t eanc 0 VOL. 33, NO. 16
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Friday, April 21, 1989
F ALL RIVER, MASS.
FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSmS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly
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511 Per Year
48th "nnual Catholic Charities Appeal opens CCA Statement of 1988 Revenu'es and Expenditures, page 2. On Wednesday evening at Fall River's Bishop Connolly High School, over 800 priests, religious and laity from every corner of southeastern Massachusetts,heard Bishop Daniel A. Cronin speak at the kickoff meeting launching the 48th annual Catholic Charities Appeal of the Fall River diocese. Bishop Cronin's address follows: My brothers and sisters in the risen Lord, I welcome you warmly here this evening to the kickoff meeting for the 1989 Catholic Charities Appeal. During this Easter season, we have gathered in our local parishes to hear recounted in the Acts of the Apostles the activities of St. Paul and his companions as they formed the early Church. Last Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, we heard these words: "1 have made you a light to the nations, a means of salvation to the ends of the earth... All who were destined for life everlasting believed in it. Thus the word of the Lord was carried throughout that area." (Acts 13:47-49) As we gather this evening for this kickoff meeting, we continue that same work within the diocese - of carrying the word of the Lord to others. As the modern day Church, we have the same responsibility that the early disciples had
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in making our Lord present to our brothers and sisters. We do this daily by the lives that we lead - in very simple ways, living out the Gpspel message at home. at work, at school. among our friends and neighbors, and among those we meet each day. What we say and do should bear witness to our Christian faith. Th]Js.
"u nder the hellish fire of bombardments and in the midst of unprecedented suffering of all the Christian people of Lebanon ... we beg you to launch a new SOS to the ... Christian world and the· free world," said 10 Lebanese Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant organizations in a telexed message to National Catholic News Service April 14. It was sent by the Maronite League, the Lebanese Greek Orthodox League, the Syriac League, the Greek Catholic League, the Syriac Catholic Consultative
Keep warm and well fed,' but do not meet their bodily needs, what' good is that?" (Jas. 2: 15-17) In our diocesan family, the Catholic Charities Appeal was established to reach out to others and to minister to them through the various apostolates and agencies. Although the particular apostolates have changed over the years,
BISHOP DANIEL A. CRONIN and Msgr. Anthony M. Gomes with the 1989 Catholic Chariti~s Appeal poster. (Studio D photo)
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Lebanese Christians ask world's aid VATICAN CITY (NC) - As Christians in Lebanon have asked democratic governments and their co-religionists around the world for immediate help in stopping what they call Syrian aggression, Pope John Paul II has called for a cease-fire in the troubled country to allow civilians to receive humanitarian aid. The appeals came as Lebanon entered the 15th year of a war which ,has fractured the nation into a mosaic of enclaves held by private militias and the Lebanese army.
we cO!1tiriue the work of evangelization by the way we live out our baptismal call each day. We are also encouraged to be mindful of the needs of our brothers and sisters. In the Letter of St. James, we are told:"If a brother or si~ter has nothing to wear and no food for the day, and you say to them, 'Good-bye and good luck!
the underlying premise of the Catholic Charities Appeal has not: of making Our Lord present to one another in the various facets of our lives. The Catholic Charities Appeal has a rich history - a history really of evangelization - of spreading the Gospel of Christ. The Catholic Charities Appeal is one very important way in which you and I, and the many hundreds of dedicated Appeal workers and benefactors cooperate to fulfill our Christian obligation to spread our gift of Faith. In a recent address to the archbishops of the United States, our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, reminded the archbishops - and through them reminds all of us committed to the message of the Gospel - of this obligation. Here is what Our Holy Fathersaid: "We are the guardians of something given, and given to the Church universal; something which is not the result of reflection, however competent, on cultural and social questions of the day, and it is not merely the best path among many, but the one and only path to salvation: 'there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved' (Acts 4: 12). "The People of God and those near and far must hear the name. We are all - you and I - bound to make an examination of con-
.._-Operation Rescue comes to New Bedford clinic
Council, and the chief councils of By Dale O'Leary the Evangelical League and the Assyrian, Chaldean, Armenian Last Thursday afternoon, in a Catholic and Latin-rite Cat.holic surprise appearance at the Wocommunities. men's Center of New Bedford, also The pope's appeal was contained called Alternatives, Operation Resin Vatican telegrams to the United cue pro-lifers succeeded in halting Nations and the Arab League. abortions. The pope asked the United NaFive women reconsidered entertions to pressure for "an imme- ing the clinic, including one who diate and durable cease-fire" per- was taken to a pregnancy help cenmitting "all the people of Lebanon ter for a free pregnancy test. Anto receive the humanitarian aid of other, who was five months pregwhich they have urgent need." nant and scheduled for an abortion, The Arab League was asked to decided to have her baby and give work for "a rapid solution to the it up for adoption. Lebanese crisis" by supporting "the About 209 rescuers and supportcessation of hostilities" as the pre- ers were present at this first weekliminary step. day afternoon rescue in MassachuThe Vatican appeal did not men- setts. tion the specific rivalries in the Among them, said Mary Ann Lebanese conflict nor attribute any Booth of South Dartmouth, an blame for the fighting. organizer for Massachusetts CitiThe current round of fighting zens for Life, were Father James began in March after Lebanese F. Greene, pastor of St. James pararmed forces under Gen. Michel ish, New Bedford. Also lending Aoun, a Christian, moved to prayer support were members of blockade illegal ports used by Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and St. Lebanon's many private militias. 'Joseph's parishes, also in New Constant shellings have caused , Bedford. numerous deaths and forced many At about 3: 15 p.m. the rescuers people to live in shelters with ~ began to enter the facility quietly. dwindling water and food supplies. , In all about 40 rescuers got inside.
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Four men moved to the center of the clinic arid chained themselves together at the neck. The purpose of the action was to delay their removal due to the difficulty of moving four people at once through doors. 84 rescuers were arrested and many were held overnight, including Mrs. Booth. She said she and the others were cited to appear in Fall River District Court on May 18. She said their defense would be based on the "necessity doctrine," which holds that.it is legal to go onto private property if necessary t<:> save life, in this case lives of the unborn. ' One man, Tony Doherty, was charged with injuring a facility worker, a charge the rescuers contend was fabricated. Two rescuers said they saw the allegedly injured worker before the rescue began and noticed that she had a large open wound on her nose. Once the rescue was underway, the same.... worker allegedly showed no signs of further injury. Later, however, she left the center and returned with a large bandage over her nose, claiming it was
broken when the rescuers entered the clinic. Upset over the charge of injury, Operation Rescue leader Bill Cotter insisted that members are totally dedicated to nonviolent, peaceful action and that even shouting or arguing with abortion providers is forbidden. Carrying out their action, rescuers blocked the Women's Center's three doors and lay in front of or under a police van. Some of those arrested complained of rough treatment and of receiving inadequate food and water. Most said they were held four to a one-person cell. In Rome Meanwhile, in Vatican City Pope John Paul II on April 16 gave support to the Italian bishops' efforts to modify Italy's liberal abortion law. The 1978 Italian law virtually allows abortion on demand during the first three months of pregnancy for women at least 18 years of age. Photos ofthe New Bedford clinic demonstration are on page 6.