We Share - The Friendly Family of American Catholics," Turn to Page Seven
SILVER JUBILARIANS of the diocese meet with Bishop Daniel A. Cronin preceding the Holy Week Chrism Mass. From left, E.ev. Roland Bousquet, Very Rev. Walter A. Sullivan, the bishop, Rev. Edward J. Burns, Rev. Luciano J. Pereira. (Torchia Photo)
'in Christ's Name Unashamedly'
At the 38th annual Catholic Charities Appeal kickoff meeting, Bishop Daniel A. Cronin sparked a program which emphasized the importance of the Appeal to the many diocesan apostolates, including social service and child care, education, pastoral works and the pastoral ministry. Nearly 1000 priests, religious and lay persons from all parts of the diocese were in attendance at the meeting, held at Bishop Connolly High Scllool, Fall River. Melvin B. Gonsalves of Tea. ticket, 1979 lay chairman for the Appeal, asked workers to "go in Christ's name unashamedly to knock on door upon door amI ask all to give generously to the Christ we see in the needy." "Dear friends," he said, "Christ tells us to love one another as he has loved us, and He tells us to care for one another and He considers whatever we do for our fellow man in need as done to Him. "Our Catholic Charities Appeal in this diocese is a means of support that covers the needs of our br{)thers and sisters of all ages and is certainly an act FATHER ALVIN ILLIG, of love路 and concern for our CSP, keynote speaker for fellow. men and women. "Here at hand is a very specthe DCCW Convention.
cial time where we can show Christ that we really do care, that we are willing to sacrifice and come to the aid of the people of God. "All of us t{)gether, rich and poor, sick and healthy, make up the wonderful composition of the Church of God and the mystical body of Christ. Let us all pray for the success of this year's drive but also let us inspire and welcome the many clergy and many volunteer collectors and w{)rkers who will be performing a true Christian service by giving of their time and concern. "For a diocese small in size and area," added the chairman, "I am sure we must rank among the first in oUr nation in the work of charity, and it reflects in our daily liv~s and we know Christ is with us all. "Once again in this year's Appeal, we ask for our own sanctification, a concerted drive on the part of all of us, priests, religious and laity. It is a very special year, our 75th as a diocese. We have in all our parishes just finished a day of devotion, in which we looked forward to showing Christ in our -lives, and where better than in caring for our needy brothers in this anniversary appeal."
Discussing the work . of St. Vincent's Home, Fall River, among the apostolates receiving support from the Appeal, Father Thomas L. Rita said: "Nearly two years ago, when given the opportunity to assume the directorship of St. Vincent's Home, I did so with every intention (and dream) to be like a father Flanagan of IBoys Town to both the children and staff. Please God, and with the prayerful encouragement of Bishop Cronin, I will continue work there. Joining the staff and the children at the home has been a most wonderful ministry. "When arriving there I came to realize that St. Vincent's was no longer an orphanage. As a Child Care Agency it has been in operation for ov~r 85 years. "A dramatic change took place in the mid 19~0's. Fewer children at the home were orphans. The state began to take responsibility for its duty to provide family homes in this commonwealth for orphaned children. Adoptive families and good foster homes multiplied and, quite naturally, they are the better places for the proper care of children. "With this in mind, Bishop Connolly and the learned and Turn to Page Fifteen
36 Workshops At Convention Thirty-six workshops, each repeated three times, will afford maximum opportunity for delegates to participate in the annual Catholic Education Convention, to be held Thursday and Friday, May 3 and 4, at Feehan High School, Attleboro. Keyed to age levels, the workshops will for the most part be presented by diocesan classroom and religious educators; tlJus familiarizing those in attendance with easily accessible resource persons in many fields. Workshops and diocesan presenters are: "Working Your Way up from Scrap," Janice Turn to Page Seven
SISTER LUCILLE McKILLOP, RSM, a keynote speaker for the Catholic Education Convention.
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