04.28.89

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t eanc' O~....

VOL. 33, NO. 17

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FALL RIVER, MASS.

Friday, April 28, 1989

FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST' MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS .

Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly

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SI1 Per Year

A Franciscan sort of day

DCCWelects By Pat McGowan At last Saturday's election-year convention that highlighted a keynote address by Boston Auxiliary Bishop Roberto O. Gonzalez, OFM, at 38 one of the nation's youngest bishops, nearly 400 members and guests of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women converged on St. Mary's parish ce.nter, South Dartmouth. It was a Franciscan sort of day for the women, who unanimously elected a slate of officers headed by Madeline Wojcik ofSt. Joseph's parish, Taunton. First to fifth vice presidents, representing each diocesan district council, are Mary Mikita, Holy Redeemer, Chatham; Jeannette Bauza, St. Mary, Norton; Bella Nogueira, St. John of God, Somerset; Mildred Almeida, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, New Bedford; Lillian Plouffe, St. Joseph, North Dighton. Recording secretary, Theresa Lewis, St. Francis of Assisi, New Bedford; treasurer, Mary Geary, Holy Name, Fall River; corresponding secretary, Angela Medeiros, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Seekonk. All will serve for two years. DCCW district presidents, also serving for two years, are Colette Waring, Fall River District I; Helen Stager, New Bedford Di~trict II; Martina Grover, Taunton District III; Caroline Long, Attleboro District IV; Betty Mazzucchelli, Cape and Islands District V. Speaking to the theme of the 36th annual convention, "Lord Make Us Instruments of Your Peace," which was taken from the Prayer ofSt. Francis, Bishop Gonzalez, his brown habit contrasting sharply with his magenta bishop's zucchetto, discussed the prayer phrase by phrase.

"Francis often spoke of obvious things but we need to be reminded of them," he said in discussing the phrase in the prayer, "Where there is hatred, may we sow love." Francis, said the bishop, pointed out that Christ called his betrayer "friend." "Thus," explained the bishop," those who injure us are our friends. Through causing us suffering, they are really offering us eternal life." Much of St. Francis' prayer, admitted the bishop, "seems to express the opposite of what we'd want if we were left to ourselves; yet in losing ourselves, we find ourselves:" In that light, he said, the prayer's petitions that one may con~ole rather than be consoled, understand rather than be understood and love rather than be loved, are understandable. The bishop spoke of Lady Jacoba, a dear friend of St. Francis who helped the 13th century saint in his good works, and of the DCCW commissions. which through their works of charity "take a step beyond what is ordinarily called for." Recalling that St. Francis said "We are mothers of Our Lord Jesus Christ when we carry him lovingly in our hearts and give birth to him in our service of others," .he told the DCCW members that "you are the Lady Jacobas of Fall River and you are indeed mothers of Christ, for you carry him in your hearts lovingly, purely and with a clear conscience."

Business Session At a convention business session, Dorothy Curry, outgoing DCCW president, drew applause when she explained t~e absence of Turn to Page Six

Cavoic photo

Bishop Gonzalez with Bishop Cronin

Studio D photo

Part of the crowd attending the CCA kickoff meeting

Cath~olic Charities

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Appeal

Passing the torch By Joseph Motta Hundreds of clergy, religious and laity attended last Wednesday'S kickoff meeting for the 48th annual Catholic Charities Appeal. . Among them was Walter E. Deda OfSt. Stanislaus parish, Fall River. "I've never missed the kickoff yet," said Deda, 74, who earlier this year retired for health reasons as CCA chairman at his parish. Deda was, according to pastor Father Robert S. Kaszynski, for some 40 years Mr. Catholic Chari.ties at St. Stanislaus. The veteran chairman has now passed the Catholic Charities torch to Christopher Haponik, Father Kaszynski said. . "He's actually inspired the younger generation to take over," said the priest. "It was on his own initiative that he suggested to me that this 29-year-old fellow take over." Father Kaszynski wrote in a recent parish bulletin t:,at the transition "is an excellent example of the seniors of Community calling forth the talents of younger members." Deda's work, the priest told The Anchor, was always extremely well-organized and thorough. The chairman emeritus, he said, is "like Mr. Go-Getter, he has more energy and zip." Deda, a retired assistant mailroom foreman at the Fall River Herald News, is a 1973 Marian Medalist.. A Fall River native, he is a lifelong member of St. Stanislaus parish. He married wife Lillian 40 years ago next month at nearby St.

Patrick's parish, where the couple also maintains membership. "Two sets of envelopes," he chuckles. Deda is probably unique in the diocese or possibly anywhere in ushering at three parishes: St. Stanislaus, where he has captained the ushers for 28 years; at St. Mary's Cathedral, where he has served for 47 years; and at St. Patrick's, where he's a fill-in. For years he has delivered the St. Stanislaus parish bulletin by hand to Fall River's Leary Press, where The Anchor is printed, to ensure that its news will appear in the Steering Points column. ;The active senior also belongs to his parish men's club and was for years the St. Stanislaus publicity chair.man. He still does publicity for the parish seniors' group.

Deda said his job as collection chair included many hours of telephone work, asking parishioners to solicit appeal donations. "I've always done pretty well," he said. "Very few of them refuse me." And he noted that he's never passed up an opportunity to collect a contribution. "If I have to go six times, I go," he said, referring to the many times a collector might find a collectee away from home. The chairman has often succeeded at homes where other solicitors have failed. "Year after year," he grins, "we've gone over our previous total." Deda, who also collects CCA Turn to Page Six

HEIR APPARENT Christopher Haponik with Lillian Deda and chairman emeritus Walter Deda (Studio D photo)


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04.28.89 by The Anchor - Issuu