05.04.12

Diocese of Fall River

The Anchor

F riday , May 4, 2012

The Appeal: Raising needed funds one envelope at a time

By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff

FALL RIVER — With only a week before the Catholic Charities Appeal was set to launch on May 1, there was a focused tone at the Catholic Charities and Development Office in Fall River.

Fingers typed rapidly and the three women in the front office had their eyes on their computer screens, occasionally getting up carefully to navigate around the boxes on the floor that were stuffed with the final bulk mailing set to be distributed before the Appeal hits its stride.

“The launch is pretty much anticlimactic to us because we’ve done so much up until now,” said the director of development, Michael Donly, himself gearing up to help lead off that night’s final “kick-off” for the Appeal in Attleboro.

Donly has helmed the Appeal as director for the past 15 years.

Prior to his arrival, the position was usually held by a priest and was considered part-time. When

Donly came on board, he agreed not only to continue the diligent fund-raising efforts that started in 1942, he also had a goal to teach donors on exactly where the money went and who benefited from the generosity.

“It was really just trying to expand awareness, both on the parish level and on the community level, of exactly what Catholic Charities funded and the great work it was doing. It really was a well-kept secret and I still think, to some degree, that it still is. I want people to realize there is some great stewardship going on here,” said Donly, of the sixweek Appeal. “Only six cents out of every dollar is spent on office costs with 94 cents out of every dollar going directly to the agencies, which is pretty amazing.”

Up until Donly came on board, the Appeal would only run for 10 days, starting on the first Sunday of May, with the majority of the processing work done by two women, Cindy Iacovelli Turn to page 14

ONE BODY — A group of first communicants — some of the 75 to receive the Sacrament this year at the parish — gather outside St. Bernard Church in Assonet with pastor Father Michael Racine just before Mass began last Sunday. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza)

Youngsters express nervous excitement about receiving First Communion B y K enneth J. S ouza A nchor S taff

ASSONET — After two years of growing in the faith, studying about the Eucharist, and making their first Confession, a group of 25 second-graders were ready to receive the Bread of Life for the first time Sunday at St. Bernard’s Parish.

The long, solemn walk down the church’s center aisle began more than a year earlier for the group — one of three totaling 75 in all to receive the Sacrament this year in Assonet — when they first entered the parish Faith Formation program.

With the girls donning impeccably white Turn to page 14

Busy Swansea fencing family makes it a point to keep family and faith first

By Dave Jolivet, Editor

Whisper While You Work – In the background, the director of the Catholic Charities Appeal and Development office Michael Donly sits at his desk while “the girls,” as he calls them, work diligently in the front office. This picture was taken a week before the Catholic Charities Appeal launched on May 1; the office was gearing up for the rush of phone calls and mailings that happens every year during the six-week Appeal. (Photo by Becky Aubut)

SWANSEA — Southeastern Massachusetts is a haven for youth soccer and hockey. Soccer moms tote their sons and daughters all over the region to compete in games of the original football. Hockey dads pile the kids in the minivan well before the sun comes up to take advantage of available ice time. It’s a quite common scenario.

Not so common is the routine followed by the Partridges in Swansea, whose two daughters, Bailey, 16, and Morgan, 14, engage in the ancient sport of fencing. It’s not unusual for Diane and Scott Partridge to find themselves with bags packed en route, with the girls, to fencing tournaments in Milwaukee, Dallas, Portland, Ore., Rochester, N.Y., Reno, Nev., and just this past April, Moscow, Russia.

Despite their sometimes hectic schedules, the Partridges use the hours spent in cars and on planes for quality time together.

“It’s nice because the time we spend on planes, is time for us to enjoy each other as a family,” Turn to page 15

en garde — Morgan Partridge, 14, a parishioner of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Swansea, participated in a recent fencing tournament. Partridge and her sister, Bailey, 16, compete in bouts all over the country and the world. Their traveling companions are their parents Diane and Scott Partridge. (Photo courtesy of Scott Partridge)

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Pope condemns human trafficking, sex tourism

Vatican City — Pope Benedict XVI has told a global gathering of those involved in tourism that they must be alert to ethical dangers associated with the travel industry.

“The trafficking of human beings for sexual exploitation or organ harvesting as well as the exploitation of minors, abandoned into the hands of individuals without scruples and undergoing abuse and torture, sadly happen often in the context of tourism,” said the pope.

“This should bring all who are engaged for pastoral reasons or who work in the field of tourism, and the whole international community, to increase their vigilance and to foresee and oppose such aberrations.”

Pope Benedict made his comments in a letter to mark the opening of the VII World Congress on the Pastoral Care of Tourism, which recently took place in Cancún.

The week-long event was organized by the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People and brought together representatives from the Church, governments and the tourism industry to discuss pastoral care of travelers.

The pope extolled the benefits of free time and travel as occasions for “physical and spiritual renewal” suggesting that it

News From the Vatican

facilitates “the coming together of people from different cultural backgrounds.” He said travel also paves the way for “listening and contemplation, tolerance and peace, dialogue and harmony in the midst of diversity.”

While the Catholic Church was enthusiastic about these positive aspects to tourism it was also its job to point out “and striving to correct, its risks and deviations.”

Just like “every human reality” tourism “is not exempt from dangers or negative dimensions,” he said. Abuses arising from tourism, therefore, were “evils that must be dealt with urgently” as they “trample upon the rights of millions of men and women, especially among the poor, minors and handicapped.”

He labeled sexual tourism as “one of the most abject of these deviations that devastate morally, psychologically and physically the life of so many persons and families, and sometimes whole communities.”

His hope was that the World Congress on the Pastoral Care of Tourism would help create a “different type of tourism.” This could be achieved, he suggested, by rooting their discussions in the social teaching of the Catholic Church.

“Promote a culture of ethical and responsible tourism, in such a way that it will respect the dignity of persons and of peoples, be open to all, be just, sustainable and ecological.”

He concluded by imparting his apostolic blessing to all those participating in the Cancún conference and entrusted their deliberations to “the powerful intercession of the Mary Most Holy under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe.”

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May 4, 2012

photo op — Pilgrims take photos as Pope Benedict XVI leads his general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican recently. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Pope stresses division of labor and prayer in Church charitable work

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — All pastoral work, including promoting social justice and providing for the poor, must be nourished by prayer, Pope Benedict XVI said.

Without contemplating and internalizing God’s Word daily, one risks being suffocated by too heavy a workload and one’s heart risks hardening to the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, he said.

“Charity and justice are not just social action but are spiritual action realized in the light of the Holy Spirit,” he said during a general audience in St. Peter’s Square. It was attended by more than 20,000 pilgrims from all over the world, including members of the U.S. Catholic Health Association and the Ascension Health Alliance.

Continuing a series of talks on Christian prayer, the pope highlighted Chapter 6 of the Acts of the Apostles, which recounts how the early Christian community decided to call forth “seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom” to be dedicated to charitable action so the Apostles could continue to dedicate themselves to prayer and proclaiming the Word of God. “The proclamation of the Gospel — the primacy of God — and (providing) concrete charity and justice were creating difficulties,” and the community had to find a solution so that both would have their place in the Church, the pope said.

The Apostles created a new ministry dedicated to the needy because the Church is called not just to proclaim the word but to fulfill it through concrete acts of love and truth, he said.

At the same time, he said, the Apostles underlined the importance of prayer so that those who carried out the Church’s charitable mission would do so “in the spirit of faith with the light of God.” Charity workers must be filled with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and not just be “good organizers who know how to do things,” the pope said.

In fact, the Apostles laid their hands on those chosen for the new ministry, conferring God’s grace and “consecrating them in the truth which is Jesus Christ,” he said. It was not a simple act of assigning a new role or responsibility to someone as happens in secular organizations, “but is an eccle-

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sial event.”

“The difficulty that the Church was going through concerning the problem of serving the poor, the question of charity, is overcome through prayer,” he said. It’s through prayer and reflecting on God’s word that people can “respond to every challenge and situation with wisdom, understanding and fidelity to God’s will.”

Pope Benedict said, “We must not lose ourselves to pure activism, but always let our actions be penetrated by the light and the word of God and, that way, learn real charity.”

Truly serving others means not just providing them the basic necessities, it’s giving, “above all, the affection of our heart and God’s light,” he said.

Everything Christians do should be nourished by contemplating God, which is especially important in a world that stresses productivity and efficiency above all else, he said.

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 56, No. 18

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May 4, 2012

3

The International Church

After pope visits Cuba, bishops comment on effects; fire investigated

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (CNS) — The March visit to Cuba by Pope Benedict XVI has helped reawaken people’s interest in the Catholic Church, according to two Cuban bishops visiting the United States.

But it also has stirred criticism of the Church’s efforts to work with the government more and may be connected to a fire of suspicious origin that gutted a travel agency that organizes charter flights from Florida to Cuba.

Remarks at an April 24 forum at Harvard University by Havana Cardinal Jaime Ortega Alamino about the Church’s role in Cuba riled some of the outspoken critics of the Castro government in both Havana and Florida.

In a speech at the university’s Kennedy School of Government, Cardinal Ortega spoke at length about the “profound reawakening” the Church is seeing in Cuba, augmented by the pope’s visit.

“The Church is living a spring of faith in Cuba,” Cardinal Ortega said, adding that the pope’s visit left people impressed by his meekness and kindness and that enthusiasm to “delve more deeply” into faith will live on in the hearts of Cubans.

He also spoke about the increased role taken by Caritas, the Church’s aid organization, in providing assistance to Cuba’s needy, including the elderly and victims of natural disasters. And he explained his role in meeting with President Raul Castro to work toward ending increased harassment of the Ladies in White, and the release of their relatives from Cuban prisons.

Bishop Arturo Gonzalez of Santa

Clara, Cuba, told Catholic News Service during a visit to Washington that since the pope’s visit, attendance at Mass has increased, as has interest in the Church’s programs.

He said it was important for the pope to go to Cuba “to be with his people who are poor and who are suffering.” For the few days he was in Cuba, the small island nation was the center of the news world, Bishop Gonzalez said, and that helped bring the Church’s mission and work to the attention of the Cuban people.

In Boston a couple of nights earlier, Cardinal Ortega’s response to some questions from the audience raised hackles among opponents of the Cuban government.

Moderator Jorge Dominguez, vice provost for international affairs at Harvard University, asked Cardinal Ortega to respond to criticisms made by exile groups in Miami who say the cardinal is too close to the Castro regime.

“From the start of the difficult years of persecution in Cuba there have been criticisms of the bishops of Cuba from the left and from the right, and also within the Church,” Cardinal Ortega replied.

“If you start thinking of the Church as a political organization — many would like us to be the opposition party in Cuba — but we cannot be that,” he said. “It goes against the nature of the Church.”

Cardinal Ortega acknowledged “wounds” suffered by the Cuban people, both those living in Cuba and those who have fled the country.

“But these wounds have not been caused by the Church,” he said. “The Church has suffered these wounds as

well.”

The cardinal defended his decision to have 13 protesters removed by police from Havana’s Basilica of Our Lady of Charity a few days before the pope arrived.

Saying the protest was staged “by people in Florida,” the cardinal called the 13 protesters “former delinquents” and stressed that, contrary to some news reports, none of them was harmed in any way.

He also spoke of the need for reconciliation among all Cubans, both inside and outside the country, a topic stressed by the pope while in Cuba.

“If the exile community is going to have a role in the new Cuba, they need to start now by building bridges,” he said.

Cardinal Ortega’s comments sparked a flurry of criticism from the Cuban exile community in the United States.

Typical of the reaction was an April 29 statement posted on the website of the Asamblea de la Resistencia Cubana (Assembly of the Cuban Resistance).

“Our exile community, contrary to what the cardinal intends to project, is proof of the capacity of reconciliation between Cubans and is an example of true solidarity with those who suffer the lack of fundamental freedoms and rights in the island,” the statement said.

“The fact that Cardinal Ortega utilizes the same detrimental language which the regime of Havana uses, referring to a group of Cubans who entered the sanctuary of God to call attention on the lack of rights in Cuba, reflects that of the oppressors

of the Cuban people,” it continued.

Such criticism is to be expected, according to Mario Paredes, board chairman of the Catholic Association of Latino Leaders and presidential liaison for the American Bible Society, who helped coordinate Cardinal Ortega’s visit to the United States.

“Now that the Church is expanding and gaining footing in Cuba, there is likely going to be added criticisms from those on the outside,” he said in a telephone interview with The Pilot, newspaper of the Boston Archdiocese.

“The fact that (Cardinal Ortega) doesn’t criticize the regime directly is seen as his collaborating with the regime, which is untrue,” Paredes said.

“The cardinal is doing what he is supposed to do,” he continued, noting that the cardinal’s role is “to bring people to faith, to call on collaboration in rebuilding Cuba, to bring Cubans to reconciliation.”

“It’s very hard for people to understand his role,” he said.

In Florida the same week, city, state and federal investigators said they were looking into the possibility that arson was behind an April 27 fire that gutted the Coral Gables offices of the charter travel agency that organized two planeloads of pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Miami to Cuba for the papal visit.

Reuters reported that the owner of Airline Brokers, Vivian Mannerud, said she suspected arson “because of the indignation of the pope’s visit.”

She said she had not received threats to her business recently, but that the company was targeted in the early 1990s by activists who opposed any effort at easing the decades-long trade embargo against Cuba.

The company’s role in bringing pilgrims to Cuba for the papal visit was well publicized in Miami. It is one of dozens of companies nationwide offering charter flights to Cuba under certain circumstances, following regulations set by the Treasury Department, which enforces the trade embargo.

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4

May 4, 2012 The Church in the U.S. Dialogue between Catholic leaders, Girl Scouts addresses criticisms

PHILADELPHIA (CNS) — Tina Kent credits the Girl Scouts for teaching her skills in leadership, conflict resolution and critical thinking and for giving her an appreciation for the outdoors and opportunities to travel.

Kent became a Brownie at age eight in her native Vermillion, S.D., and remained a Scout until she was a teenager in Waco, Texas.

Now a wife and mother of five, Kent lives in the Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa., and is a Girl Scout troop leader in York, Pa., where her troop meets at St. Joseph Catholic School.

Her daughter Maggie, seven, a firstgrader at the school, is a Girl Scout Daisy. Kent hopes daughter Ruth, three, will one day join her sister in the Scouts.

Among other projects, her troop makes Christmas and Valentine’s Day cards for the elderly and this year donated 46 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to the local Catholic food pantry and sent 85 boxes to a girls’ school in Afghanistan.

“As Catholics, we are called to be serving other people, to be reaching out, to be trying to do good in this world,” said Kent, 44, who became a Catholic at Easter 2003 when she was 35.

Kent is well aware of claims by some that the Girl Scouts of the USA promotes Planned Parenthood and its advocacy of birth control and abortion.

Others have complained that some printed material distributed to Scouts contained references that countered the Catholic Church’s teachings.

After looking into the criticism herself, she told Catholic News Service, “I just don’t buy that it’s happening.”

Kent acknowledged, however, the organization on occasion may end up “associating with people who are associating with people who are not who the Catholic Church would choose to be associating with.”

The Girl Scouts of the USA, known as GSUSA, is marking its 100th anniversary this year. It has 3.2 million girl and adult members. An estimated 500,000 Catholic girls and adults in the U.S. are involved in Girl Scouts.

Criticism of the Girl Scouts as an organization has surfaced off and on over the last several years and earlier this year made the rounds again on the Internet.

In response GSUSA has strongly stated it “does not have a relationship or partnership with Planned Parenthood and does not plan to create one” and takes no position on abortion or birth control. “Parents and volunteer troop leaders in Catholic churches,” it said, “have total control of the Girl Scout programming their girls receive.”

Given the large number of Catholics involved in Girl Scouts, such concerns prompted the bishops’ Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth at its mid-March meeting to discuss GSUSA’s “possible problematic relationships with other organizations” and questions about some of its materials and resources.

In a March 28 letter to his fellow bishops, committee chairman Bishop

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Kevin C. Rhoades of South Bend-Fort Wayne, Ind., said some questions may need to be answered at the national level and others at the local level.

Among other actions, he said the committee wants to develop a resource bishops can share with priests, youth ministers, Pro-Life directors, educators and others in their diocese on Catholic identity for troops and guidance for parents.

Bishop Rhoades said the committee “affirmed the good service” Catholic Girl Scouts have provided and continue to provide to their communities and to the Church. “Catholic Girl Scout troops have served girls and young women for many years, and the committee is grateful for this service,” he said.

The bishop invited Robert McCarty, executive director of the Washingtonbased National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry in Washington, and Kathleen Carver, the federation’s associate director and communications director, to the meeting to give committee members their perspective on the claims made about the Girl Scouts.

The federation’s website, www. nfcym.org, has a question-and-answer section on the issue, and according to McCarty, dialogue between the national Girl Scouts office in New York and the federation has been ongoing.

McCarty told CNS that the bishops’ Secretariat for Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth would convene a group soon to discuss what resources and tools would help create dialogue among Church and Girl Scout leaders “more intentionally” and provide clear guidelines for predominantly Catholic troops where “Catholic teaching is honored and at the forefront.”

Beyond the Church’s relationship with Girl Scouts is the bigger issue of “how does the Church engage secular organizations?” McCarty stated. “We advocate for Church teaching through direct engagement and honest respectful dialogue.”

In an earlier interview with CNS, McCarty said he has met with Girl Scout leaders in New York to convey concerns the federation has heard from the field, though he rejected the claim that Girl Scouts promotes Planned Parenthood.

In January, Anna Maria Chavez, a Catholic who has been the Girl Scouts CEO since last November, came to Washington from New York, along with the chair of GSUSA’s board of directors, to meet with McCarty.

“For nearly 100 years, we have partnered with the Catholic Church to support the growth and development of millions of girls,” Chavez told CNS. “It is a wonderful legacy and we’re grateful for the opportunity to participate in the process that will only enhance our partnership.”

She said her organization has had meetings with Catholic dioceses around the country and said “those

conversations have been very valuable in strengthening that relationship.”

“Working closely together, we will continue to provide girls with the courage, confidence and character they will need to make our world a better place.”

McCarty said the assertion Girls Scouts has a relationship with Planned Parenthood arose from a statement the previous CEO made in 2004 on broadcast television in which she listed the organization as one group among many with whom the Scouts maintained a relationship.

“That,” he stressed, “was eight years ago, and, that has changed.”

Other criticism has been directed at the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, known as WAGGGS, which, for example, has advocated for emergency contraception for women in Third World countries, McCarty said. GSUSA is one of WAGGGS’ 145 member organizations.

In the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, Deacon Dana Allen Nearmyer, a consultant for evangelization and Catholic formation in the archdiocese, said Catholic leaders are concerned by the fact the GSUSA sends money to WAGGGS. “We’ve said that’s not acceptable,” Deacon Nearmyer told CNS in a recent interview. “Our recommendation would be that they would stop funding the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.”

No Scouts’ dues or registration fees go to WAGGGS, but GSUSA sends investment earnings to the international group.

McCarty likened the relationship between the Girl Scouts and WAGGGS to that between the United States and the United Nations. That association, he said, does not imply that the U.S. is aligned with everything the U.N. advocates.

“The Vatican has a role at the U.N. I don’t see the Vatican walking away from the U.N.,” he added. “The Vatican is there to engage the U.N. through the lens of Catholic social teaching and Church teaching.”

Another criticism arose over Girl Scout material that included a link to a play written by a girl who questioned her parents and the Catholic Church, McCarty said. “When we raised that issue with the Girl Scouts, they took it out. They reprinted their books.”

“We’re certainly not looking at banning Girl Scouts, unless that’s a directive,” Deacon Nearmyer told CNS. “We appreciate being part of the conversation and moving the curriculum of Girl Scouting to its more traditional, original roots — protecting families. We also value their national connection and notoriety,” he said.

“But at some point, if parishes are looking for something that’s a more substantial faith organization, Girl Scouts is only going to be able to carry them so far because they’re a secular organization.”

May 4, 2012

The Church in the U.S.

5

At Georgetown, Ryan defends budget as fruit of Catholic teaching WASHINGTON (CNS) — Wisconsin Republican Rep. Paul Ryan defended his party’s 2013 federal budget, which has drawn criticism from some Catholic circles, as a way to help all Americans gain a better life, free of government intrusion and overreach, in a speech at Georgetown University.

Citing principles of Catholic social teaching that promote the full involvement of people in the decisions that affect their lives, Ryan invited “well-informed public discourse” on the direction of the country as it debates how best to meet current and future needs in health care, Social Security and job creation.

“As a Catholic in public life, my own personal thinking on these issues has been guided by my understanding of the Church’s social teaching,” Ryan said in delivering the annual Whittington Lecture sponsored by the Georgetown Public Policy Institute April 26.

“Simply put, I don’t believe the preferential option for the poor means a preferential option for big government.”

Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee, acknowledged to the Gaston Hall audience that the Church’s social teaching can lead Catholics to

arrive at different conclusions on the role of government in society. He said his understanding of Church teaching requires that he work to ensure that the country remains financially solvent and unburdened by debt that would lead to severe austerity measures in the future.

The Republican budget, drafted by Ryan and approved by the House of Representatives in a largely party-line vote March 29, delineates a decade-long plan to reduce spending on nonmilitary programs as a step toward significantly reducing the country’s $15 trillion budget deficit. The budget calls for simplifying the tax code by closing loopholes and lowering individual and corporate tax rates. Under the plan the highest tax rates would be set at 25 percent, down from 35 percent.

Ryan maintained that under the plan the country would see increased revenues from those who take advantage of loopholes and tax shelters, ensuring “a level playing field for all.”

The plan has been criticized by two committee chairmen of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, theologians, social justice advocates and college faculty members.

explaining his reasoning — Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., a Catholic who chairs the House Budget Committee, gestures during a speech at Georgetown University in Washington recently.

Ryan said the federal budget he developed to reduce the country’s deficit evolved in part from his understanding of Catholic social teaching. (CNS photo/Bob Roller)

Ryan said his inspiration for shaping his budget plan is taken from Catholic social teaching and Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical “Caritas in Veritate” (“Charity in Truth”).

He cited the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity as keys to securing a future in which everyone has the opportunity to achieve and to preserving the public safety net for those citizens who are truly in need.

The principle of subsidiarity as found in Catholic social teaching calls for decisions to be made and actions taken at the most local level possible.

“As we end welfare for those who don’t need it, we strengthen welfare programs for those who do,” Ryan said.

“Government safety-net programs have been stretched to the breaking point in recent years, failing the very citizens who need help the most.”

Ryan criticized President Barack Obama for what he called a failure to lead the country out of fiscal crisis and said that the economic model the administration has followed has caused unparalleled growth in the nation’s budget deficit.

The Wisconsin representative also called for the end of Washington-based decisionmaking that “takes from hardworking Americans and gives

to politically connected companies and privileged special interests.” He said his view of the role of government seeks to return decision-making to local communities so people can have a say in the policies that affect their lives.

Ryan’s appearance at Georgetown was met with protests both before his campus visit and during it.

Halfway through his speech, nine Georgetown students stood in the balcony of Gaston Hall and unfurled a banner that read: “Stop the war on the poor; no social justice in Ryan’s budget.” The students stood silently through the remainder of the hour long program.

A group of 88 Georgetown University faculty and staff members sent a letter to Ryan April 24 outlining their concerns over his “misuse of Catholic teaching” to defend his budget plan. The letter pointed to Ryan’s reference to the principle of subsidiarity, which he has used to justify reduced expenditures in nonmilitary areas of the budget and an overhaul of the tax code.

“I don’t think he can get away with Catholic social teachings as a cover for his budget cutting,” said Jesuit Father Thomas Reese, who organized the distribution of the

letter on campus.

“Since Ryan is coming to our campus, the faculty felt that he couldn’t just come and leave, but we should initiate a dialogue, a challenge to him because frankly we don’t agree with his interpretation of Catholic social teaching,” Father Reese said.

Along with the letter, the group included a copy of the official Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, Father Reese said.

Ryan acknowledged receiving the letter and thanked the writers for a new copy of the compendium because his had become well worn.

In response to a question from Edward Montgomery, dean of the Georgetown Public Policy Institute who moderated the program, Ryan brushed aside talk that he was being considered a possible nominee for the vice presidency on the Republican ticket in the fall election.

“Look, I’ve got an important job where I am right now,” he said. “I’m content with this job. I feel that America is at a very unique moment. Don’t underestimate the importance of Congress in all this. Who knows about all those things?

Quite frankly, we’ve got some important work to do in the House.”

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The Anchor The call and path of needed reform and renewal

If one were to take seriously articles and columns in various news outlets, it would appear that a group of wicked misogynists in the Vatican are waging all-out war on religious women in the United States, attempting to bully Sisters into unholy subservience, not only ignorant but downright scornful of the immense good Sisters have done for generations. It’s a story line of crepuscular, authoritarian chauvinists supposedly slapping Sisters back into straight-jacketing full-length habits, muzzling their ministries, killing their charisms and making them scapegoats for all the problems facing the Church.

Those assessments, however, are as true as the ancient story that Jesus’ tomb was empty because His disciples stole His body.

The April 18 action of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) with regard to the Leadership Council of Women Religious (LCWR) was not directed toward religious Sisters as a whole or even toward their religious communities but only toward a Church-recognized association of female religious superiors that has without question lost its Christian mooring to such an extent it has led to enormous embarrassment for many religious women in the United States, scandal for those in the Church who have been on the receiving end of the pseudo-Christian craziness, and deep divisions among Sisters across the United States. After nearly four decades of dialogue in which the Vatican patiently tried to persuade the LCWR to reform itself, the Vatican in 2008 appointed Bishop Leonard Blair of Toledo to carry out a formal “doctrinal assessment” of the LCWR’s “activities and initiatives,” a study that took two years and discovered, as the CDF report documented, “serious doctrinal problems that affect many in consecrated life.”

Most American Catholics — especially those who have been taught by Sisters in Catholic schools, cared for by them in hospitals, and served by them in various ministries — readily, respectably and reflexively rise up in defense of their “spiritual mothers” when they seem to be under attack. To many, it seems unthinkable that the religious women who taught them the faith growing up would ever be subject to a “doctrinal assessment,” not to mention suspected of “serious doctrinal problems.” Even if over the past few decades some Sisters they knew did things that they found perplexing and disappointing — like abandoning religious habits, living in apartments alone rather than in convents as a community, involving themselves in less traditional “ministries,” and occasionally saying things kids in Catholic elementary schools would recognize to be incompatible with the faith — most Catholics tended to view these things the same way they would treat innocuous idiosyncrasies of beloved family members: with benign condescension as the quirky compensations of dedicated women who had generously given up a lot in order to follow God and serve others.

The reality of what has been happening in the LCWR, however, would shock most Catholics, many of whom retain idealized expectations that even if some Sisters’ habits have changed — both dress and behavioral — underneath the Sisters were still basically the same Christian heroines they’ve always been. The CDF doctrinal assessment detailed what some religious Sisters in America have themselves been complaining to the Vatican about for many years, that the LCWR is abetting practices that have been leading to the destruction of women’s religious life in many communities in the United States. The report documented grave concerns about whether some of the Sisters who comprise the LCWR even share the basics of the Catholic faith. Even the “revealed doctrines of the Holy Trinity, the Divinity of Christ and the inspiration of Sacred Scripture” are being called into question under the principles of radical feminism; the Trinity is problematic because of the mention of God the Father and God the Son; the Incarnation is troublesome because Christ was conceived as a male; the inspiration of sacred Scripture was thorny because various of the truths of Sacred Scripture are anathema to radical feminist anthropology. Serious issues have also surfaced with regard to women’s ordination, same-sex activity, abortion and euthanasia. At meetings and within certain communities in the LCWR, the Mass is no longer regularly celebrated because of opposition to the patriarchy of the all-male priesthood. In 2007, LCWR president Sister Laurie Brink candidly acknowledged that some Sisters had moved “beyond the Church, even beyond Jesus.”

Various Sisters within LCWR communities have been complaining and lamenting for years that their leadership was leading them in a direction other than in the footsteps of Jesus. Sisters who had dedicated themselves to a eucharistic life, to teaching the faith, to faithful union with the Church were now having their religious lives transvalued by those dissenting from essential questions of “The Catechism,” replacing the Eucharist with the Enneagram, supplanting traditional anthropology with patriarchy-smashing feminism and weren’t teaching or following Church faith and morals with regard to life and human sexuality. How could the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which has the mission to defend and protect the faith, not respond to these disturbing trends?

It’s unsurprising that those who have issues with Church teaching have been trying to take advantage of the controversy to attack the Church. Renegade Sisters, after all, are useful pawns in a larger cultural battle over who speaks for the Church. Those who believe that all Church teaching should be up for grabs are very happy to be able to show that not even Sisters under vows of obedience agree with what the hierarchy describes as Catholic teaching. If even they don’t acknowledge the pope’s and the bishops’ teaching authority, then everyone becomes emancipated.

Catholics justly esteem religious Sisters and are grateful for all they have done over the history of the Church in our country to pass on the teachings and love of Jesus Christ. But we need to love the Sisters enough to give them help to get back on the narrow path when they’ve lost their way.

The reality is that many of the communities that have followed the direction of the more radical elements of the LCWR are not only causing scandal and division but are dying through a dearth of vocations. Jesus had said that apart from Him we would bear no fruit, and the vocational sterility of LCWR communities is an illustration of this point. Separating oneself from the faith, practice and hierarchy of the Christ’s Body the Church — moving “beyond the Church, even beyond Jesus” — unsurprisingly has brought with it a vocational meltdown. This is in marked contrast to what has been happening within the communities that left the LCWR in 1992 after having judged that the radical feminism of many of its leaders was incompatible with traditional women’s religious life. Many of the communities belonging to the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious (CMSWR) — which explicitly affirms its adhesion to the Church faith and morals and continues to live according to the vows, habits and customs most Catholics expect of religious women — are experiencing a true vocational boom.

By its intervention, the CDF isn’t “punishing” the LCWR but seeking to reform it. Some have asked whether the bishops should be spending their time on other scandals, notably the clergy sex abuse scandal. In the cases of other scandals, however, notable reforms have already been taking place, from seminary and national visitations, to new, much stricter codes and binding norms, to boards ensuring compliance and more. Unlike these other institutions of the Church, however, the LCWR has refused to reform itself, and so the Church finally had to intervene. Archbishop Peter Sartain of Seattle has been appointed to lead the reforms. Some of the more radical, former leaders of the LCWR are saying that rather than heed the call to conversion, the LCWR should just sever its connection with the Church altogether — a proposal that illustrates just how corroded the Catholic sensibility of communion has become among some elements of the LCWR. On the other hand, many religious Sisters belonging to communities that form part of the LCWR are hoping that these reforms will help to save the LCWR from self-destruction. The LCWR board will meet May 29 to June 1 to discuss the CDF action and determine whether it will cooperate. Out of love for our Sisters, whose love and work is of immense importance for the whole people of God, we should pray for them, their communities and LCWR leaders, that they will decide to respond with humility and Catholic faith to this call for reform and plan of authentic renewal.

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May 4, 2012

Vocations, the gift of God’s love

s is the case every fourth Sunday To express the inseparable bond that of Easter, when we hear in the links these “two loves” — love of God Gospel that Christ is the Good Shepherd, and neighbor — both of which flow from the Church celebrates the annual World the same Divine source and return to it, St. Day of Prayer for Vocations. This past Gregory the Great uses the metaphor of the Sunday was the 49th annual Day of Prayer seedling: “In the soil of our heart God first for Vocations. Pope Benedict XVI chose as planted the root of love for Him; from this, a theme for this year’s prayer, “Vocations, like the leaf, sprouts love for one another.” the Gift of the Love of God.” How do we create this rich soil within In this week’s article, I would like to the Catholic community in which vocations reflect upon the very profound words will be nurtured, grow, flourish and bear that our Holy Father used to focus our much fruit? I think that accomplishing this meditation, for after all, what he has to task goes far beyond just speaking about say about the gift of God’s personal call is and praying for vocations, but requires much more insightful than anything that I of us the hard work of cultivating that could say. rich soil at the very grass roots level of Pope Benedict began by explaining that, forming hearts and minds to truly see our “In every age, the source of the Divine call relationship with our Lord as a love-story. is to be found in the initiative of the infinite Pope Benedict continues his message love of God, Who reveals Himself fully in by saying that, “The task of fostering Jesus Christ.” vocations will be to provide helpful Referencing his first papal encyclical guidance and direction along the way. letter, Deus Caritas Est, the pope Central to this should be love of God’s explained, Word “God is indeed nourished by visible in a a growing Putting Into number of familiarity ways. In the the Deep with sacred love-story Scripture, and recounted by attentive and

By Father the Bible, He unceasing Jay Mello comes towards prayer, both us, He seeks personal and to win our in community; hearts, all the way to the Last Supper, to this will make it possible to hear God’s call the piercing of His heart on the cross, to amid all the voices of daily life.”

His appearances after the Resurrection He continued, “But above all, the and to the great deeds by which, through Eucharist should be the heart of every the activity of the Apostles, He guided the vocational journey: it is here that the love nascent Church along its path.” of God touches us in Christ’s sacrifice, Our Holy Father was explaining the the perfect expression of love, and it is very basic point that vocations can only be here that we learn ever anew how to live truly understood in the context of God’s according to the ‘high standard’ of God’s work in the world that continues in the love. Scripture, prayer and the Eucharist Church. The pope describes this as the are the precious treasure enabling us to “love-story” between God and humanity grasp the beauty of a life spent fully in that began during biblical times but service of the Kingdom.” continues to the present day. This “loveThe basis of cultivating vocations story” is the context in which God calls His must be rooted in the most basic children to a particular vocation. elements of our Catholic faith, devotion “We need to open our lives to this love,” to the Eucharist, as found in active the Holy Father said, “because it is to the participation at Mass and eucharistic perfection of the Father’s love (Mt 5:48) adoration, and the study and reflection that Jesus Christ calls us every day! The upon God’s Divine Word as found in the high standard of the Christian life consists sacred Scriptures. in loving ‘as’ God loves; with a love that is Our Holy Father ended this year’s shown in the total, faithful and fruitful gift message for the World Day of Prayer for of self.”

Vocations by saying, “It is my hope that A response to one’s vocation, is a the local churches and all the various response to God’s love, to His plan, to groups within them, will become places His work, which isn’t just something where vocations are carefully discerned that happened in the past but something and their authenticity tested, places where that is also very much happening today young men and women are offered wise throughout the world. If one doesn’t see and strong spiritual direction. In this way, one’s vocation, whether to priesthood, the Christian community itself becomes a marriage or religious life, as part of this manifestation of the love of God in which love story, one’s vocation risks being every calling is contained. As a response to reduced to something one does and not the demands of the new commandment of something one becomes.

Jesus, this can find eloquent and particular Pope Benedict used a wonderful image realization in Christian families, whose to explain this important idea. He said, “It love is an expression of the love of Christ is in this soil of self-offering and openness who gave Himself for His Church” (Eph to the love of God, and as the fruit of 5:32). that love, that all vocations are born and Let us follow our Holy Father’s lead grow. By drawing from this wellspring and strive to cultivate the rich soil of through prayer, constant recourse to God’s vocations by planting seeds in faith in the Word and to the Sacraments, especially hearts of our young people, so that they the Eucharist, it becomes possible to live might truly see their relationship with our a life of love for our neighbors, in whom Lord as a great love-story. we come to perceive the face of Christ the Father Mello is a parochial vicar at St. Lord” (Mt 25:31-46).

Patrick’s Parish in Falmouth.

May 4, 2012

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Series conclusion: The Council in historical perspective

he Second Vatican Council occurred at a time when the Western world was swept up in a wave of social optimism. The “new humanism” naively believed (see “Sin, Original”) that if free play were given to human powers and technology, the scourges of poverty, disease, famine, and war could be virtually eradicated.

Coinciding with this confidence in progress were the cultural revolutions and disenchantments of the 1960s: the sexual revolution, women’s liberation, the civil-rights movement, Vietnam War protests and other forms of social activism, secularization allied with economic affluence, and a growing distrust of authority.

In this atmosphere, progressive theologians were lionized for writing books and articles depicting Vatican II as liberation from stifling tradition. Some early interpreters suggested that the council documents contain revolutionary implications not apparent on the surface; where there are ambiguities in the texts, they said, these should always be resolved in favor of the avant-garde. Others advocated the “spirit of Vatican II” in sharp contrast to what the council actually said. The first couple of decades following the council’s close in 1965 saw tremendous crisis and turmoil in the Church.

It seemed that everything was up for grabs in matters of

doctrine, worship, morality, and prior teaching and introduced catechesis. important new accents.

To overcome polarization The Church, in Vatican II, arand stabilize the Church, Pope rived at a crossroads, where the John Paul II, who as bishop living Tradition and its fidelity of Krakow had been an active to the Gospel met the experience participant in all four sessions of of the mid-20th century, thus Vatican II, convened an Exlearning from it what needed traordinary Synod of Bishops in emphasis at the time. As a 1985, the 20th anniversary of the council’s conclusion. This synod Vatican II at 50: in its final report asFulfilling the serted that the council needs to be understood Promise in continuity with the

By Father whole Catholic tradition, including earlier Thomas M. Kocik councils. No opposition may be made between the spirit and the letter result, many of the Church’s of Vatican II. externals changed, her theologiPope Benedict XVI likewise cal emphases shifted, and her knows the council intimately. pastoral orientation adjusted to As then-Father Joseph Ratznew social and political ciringer he served at Vatican II as cumstances. Such recalibration a peritus, or theological advisor, is needed from time to time to to Cardinal Frings of Cologne. maintain equilibrium in the fullIn his Christmas 2005 address ness of Christian faith. A little to the Roman Curia, Benedict history will prove helpful in this described two contrary ways of regard. interpreting and applying VatiWhenever certain revealed can II. There is, on the one hand, truths are emphasized at the the “hermeneutics of discontinu- expense of others, the Church ity and rupture,” which views in her teaching office defends the council as a clean break with and accentuates what has been the past. On the other hand is denied or neglected. Later, in the “hermeneutics of reform,” more tranquil times, the Church which situates the council within can appreciate afresh those the overarching continuity of the truths that had been grasped but Church’s life and teaching, even distorted through having lost while acknowledging that in cer- sight of the whole. Consider, for tain areas the council surpassed instance, the Church’s response

in the mid-16th century to the challenges of the Protestant Reformation. Because Protestantism exalted the spiritual freedom of the individual, the Word of God in Scripture and proclamation, the absolute gratuitousness of salvation, and the priesthood of all Christians, while throwing aside much else, the Council of Trent placed special emphasis on the Church’s spiritual authority, on the incarnate Word active in the Sacraments, on the necessity of human cooperation with grace, and on the unique powers of the ordained priesthood.

Four centuries would pass until those “Protestant” values, which have always had a place in the fullness of tradition, could be reintegrated into everyday Catholic thinking and living — as happened, for example, in the “new” prominence Vatican II gave to Scripture and the role of the laity in the Church’s mission.

What that in mind, we can better understand what the historian Watkin meant when, a few years before the council, he wrote that the Church “has begun her voyage from the Catholicism of the Counter-Reformation to the Catholicism of the future ... a deeper and wider understanding of the same religion once for all revealed.” The tradition of the Church as taken

Washington D.C., (CNA) — Pro-Life leaders see the Obama Administration’s recent decision to hire a Planned Parenthood media specialist as an intentional move to make its abortion policies appealing to the American people.

“I’m not surprised at all,” said Dr. Janice Crouse, senior fellow at the Concerned Women for America’s Beverly LaHaye Institute.

Crouse told CNA on April 25 that the Obama Administration is following its wellestablished pattern of offering positions of strong influence to abortion supporters.

“It’s going to be disastrous,” she said. “Here you’ve got someone with a definite agenda.”

On April 20, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that it was hiring Tait Sye, former media director of Planned Parenthood, as its deputy assistant secretary for public affairs.

The Department of Health and Human Services has been

under fire in recent months for issuing a controversial mandate that will require employers to offer health plans that cover contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs, even if doing so violates their consciences.

Sye defended the mandate amid widespread protest, calling contraception “basic health care” and saying, “It should not be left up to a boss’s personal beliefs whether his employees should be allowed birth control coverage.”

According to Reuters, he also chided groups such as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops who opposed the 2010 health care reform law over concerns that it would provide funding for abortion.

Sye accusing these groups of “launching misleading attacks,” despite the fact that the law does provide for the collection of mandatory insurance premiums to fund abortions.

Crouse believes the decision to hire someone with experi-

have also led several states to initiate efforts to defund the organization.

But in spite of this controversy, Dr. Charmaine Yoest, president and CEO of Americans United for Life, believes that “the ties between the abortion industry and this administration grew stronger with this appointment.”

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, agreed, saying that Planned Parenthood and the Department of Health and Human Services “have practically become synonymous.”

“We’ve seen repeatedly that as soon as a state defunds Planned Parenthood, HHS steps in and threatens to take funding away from vulnerable populations,” she added.

Eric Scheidler, executive director of the Pro-Life Action League, noted that “Americans should be horrified” by the close relationship between the Obama Administration and Planned Parenthood.

He told CNA that he’s disap-

up by Vatican II and presented to the modern world, with some important shifts in policy and emphasis, is the same tradition.

Facing the excess of clinging to outmoded customs and formulations, the opposite excess always rushes to what appears new, as if that were necessarily the best. Since everything in Catholicism grows out of the truths revealed by God, the legitimacy of any claimed “development” or “reformulation” of Catholic teaching must be subject to scrutiny. Authentic development in the Church never involves repudiation of previous doctrine or destruction of long-established modes of worship and devotion.

Ecumenical councils are not absolute, and even their best decisions may remain dead letters, written into the books but unapplied to life. To wit, the idea of the Church as sacrament seems not yet to have entered into people’s awareness. Fidelity to the faith of the Apostles and to the promptings of the Holy Spirit requires thinking and feeling with the Church, as she brings forth from her treasury things new and old. Without this, councils will fail.

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

HHS hire of Planned Parenthood spokesman reflects close relationship ence in the abortion industry was intentional.

“This is someone who is very skilled at shaping public opinion,” she said.

Moving into an election year, it is important for the president to have people in public relations who can make his abortion policies “palatable to the public,” she explained.

Crouse said that Americans should find it “unconscionable” that the administration would put its abortion ideology before the well-being of women.

With this decision, she said, it is pushing the sexual revolution forward and encouraging promiscuity, which research clearly shows to have negative results.

“In the long run, it’s going to hurt women,” she warned.

Controversy surrounding Planned Parenthood has grown in recent months. The organization is currently the subject of a Congressional investigation due to allegations of fraud and illegal failure to report cases of sexual abuse. Such allegations

pointed to see the administration partner with Planned Parenthood in health care issues rather than with the Catholic Church, which has a rich legacy of the caring for the sick and needy.

The decision is particularly troubling, he added, because “Planned Parenthood is a lightning rod of controversy.” The allegations surrounding the organization should prohibit its top employees from holding positions of government authority, he said.

However, Scheidler explained, the administration realizes that people are not happy with its policies, such as the contraception mandate.

Planned Parenthood has a great track record with public relations and maintaining a “positive public image,” he observed, so hiring someone like Sye is a huge step to “sell the American people” on the administration’s proposed health care policies.

“It makes perfect sense,” he said.

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May 4, 2012

The Anchor

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t was a crazy world during the time of Saul of Tarsus, better known as St. Paul. The revelation of Jesus as the Christ drew hostility and persecution of those who proclaimed the Good News.

This persecution came from the children of Abraham and included imprisonment and capital punishment. Saul had been one of the most effective and zealous persecutors of the time. On the road to Damascus, Jesus confronts Saul.

Saul then experiences the revelation of Jesus Christ and his whole life turned around.

He is baptized into the family of God, and spreads the Good News throughout Damascus.

He then travels to Jerusalem to join the disciples there.

It is understandable that the disciples were taken a little aback and apprehensive about accepting Saul into the Christian community after all the

Whose vineyard is it, anyway?

Christians he had persecuted. the power of the Holy Spirit But Barnabas had no appreworking with and through the hension. community and the Apostles.

Barnabas was well thought He pledged what he could of within the Christian comof his material goods to the munity. He was not an Apostle or deacon, but was part of the first Homily of the Week Church, and was exFifth Sunday actly the type of perof Easter son Jesus referred to in this week’s Gospel

By Deacon as one of the branches Fred G. LaPiana III of the vine. It was because of his living the way that Jesus taught and his Church (Acts 4:37) and lived telling and living the Gospel as a sincere follower of the that the other disciples trusted Lord. He was known as the his judgment. Barnabas could “son of encouragement.” The recognize the Lord’s presence Lord working through him, in Saul. dispelled the apprehension Perhaps the story of Barnof the disciples in Jerusalem, abas is much like our story and Saul, now known as or the story of one of our Paul, was accepted into the brothers or sisters. As part of Church family, the very same the Church family, Barnabas Christian community he once experienced the revelation of persecuted.

Jesus Christ and witnessed How many people have

we seen whose lives were changed because Jesus revealed Himself to them?

How often we have marveled at how our Lord touches our hearts and lives and those we encounter along the way in our journey, even in the most challenging or tragic of circumstances. How often we are saddened and pray for those who dismiss the Lord’s presence as nothing more than a historical event that is not relative to our community.

It is a crazy world today.

Sometimes we may wonder whose vineyard we are really working in. There are so many challenges, temptations, injustices, and tragedies which surround us in our daily lives. But, like Barnabas and the first disciples, we take courage

and we hope in the Lord. We know He will give us precisely what we need, when we need it. Our Lord gives us His grace which, through the Holy Spirit, gives us the wisdom to see His presence working to confront all of those challenges and tragedies in our lives and the lives of others. We pray for peace within our Church, our community and the world, which is possible when we become ambassadors of Christ and encourage others to do the same. In experiencing His grace we become “sons and daughters of encouragement” just like Barnabas. We begin to recognize that we are living in Christ, working in the Father’s Vineyard (sorry Martha) and how blessed we are!

Deacon LaPiana serves at Good Shepherd Parish on Martha’s Vineyard.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. May 5, Acts 13:44-52; Ps 98:1-4; Jn 14:7-14. Sun. May 6, Fifth Sunday of Easter, Acts 9:26-31; Ps 22:26-27,28,30,31-32; 1 Jn 3:18-24; Jn 15:1-8. Mon. May 7, Acts 14:5-18; Ps 115:1-5,15-16; Jn 14:21-26. Tues. May 8, Acts 14:19-28; Ps 145:10-13ab,21; Jn 14:27-31a. Wed. May 9, Acts 15:1-6; Ps 122:1-5; Jn 15:1-8. Thurs. May 10, Acts 15:7-21; Ps 96:1-3,10; Jn 15:9-11. Fri. May 11, Acts 15:22-31; Ps 57:8-12; Jn 15:12-17.

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he prospect of “redecorating,” or any other form of “home improvement,” generally gets me thinking, quickly, about a lengthy research trip abroad.

Yet I can, and recently did, spend several pleasant hours contemplating ceramics, furniture, and — would you believe it? — wallpaper. But not at Home Depot, I quickly add; rather, in a book — “Pugin: A Gothic Passion,” published in 1994 by Yale University Press in association with London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.

I dug out “Pugin” —stuck among the oversized art books SECTION on the BLESSED MOTHER

www.pamphletstoinspire.com

Pugin at 200

in my home library for the better may have been his masterwork part of two decades — when of church design, the Cathedral I learned that 2012 is the biof St. George in Southwark, there centenary of Augustine Welby are still Pugin churches to be adNorthmore Pugin, pioneer of the mired throughout Great Britain, Gothic Revival style and one of the aesthetic geniuses of the 19th century. Best known for his work on the Palace of Westminster (home of the Houses of

By George Weigel Parliament), Pugin was also an ecclesiastical architect of note, with almost 50 churches to his credit. And although the Luft- Ireland and Australia. waffe and the Blitz wrecked what As I suggested at the top, however, Pugin’s genius was not limited to architecture and other grand schemes of design.

He also worked magic on a much smaller scale: customdesigned wallpaper; magnificent pieces of furniture (dining-room cabinets, armoires, tables, desks and tables); beautifully intricate ceramic tiles, plates, and dinner and tea services — all of them a delight to the eyes.

Born on March 1, 1812, Pugin was received into the Catholic Church in 1835, and his passion for the Gothic (by which he meant, not hair-raising horror novels but the civilization of the Middle Ages and its distinctive aesthetic) was obviously enmeshed with his religious convictions. For the Gothic, as Pugin understood it,

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The Catholic Difference

communicated even more than that sense of transcendence that is palpable in a great medieval cathedral like Chartres. The Gothic bespoke a sensibility about this world, the human place in it, and the moral life appropriate to men and women made in the image and likeness of God. Buildings tell us something about the people who live, work and worship in them, Pugin, believed: they tell us what those people think of themselves, their destiny and their responsibilities.

Thus in an 1836 polemic, Pugin, arguing on behalf of the Gothic Revival to which he and Sir Charles Barry gave noblest expression in the Palace of Westminster, contrasted a medieval monastery with a 19th-century poorhouse. The monastery, Pugin noted, was a place where the monks grew their own food, made their own clothes, shared what they grew and made with others, and offered the poor a decent place to be buried. Compare this, Pugin wrote, to “a panopticon workhouse where the poor were beaten, half-starved, and sent off after death for dissection. Each structure was the built expression of a particular view of humanity: Christianity versus Utilitarianism.”

Considering which, we may

well hope that the Department of Health and Human Services never gets into the architecture business.

Pugin’s magnificent ecclesiastical architecture and church decoration, like the extraordinary interiors he designed for the Palace of Westminster, were, to adapt Blessed John Paul II, material exercises in philosophical anthropology — expressions of an idea of the human person.

Pugin’s churches were built for people whose Baptism had given them a unique dignity: through the eternal priesthood of Christ, exercised through the ordained ministry of the Church, the baptized were empowered to offer true worship to the Father. The same was true of the Houses of Parliament. They were designed

by Barry and Pugin to reflect the dignity of self-governance among free citizens, whose participation in public affairs was another expression of their innate human dignity.

Churches that look like Pizza Huts are expressions of a dumbed-down theology and (if you’ll pardon the word twice in one column) anthropology. On Pugin’s bicentenary, the Church might well reflect on how it can do better than that.

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

May 4, 2012

He who laughs last

Monday 30 April 2012 — at form and inserting particular home on the Taunton River — details provided by the family.

National Honesty Day here’s a classic values-clarification exercise I’ve used for years. You Reflections of a invite each member of Parish Priest a group to write his or her own obituary. What

By Father Tim and who is important Goldrick to you? How do you think others see you?

How do you want to be remembered?

Today’s obituaries can be amusWhen it comes to actual ing, inspiring, or even uncomobituaries, dear readers, I’ve plimentary. Reading the obits noticed a trend. The obituary can be a hoot. has become a creative form of Blame the development of personal expression. Honesty the obituary on the invention of is the rule — or sometimes not. the printing press. In the 16th Occasionally, there is more century, death notices began apinformation provided than you pearing in printed sheets called want to know. Some obituaries broadsides. The notices were are written in advance by the succinct. They listed only name, dearly departed themselves; oth- birth and death dates, cause ers are composed by surviving of death, and relatives (living family members. Alternately, and deceased). During the late the obituary might be penned 19th century, specifically in The by a newspaper editor or funeral Times of London, death notices director using a standardized morphed into what we now

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The Ship’s Log

know as obituaries. The death notices published in that newspaper were lengthy, containing not only the basic information but also elaborate biographies, pious prayers, sanguine poems, pithy sayings, etc. The precedent had been set for the creative writing found in newspaper obituaries today. Here are some examples. I am not making these up.

There’s an astute observation about a man who died accidentally while engaged in his line of work: “He was a good husband and a wonderful father, but a bad electrician.”

This one states the obvious.

“Robert was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on May 2, 1934, lived and subsequently died. Most of his noteworthy accomplishments happened in said middle part.”

Obituaries are not above political commentary. “Bill never voted for Republicans and had little to do with them,” or

Growing with Mary

others ask for our prayers? How lthough I’ve been a could I say I would remember Catholic for almost 30 people’s intentions if I trusted years now, I confess I’m just her to take all things in hand not good with devotions. Other according to the Divine Plan than daily Mass, which has — I worried about quietism, or always been a staple, things just passivism. fall through the cracks. NoveThe wrestling is done, and I nas are especially hard, as some must say that my faith has masort of attention deficit kicks in tured by having to sort through mid-stream and my nine days these questions. Of course God go up in smoke. (I was relieved to hear about a nine-hour novena for emergencies, but even that proved too much!)

Last June, though, I quietly (and unexpectedly) resolved on my

By Genevieve Kineke birthday to stick with the daily Rosary, and to my astonishment the has a plan; of course Mary is year is almost complete — and the Queen of Heaven in whom has been a success. Not only we can place our perfect trust; did that become a part of my of course anything of value that routine, but I decided to make we request is closer to her heart St. Louis Marie deMontfort’s than it is to our own — both Act of Consecration to Mary because she understands each this spring, and cobbled my situation better and because she way (almost intact) through loves us passionately.

30 days of preparation to the So over the year the Rosaries Annunciation, wherein I signed have gently morphed from daily my pledge to be “all hers.” And duty to personal encounters. I so I am. do ask for less, because I realize What perplexed me, though, that I don’t need to spell out for about the preparation was St. Mary — or God — what needs Louis’ admonition about how to to happen. If this child has a pray to her, and I had to wrestle test, or a friend is taking a long with his insistence that we subtrip, they know. They are also mit to God’s will and Mary’s aware of health concerns, world intercession in all things. Did conflicts and upcoming decithat mean that we couldn’t ask sions. Instead of “catching up,” for things? Did that mean that like having a conversation with we shouldn’t nag her for certain a friend who wants to know outcomes — especially when

The Feminine Genius

what’s going on since we last chatted, I assume Mary knows the details and we spend the time just aligning hearts over these matters.

When I say aligning hearts, of course, hers takes precedence. Hers is the one beneath which Our Lord nestled for nine months and which bore particular sorrows beyond all telling. Thus, my heart needs to become aligned with hers, which in turn holds me and all my cares securely. In this I trust.

There are many things that can be pondered as one prays through the decades.

There are abundant books and meditations, which are tremendously helpful. For now, though, I am just spending time with a dear companion — one who has trusted in the promises of God, and has been entrusted with all grace in return. I don’t ask for anything except her help so that I may be faithful to our encounters. Beyond that, we just consider various things together — the ones we love, the obstacles to love, the love of God that has yet to be returned. In the end, she knows what we need and will see to it — my devotion to that steadfast principle remains firm.

Mrs. Kineke is the author of “The Authentic Catholic Woman” (Servant Books) and blogs at feminine-genius.com.

“In lieu of flowers, please send acerbic letters to Republicans.”

Then again, from the other side of the aisle, “At Jim’s request, please make a donation to anyone running against Barack Obama,” read the last line of a death announcement for a man from Texas. How about this one — “Florence requests that you vote Democratic in November.

Rumors that she voted in the Democratic primary shortly after her death are unconfirmed.”

A woman by the name of Marcella, in her obituary, generously offered the following advice on how to live long and prosper: “Floss daily, give nice presents (homemade candy is delicious), speak your mind, work hard and always carry a hanky.” It evidently worked for her. The obituary goes on to say Marcella died unexpectedly at the age of 102. Go figure.

And, for telling it like it is, the grand prize goes to a man named Fred. “Frederick, who had tired of reading obituaries noting other’s courageous battles with this or that disease, wanted it known that he lost his battle as a result of an automobile accident.”

Sometimes, prudence dictates that one write one’s own obituary ahead of time and not leave the task to some disgruntled family member. A woman named Dolores failed to do so and here is the result. “Dolores had no hobbies, made no contribution to society and rarely shared a kind word or deed in her life. Her presence will not be missed by many, few tears

will be shed and there will be no lamenting over her passing.”

This proves once again that sometimes it’s best to just do it yourself.

Sometimes, the meal following the funeral is highlighted. “A memorial service and barbecue will be held on Labor Day at Lou’s place.”

I found one obituary that let the proverbial cat out of the bag.

“Orabell’s potato salad was a hit at the Christmas open house for more than 40 years. Here is her secret recipe: Cook, cool and dice 5 lbs. potatoes. Mix with the following: 2 cups Miracle Whip, 1 cup milk, 3 tsp. mustard, 2 tsp. salt, 2 tbl. sugar, 2 boiled eggs (chopped), 1 small bottle chopped pimento, 2 tsp. celery seed. Best made the day before. Enjoy! ” And another that offers an incentive to show up at the man’s funeral: “As Lee always promised, his famous salsa recipe will finally be revealed (at his funeral).”

They say printed newspapers are fast being replaced by the Internet. So are obituaries.

Some obituaries these days have even gone viral, with millions of hits around the world. They will be out there in cyberspace long after this or that newspaper has folded. In fact, I found the obituaries quoted above not in the newspapers but online.

When it comes to writing obituaries, be careful what you say. You may live to regret it.

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

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The Anchor

May 4, 2012

Despite disability, active parishioner counts her blessings

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

FALL RIVER — With the towering belfry of Sacred Heart Church in Fall River less than a block from her front door, it’s no wonder that longtime parishioner Marilyn Lafond considers the church her second home.

A parishioner there since 1965, Lafond admits to doing “a little bit of everything” at Sacred Heart Parish, from helping with the weekly soup kitchen to sorting out clothes for the needy.

What’s more impressive is that Lafond remains active despite being legally blind.

“My distance vision is a lot less than what it should be; but it’s something I have to live with,” she said.

Lafond suffers from macular degeneration in both eyes, and she experienced a stroke in her left eye, wherein the blood vessels collapsed.

“I can still see out of that eye, but I can’t read or drive,” she said. “Right now it’s stable, so I can still get around. I do use a cane when I go out, though, especially when I walk; it helps me when I have to cross the street. But I don’t take my cane to the soup kitchen, because I can get around better inside.”

Despite this setback, Lafond faithfully volunteers at the parish’s weekly soup kitchen on Monday nights and is also responsible for sorting and collecting women’s clothes for the parish’s clothing drive.

“We give out winter clothing from October until the end of April,” Lafond said. “Then

I’ll start helping out either serv- and towels,” she said. “Whatev- year alone. ing or showing people where to er people donate, we put out.”

“We served 167 people at sit at the weekly soup kitchen.

There’s also a table with the soup kitchen last Monday Then in October night,” she said. “I we’ll be back doing don’t know how the clothes again.” many went through Noting that the the food pantry, but clothing drive is esalmost everyone sentially a two-perwho came in to eat son operation, with went home with a a man responsible bag of groceries, for the men’s clothtoo. That’s quite a ing and her taking crowd and everycare of the women’s thing is done within donations, Lafond 45 minutes. It’s a said she’s seen a pretty good system. noticeable increase You can’t go to a in people taking adrestaurant and get vantage of the free service that quick.” ministry over the It’s clear that past couple of years. even though she’s “We sometimes been officially rehave 30 or 40 peotired since 1993, ple who go through Lafond shows no the clothing drive indication of slowevery night,” she ing down. said. “And when Lafond worked we have children’s for 18 years as a clothes, we put them former guidance in a separate area so secretary at Diman they can browse for Regional Vocationthemselves — espeal Technical High cially the pre-teens, School in Fall Rivthey like to pick er, and she fondly their own clothing.” Anchor Person of the week — Marilyn remembers one of Lafond said Lafond. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza) the school’s celebthey’ve been rity graduates: chef blessed with plenty books that are given out during Emeril Lagasse. of donations of late, and they the clothing drive, and Lafond “Emeril graduated from Diare still getting more in even encouraged people to make do- man in 1977,” she said. “One of though they are about to sus- nations of any unwanted vol- my sons also graduated in 1977 pend the clothing drive until umes. and the other graduated in 1980 the fall. But the donations will She’s also very proud of — they’re both graduates of Diall be stored away until they re- the weekly soup kitchen and man.” sume again in October. food pantry at Sacred Heart Not content just to sit around “We’re especially looking that served more than 10,000 after retiring, Lafond briefly for boots and winter coats, but meals and distributed groceries worked as a babysitter for a few we also take sheets, pillowcases to more than 2,300 families last years, then took a part-time job with the Berkley Middle School Library until it closed. She started volunteering at the Sacred Heart soup kitchen shortly after it opened and has also been active as a Mass greeter with the parish.

She officially considers herself a homemaker now, but being just a stone’s throw from Sacred Heart Church, she’s always willing to do “whatever needs to be done” for the parish.

“I am involved with the Sacred Heart senior citizen’s group. We have a luncheon tomorrow and I’ll be going to that. We have speakers come in and they serve a light snack.

It’s not limited to members of the parish, it’s open to everyone and we meet once a month.”

While she wishes that more younger people would get involved with the parish, Lafond understands it’s difficult today because they are so busy with other commitments.

“Younger people are very busy, especially people with younger children,” she said.

“You find that they’re involved in soccer, baseball and everything else. And a lot of them don’t get home from work until late. It’s hard because most women are working these days; whether they have children or not, they have to. Expenses are getting higher and higher. It’s not because they don’t want to get involved, it’s because they can’t.”

Lafond admitted that many of the active parishioners at Sacred Heart are elderly people who are retired and have more free time to devote to the Church.

“But if there’s any activities at night, they are not able to go because they don’t have transportation,” she said. “I’m lucky that I live close by, so I can just walk to the church. The ones that do drive can help out.”

Since her faith remains an important aspect of her life, giving back to her parish and her Church only makes sense to Lafond. And even though she and her husband are disabled and can no longer drive, they still make it a point to go to Mass and attend parish events.

“We’re stuck in the house unless one of my sons gives us a ride,” she said.

Having just celebrated her 55th wedding anniversary last November, Lafond is proud to have passed down her faith to her two sons, daughter, four grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.

“I’m thankful for everything I have in life and I’m thankful I can still see, because if I couldn’t see I would be completely housebound,” she said.

“I’m grateful that I’m still able to get out and help at the parish.

Everyone should be thankful that they can walk around and talk and see. That’s the main thing.”

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

May 4, 2012

S

ometimes all you can do is shake your head in disgust. I’m constantly amazed at how downright mean human beings can be to other human beings.

I often ask, “What were they thinking?” when I should in fact be asking, “Why aren’t they thinking?”

One of those thoughtless moments occurred last week shortly after the Boston Bruins were eliminated by the Washington Capitals in the first round of professional ice hockey’s big dance.

In game seven, the Caps stunned the Bs in sudden death overtime. The goal scorer was Joel Ward. Less than an hour after the highlight of his NHL career, Ward was the victim of a vicious verbal assault on Twitter. Ward’s crime? He’s black. And that fact gave a small group of ignorant, callous, evil human beings the “right” to shower Ward with racist comments and threats.

The Bruins’ players and management quickly disassociated themselves from the perverted statements, and as a lifelong Bruins fan, I too, would like Ward to know that 90 percent of us find these individuals disgusting and of the devil.

Ward, an African-Canadian, was gracious in his reaction, knowing that the

The Anchor

What are they thinking?

comments weren’t shared by most Bs fans. But he also realizes that wherever he goes, that dark cloud hangs over his head — and others as well.

After growing up in the 60s, I saw what evil white people could inflict on blacks, and it disgusted me then. I still see

By Dave Jolivet it today, not just with AfricanAmericans, but with Asians, Hispanics, Jews, Muslims, gays, women, and anyone who is “different” from the “great white race.”

This isn’t a new problem. It goes back to the Bible — just look at how the Samaritans were thought of.

Racism and prejudices aren’t born within us. They’re taught, either with words or by examples. It’s an evil that is perpetuated by a narrow, selfish vision.

To this day, I cannot understand how an individual can think he or she is better than anyone else — for any reason. I cannot, for the life of me, get a grasp of that. What makes someone better than someone else?

You hear the arguments that a certain race or people have certain less-thanendearing traits. No. There is no race or people born with less-than-endearing traits. There are individuals within all races and peoples who have such traits, so the argument is moot.

It breaks my heart to see what happened to Joel Ward happening time and time again to all types of people. It makes me sad to know humans can do this to other humans. Yet, I do know, and take some

My View From the Stands

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

11 comfort in the fact that everyone will have to answer to God for what they have said and done. Unfortunately for some, it will be the only time they realize the hurt they’ve caused ... and it could be too late by then.

Joel Ward was debased, degraded, and humiliated because he was an ice hockey player who scored a goal and is black.

Sadly, that is child’s play compared to what other peoples experience at the hands of those who consider themselves better than others.

It’s been going on since the beginning of time. Does that mean it will go on forever more? Yes, as long as racism and prejudice is taught to new generations. If that can be taught, can’t also be respect? What are we thinking? Or, are we thinking?

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May 4, 2012

The Anchor Pope himself writes letter about ‘For many’ at Mass

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI told the German bishops that, as pope, he has celebrated Mass in different languages and “sometimes it is hard to find common ground” in the various translations.

“The underlying common text often remains visible only from afar,” he told the bishops, who were preparing to send their revised Mass translation to the printers.

In a letter dated April 14 and posted on the German bishops’ website April 24, Pope Benedict said that, over the years, it has become “increasingly clear” to him that not translating liturgical texts literally creates difficulties.

The pope’s letter was aimed specifically at the translation of the phrase “pro multis” in the Eucharistic Prayer where Jesus told the disciples to take the chalice of His Blood, which was poured out “pro multis.” The phrase used to be translated in English, German, Italian and other languages as “for all,” but in 2006 the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments sent bishops around the world a note saying Pope Benedict had ordered Catholics to use the more literal translation, “for many.”

While the bishops of Germany adopted “for many,” other German-speaking bishops’ conferences continued to debate whether to translate the phrase literally or in a way that reflects Catholic faith that Jesus died to redeem all. The pope’s letter did not name the other bishops’ conferences, although both Austria and Switzerland use German liturgical translations.

In his letter to the German bishops, the pope said “for many” is the correct translation from Hebrew and Latin, and using the equivalent in every language would ensure the unity of Catholics around the world in celebrating the core moment of Catholic

prayer.

When the Latin texts of the Mass were being translated into the different languages of the Catholic people beginning in the 1960s, he said, most translations used “all.” Because translators were eager to formulate the Latin texts into comprehensible versions of the different languages, they also slipped in some interpretation rather than simple translations, the pope wrote.

With the text in question, he said, translators had wanted to clarify that Jesus did not die only for a special group, but for all people.

The pope said he knew how the change could affect the Catholic faithful: “They will ask: ‘Did Christ not die for all of us? Has the Church changed its teaching?

Is this a reactionary attempt to destroy the (Second Vatican) council’s heritage?’”

The change “demands a profound catechesis for the Catholics to make them understand,” he said.

The phrase “for many” was chosen primarily because it matches the most common translation of the Gospel words of Jesus at the Last Supper, he said.

“Veneration for the word of Jesus is the reason for this formulation.”

While Jesus came to save all humanity — past, present and future — the community gathered for Mass is only “many,” he said.

“The many bear responsibility for all,” he wrote.

In a statement on the German bishops’ website, Archbishop Robert Zollitsch of Freiburg, president of the German bishops’ conference, said the pope’s letter “provides clarification and brings an end to the discussion,” while also serving as an encouragement to move forward in getting the new Missal into parishes and educating Catholics about the changes it will contain.

Missionary image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in New Bedford area in May

NEW BEDFORD — The missionary image of Our Lady of Guadalupe will be visiting parishes in the New Bedford area beginning at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at St. James Church on May 11 with a bilingual Mass celebrated by Father Richard Wilson at 6 p.m. Father Wilson will also give a talk.

The other visits include: — May 12, a 3:30 p.m. procession beginning and ending at St. Kilian’s Church in New Bedford, followed by Mass there at 4:30 p.m. The image will also be there at the May 13 Masses at 9 and 11 a.m.

— May 14 at St. Patrick’s

Church in Wareham at 7 p.m., including exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, a talk, prayer, and veneration of the image.

— May 15 at St. Lawrence Martyr Church, New Bedford, including exposition, prayer, veneration, and a talk by Father Herbert Nichols.

— May 16 at St. Francis Xavier Church in Acushnet.

Following evening prayer at 6:30 p.m., there will be a talk, prayer, and veneration.

— May 18 at Holy Name Church in Fall River at 6 p.m. with exposition, a talk, Benediction, and veneration.

AVAST YE MATEY — Pirate Captain, voiced by Hugh Grant, is seen in the animated movie “The Pirates! Band of Misfits.” For a brief review of this movie, see CNS Movie Capsules below. (CNS photo/Sony)

CNS Movie Capsules NEW YORK (CNS) — The following are capsule reviews of movies recently reviewed by Catholic News Service.

“The Five-Year Engagement” (Universal) Romantic comedy tracking a San Francisco sous chef (Jason Segel) and his English fiancee’s (Emily Blunt) struggle to get themselves down the aisle. An impoverished presentation of marriage is the principal, but not the only, problematic aspect of director and co-writer (with Segel) Nicholas Stoller’s film. His picture has its touching moments, and a genuinely uplifting conclusion that shows love trumping materialistic concerns.

But along the way to that acceptable wrap-up, viewers are subjected to coarse, wince-inducing sexual gags. Add to that the dialogue’s excess of foul language and what you’re left with is a thoroughly distasteful slice of stale cinematic wedding cake. Skewed values, including a benign view of cohabitation; a couple of nongraphic non- and premarital sexual encounters; rear nudity; a few profanities; constant rough language and sexual humor; and frequent crude and crass terms.

The Catholic News Service classification is O — morally offensive.

The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted.

Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“The Pirates! Band of Misfits” (Columbia) Despite many failed attempts to do so, the warmhearted and enthusiastic — but not overly successful — captain (voice of Hugh Grant) of a motley shipload of 19thcentury buccaneers still dreams of winning the accolade “Pirate of

the Year” in director Peter Lord’s rollicking 3-D animated comedy.

While fleeting elements of Gideon Defoe’s script — adapted from his book “The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists” — preclude recommendation for all, this historical fantasy, which features humorously revisionist versions of both Charles Darwin (voice of David Tennant) and Queen Victoria (voiced by Imelda Staunton), does teach viewers to place loyalty to friends above worldly ambition.

Freighted with that respectable moral, it should make smooth sailing for teens and their seniors. Very mild action violence, a brief scene involving obscured nudity, a couple of crass terms and a few vaguely sexual references. The Catholic News Service classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested.

“The Raven” (Relativity) A serial killer enacts grisly murders described in the works of Edgar Allan Poe, compelling the author (John Cusack) to join

forces with a police detective (Luke Evans) to save, among others, his beloved (Alice Eve). Reckoning with the macabre imagination of Baltimore’s most famous literary son — and purporting to explain the mystery surrounding his death in 1849 — is a promising starting point. Yet director James McTeigue doesn’t exhibit adequate storytelling finesse to render the mayhem and melancholia palatable. And injecting enough purple bombast to fill Chesapeake Bay fails to enliven his cadaverous picture, which certainly justifies the titular bird’s associations with death and scavenging. Frequent and explicit grisly imagery and violence, some profanity, one instance of rough language, much crude and crass talk, several instances of sexual innuendo. The Catholic News Service classification is L — limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

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

Celebrant is Father Thomas L. Rita, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish in Seekonk

May 4, 2012

B y B ecky A ubut A nchor S taff

STEUBENVILLE, OHIO — Authentic femininity challenges women to be who they should be rather than what society dictates them to be, says Emily Stimpson, author of “The Catholic Girl’s Survival Guide for the Single Years.”

Women are “very trapped and confused” by the contrast in expectations coming from the culture and the Church.

“They know that they don’t need to be a woman the way our culture says it, but they don’t know how they’re supposed to do the way the Church primarily talks about it, which is as wives and mothers.

In a chapter on authentic femininity, she “wanted women to see the Church’s teaching; even though people are talking a lot about marriage and motherhood, there’s a deeper spiritual dimension to those teachings.”

While writing the chapter, Stimpson analyzed the characteristics of individuals she felt were the most feminine women she had known, those who had been most fully spiritual as mothers. What did they look like? What made them stand out? By breaking those qualities down, Stimpson said it helped put a perspective on what it takes for a woman — regardless if she is single or married — to embrace her inner spiritual femininity.

“It’s easy to fall into the trappings that, if we really embrace the Church’s teachings on femininity, we’re going to come out like Stepford Catholic women, some cookie-cutter mold that we all have to fit into,” said Stimpson.

“The great thing about being

Authentic femininity as a single woman

Catholic is that we know that’s not how authentic femininity works. Ultimately, femininity is reading the writing that is on our feminine souls and becoming the woman that God has called us to be.

“No two souls are alike. No two women are going to live authentic femininity the exact same way.

We all have similar lessons to learn and we all have certain things we are called to witness, but how we witness those things is going to be as different as we are from each other. There’s actually great freedom in the Church’s teaching on women. It’s incredibly liberating.

We will be who we are called to be, and there’s so much joy in that.”

Though reluctant to write the book, Stimpson pondered the timing of its publication, especially since its subject matter has become so relevant regarding choices being made by the government.

“It’s been a unique moment,” she said. “With all the hullabaloo over the HHS mandate and various things that have been happening with the Obama Administration, there’s been a really great opportunity for women — particularly for Catholic women — to step forward and talk about femininity and the Church’s teachings on women.”

Stimpson has also been re-

‘The Muppets,’ ‘The Help,’ ‘The Way’ among Christopher Award winners

NEW YORK (CNS) — The feature films “The Muppets,” “The Help,” “The Way” and “War Horse” were among the winners of this year’s Christopher Awards. Another winner: Mother Dolores Hart, who once starred alongside Elvis Presley, then became a cloistered Benedictine nun. She has been tapped as the winner of the 2012 Christopher Life Achievement Award. Her latest movie appearance was the subject of the Oscarnominated documentary “God is the Bigger Elvis.”

This year’s awards, the Christophers’ 63rd, will be presented May 24 in New York. In addition to “The Muppets,” “The Help,” “The Way” and “War Horse,” cinema winners of Christopher Awards included “Of Gods and

13

The Anchor

Men,” which dramatized the true story of French monks in Algeria torn between their desire for safety and their commitment to serving the medical and social needs of the local populace during the nation’s civil war.

The other film winner was the documentary “Buck,” about reallife horse whisperer Buck Brannaman. The Emmy Award-winning “American Experience” documentary “Freedom Riders” was one of several TV and cable winners of Christophers. Another PBS entry, Father Robert Barron’s 10-part miniseries “Catholicism,” also was awarded a Christopher. Other TV and cable winners included a Hallmark Hall of Fame made-for-TV movie, “Have a Little Faith,” which aired on ABC.

ceiving requests for speaking engagements and at the time of this interview was preparing to travel to Washington D.C., an area that Stimpson said plays host to one of the

largest populations of single Catholic women in the U.S. “So far it’s been great. Most of the women I’ve talked to, so many women feel very, very alone in their singleness,” said Stimpson. “They’re not comfortable talking about it, not comfortable acknowledging it’s a struggle. They feel like there’s something in them, like they’ve failed in some way by not ‘landing’ a husband.”

Her presentations often involve sharing her own stories,

leading those in attendance to open up to their personal struggles. Emails from women often come in saying how good it feels to know they’re not alone in feeling this way, said Stimpson, and she will often respond and encourage those women to meet with other single women and become a supportive group.

“The culture so desperately needs single women — attractive, joyful, vibrant, intelligent witnesses to the fact that you cannot be having sex and be a perfectly happy person,” said Stimpson. “Your worth is not equated with how much you’re earning; that joy can come through suffering.”

Stimpson wants women to understand that “God is calling us to be a particular witness in this day and time, and our witness matters. We have to help the other single women make the connection.”

During her talks, Stimpson is frank about discussing some of the myths of sex in a relationship.

One is, “If you don’t have sex, then you’re going to be bitter and frigid,” she said.

Others are, “If you don’t get married, then you’re going to be a miserable sister. You just need to settle, find a man already and stop being so picky.

“Women are getting all these messages from culture, friends and family. It’s really hard not to listen. The older

you get, there’s that biological clock and you are alone, and it becomes very easy to justify moral compromises. You need to have other women around you saying there are more important things than finding a husband. Do not do unholy things to enter into a relationship; it’s illogical.”

Stimpson joked that her book isn’t bashing men — “I love men,” she adding, laughing. It’s the culture that often seems to dictate how single women should feel about themselves. It’s OK to engage the culture, said Stimpson, “but there’s a fine line between engaging the culture and being swayed by the culture.”

It took a lot of prayer and convincing to write the book; after all, the book would be hitting close to home, and engaging on speaking tours that would continue to rehash her struggles and pain wasn’t something Stimpson said she was ready to handle. Now with the book about to go into a second printing, there is a whole new appreciation for its subject matter.

“I think one of the things that became clear to me — perhaps not in the writing of the book but definitely over the past year — is how grateful I am that I didn’t get married in my early 20s,” said Stimpson. “As much as it would be great to have kids all over the house right now, I know God has really used the time that I’ve had alone with Him to make me a much better woman. I know that if I get married now, I’m going to have a better marriage and I’ll be a much better mother for this time. It’s made me really grateful.”

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The Anchor

May 4, 2012

Youngsters excited for First Communion

The Appeal: Raising needed funds one envelope at a time

dresses and the boys wearing suits and ties, they processed down the aisle with their hands clasped prayerfully together in front of them.

Although they tried to contain themselves, there was just a hint of nervous excitement that brought out an occasional giggle or caused them to fidget in line.

First communicant Mackenzie Shea beamed with pride about receiving Jesus for the first time. “I’m pretty proud of myself,” she said. “I remembered all the prayers we learned in class.”

Julia Foley said she was not only joyful about receiving First Communion, but also “looked forward to becoming a part of the Church.”

While most of the secondgraders admitted they were anticipating the inevitable party after the formal Mass celebration, some were a little nervous about the Liturgy itself — a detailed celebration that required more than an hour of rehearsal earlier in the week.

“I’m happy but a little scared,” said Hailey Felix.

“I’m scared because my dad says I have to go up in front of the whole church.”

“I’m a little nervous about receiving First Communion on Sunday,” Nathan Durand agreed. “All my family is going to be there, watching me.”

But his classmate, Richard King, was a little more cavalier about the whole thing.

“I feel excellent about receiving First Communion,” he said. “I’m looking forward to

and her mother, Rosann Patota, who has since retired. Want to know the most challenging part of processing the donations from the Appeal back then? The lack of technology, said Iacovelli.

“We had the typewriter and we had a calculator,” said Iacovelli. “Billing every month had to be typed up, so that was hundreds and hundreds of bills that had to be typed up.”

Back then the custom during the first Sunday was each parish would send out “collectors” to gather envelopes from donors.

Walking door-to-door, Donly said “some people were collectors for decades.” Iacovelli’s mother was also a collector, and she recalled coming in at night during that first Sunday to begin to take the phone calls from the parishes as they called in the totals collected for that day.

“I think what’s an amazing thing, back in the day they almost didn’t advertise Catholic Charities at all,” said Donly, “and yet you still had tens of thousands of people donating just because they had faith in their Church and in the diocese that whatever they donated, the money would be put to good use.”

That faith in the Church still rings true, said Donly, adding that last year, even with the terrible economy, “We had the highest total of parishioner donations in the history of the Appeal,” he said of the more than 31,000 people who donated.

The formation of the Appeal begins in January, when Donly sits down with videographer David Fortin and director of communications for the diocese, John Kearns Jr. The men will hash out ideas and angles for the videos, with Fortin contacting the different agencies looking for individuals to provide the stories.

“When you’re doing a video, one of the things you find out is the picture has to tell the story,” said Donly. “You might take 30 minutes of footage but you have to put it into a 10-minute video, so you might have to show something for 30 seconds to tell the message all by itself without someone talking over it.”

That is Fortin’s expertise, said Donly. The videographer has the challenging job of getting the message across while respecting the dignity of those individuals and families being profiled.

“It isn’t always easy,” said Donly, of the two videos done during the Appeal — one video is six minutes long and the other is 15 minutes long.

There is also the bishop’s audio message, localizing the sto-

continued from page one

getting a blessing and having a good life.”

Questioning the students about their faith after his homily, pastor Father Michael Racine referred back to the Gospel reading about Jesus as the Good Shepherd.

“If Jesus is the Shepherd, who are the sheep?” he asked.

“We are. Jesus watches over each of us every day.”

Noting that although this first time receiving the Eucharist is a special celebration for them, Father Racine said all future opportunities to receive the Sacrament should be just as special.

“The next time you come to Mass it’s not going to be the same elaborate celebration, where you come all dressed up in dresses and suits, but you’re still going to receive Jesus,” he said. “He’ll always be with you.”

As with many First Communion ceremonies throughout the diocese this spring, the first communicants actively participated in the Mass as lectors, taking turns to offer the Prayer of the Faithful, and as bearers of the gifts during the Offertory.

Then there was a special surprise gift to parents and family members as the 25 first communicants sang the Our Father while acting the words out in sign language alongside the pews just before receiving First Communion.

The broad smiles on their bright, little faces when the ceremony was over spoke volumes.

“I feel excited about receiving First Communion,” said Katie Willette. “It’s all part of growing up.”

Her classmate Ethan Bairos put it more succinctly.

“I’m happy I’ve received the Body of Christ and have become a member of God’s family,” he said.

continued from page one

ries to cater to certain areas of the diocese and offering the videos in three different languages.

This year’s crop of stories is particularly moving, like that of the unwed mother who decided to keep her baby but ended up living out of her car when times got difficult. The Catholic Social Services agency assisted the young mother and a couple adopted the woman’s baby.

“One woman was saying how she had to swallow her pride and ask for fuel assistance, but she also had to go to the food pantry,” said Donly, of a woman who used to donate but now was a recipient of the services. “Another guy worked for a company for 23 years and thought he was going to retire there; he’s 58. His company got bought out, got rid of middle management, and he was one of them. Now he’s living in a homeless shelter.”

Those are the stories “that hit home. I just want people to realize this is real stuff,” said Donly.

“It’s all about educating people.

Where is my money going? Who is being helped? And sometimes people are just in awe when they are sitting there and listening. That’s what we’re trying to show, the people being helped.”

Donly also puts together parish manuals that offer facts and figures, a phone-a-thon script and additional resources for pastors and committees. Parishes will either do the mailings themselves or outsource the work to a mailing company. The money raised by the Appeal goes to fund among other things the Catholic Social Services agencies, which range in services provided, including assisting those in need of food, housing or fuel, immigrant services, those with disabilities and Sister Rose’s House that handed out 34,000 meals last year.

In the last few years there has been a big push for foreclosure counseling, said Donly; and while people do lose their home, “there are those who pay their rent and their landlord gets foreclosed on,” he said, “and now we have families with no place to live.”

For “the girls,” as Donly calls the trio that work in the front office, the Appeal means phones calls, and lots of them. While there are few “collectors” walking the streets, parishes will call in a day or two after the launch of the Appeal to touch base and give their first totals collected, said Iacovelli. The parishes will continue periodically to call in their totals during the six weeks.

Mail is also overwhelming during that time, as parishes will send in checks collected as well

as contribution cards for pledges.

Doris Desrosiers’ job is to enter the information from those pledge cards manually into the computer. With some pledges done monthly, some quarterly and some semi-annually, Desrosiers’ work is cut out for her long after the Appeal is officially over.

“We have thousands of them and she does them by hand,” explained Iacovelli.

Patty Dooley works on traditional billing from those people who want it mailed to them, and Iacovelli will not only help both women where she can, she will also assist Donly with the St. Mary’s Education Fund, a program designed to offset the tuitions of Catholic school elementary children in need.

On average, 1,000 children apply every year and with more than $600,000 raised this past year, close to 700 children will be receiving letters informing them that they qualified to receive aid for the upcoming school year.

May is usually the month when decisions begin to be made about the dispersing of monies raised at an event held late last year; an annual event held at White’s of Westport that has played host to some “phenomenal speakers,” said Donly.

Without the St. Mary’s Education Fund, “there would be literally hundreds of kids who would not be able to go to school — a place where they’re most comfortable — if it wasn’t done,” said Donly.

As Donly sat at his desk, he held up the latest Sharing booklet, published by the office. On its cover is the little girl adopted by the couple from the young mother living out of her car. It’s those stories accompanied by pictures of people that make it real to those in doubt, said Donly.

“It isn’t just a picture in a brochure of someone who looks downtrodden. I think it makes people say to themselves, ‘If I find it tough, how tough must it be for the people around me?’” said Donly. “People will say they never realized what Catholic Charities is doing.

“If it wasn’t touching the person themselves, many times people didn’t realize it was a neighbor or friend who was being assisted. We assist over 100,000 people a year. On any given night, Catholic Social Services houses at least 450 people in emergency and transitional housing. If it isn’t touching you, you know someone.”

To view the videos or donate to the Appeal, visit the Catholic Charities at www.frdioccatholiccharities.org.

May 4, 2012

FENCING FAMILY — Bailey, Morgan (front from left), Scott, and Diane Partridge of Swansea took a few moments for a photo for The Anchor before hitting the road for a fencing competition in New York last weekend. (Photo by Dave Jolivet)

Busy Swansea fencing family keeps faith and family first continued from page one

Diane told The Anchor. “And we love watching the girls compete.”

It was a visit to an area Del’s Lemonade stand that opened the door to a whole new world for Bailey, who was nine at the time, and Morgan, who was seven.

“Next door to the Del’s was a fencing academy,” said Bailey.

“Mom brought us in to check it out, and Morgan and I became very interested in the sport.”

“Mom told us about how she used to fence when she was at school in Switzerland,” added Morgan, “and we tried it and it’s lots of fun.”

The girls have been competing ever since, and mom and dad have been there with them every step of the way.

“The girls are in a tournament in the U.S. about once a month, and either Diane or I accompany

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them when we both can’t make it together,” said Scott. “We wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“I enjoy the competition but it’s great to have my parents there with me,” Bailey told The Anchor. “They’re always there to support us and to encourage us. It’s nice to hear that. Some kids go to the tournaments alone.

I wouldn’t feel comfortable with that.”

Sister Morgan concurred.

“I like the support mom and dad give us,” she said. “They play a big role in my life, and I wouldn’t want to spend this time with anyone else.”

“These teen years are the formative years,” said Scott. “Diane and I don’t want to miss their development as young women.

That’s what being a parent is all about.”

The Partridges are members

This week in

of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Swansea. Scott is a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the newly-formed parish chapter of the Knights of Columbus. “Whenever the parish needs help with something, we’re there for them when we’re around,” said Scott.

Bailey is a member of the parish youth group. “I try to go as often as I can,” she related. “I like going. It’s nice to talk about the issues, and the quiet time in prayer is very nice.”

When the girls are on the road competing, they never forget the faith element of their lives. Bailey said her faith helps her keep focused on the competition, and not worried about winning or losing. “The main thing for me is to go out and do my best,” she said. “Sometimes I win, sometimes I don’t, but the important

Diocesan history

50 years ago — Bishop James J. Gerrard, pastor of St. Lawrence Church, New Bedford, closed a week-long mission given by Father John J. Murphy of St. Lawrence’s at the Bristol County House of Correction in New Bedford. Music was provided by the St. Anthony of Padua Choir from Fall River.

10 years ago — Hundreds of Catholic women from across the region gathered at Christ the King Parish Center in Mashpee for the 49th annual convention of the Fall River Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. Bishop Sean P. O’Malley, OFM Cap., was principal celebrant at a closing Mass.

25 years ago — Keynote speaker Sister Maureen Shaughnessy, S.C., executive secretary for evangelization/education and director of Religious Education for the Diocese of Paterson, N.J., addressed almost 100 catechists, coordinators and directors of Religious Education at a Diocesan Department of Education-sponsored workshop held at Holy Name Parish in New Bedford.

One year ago — The Holy Union Sisters celebrated 125 years of ministry in the United States with regional celebrations throughout the northeast, including a Liturgy at St. Michael’s Parish in Fall River, where the Sisters reunited with former students, friends and family members. The Holy Union Sisters have continuously served St. Michael’s School in its 80 years of existence.

thing is to do the best I can.”

Morgan shares her sister’s philosophy. “I think my faith encourages me to just be a good role model for the younger members of my team,” she added.

The girls are based out of the Rhode Island Fencing Academy and Club in East Providence, R.I. Diane told The Anchor that when the family is on the road, it’s Scott who makes sure he knows when and where the Sunday Masses are. “No matter where we go, Scott researches where we can go to church.”

“That’s when Masstimes.org comes in handy,” Scott added.

Travel is a large part of the family’s routine, yet the girls seem unfazed by being on the go so often. “It’s fun to see all the different places we go to,” Morgan said. “And it’s great to meet new people and make new friends, but sometimes it’s tough when they don’t speak the same language.”

“Traveling to different places is fun,” said Bailey. “I like the competitiveness of the bouts and the people I meet. I always take something back with me.”

And also despite their busy schedules, the girls maintain as normal a teen-age lifestyle as possible. “I have lots of friends at St. Philomena’s School [in Portsmouth, R.I., where Morgan attends and Diane teaches],” said Morgan. “My friends get pretty excited about my fencing bouts.”

Bailey attends Providence Country Day School in East Providence. “My teachers have been very understanding about my traveling,” she said. Scott added that for both girls, the schools have always made sure the girls are caught up or ahead with their lessons.

Morgan competes in foil fencing. That discipline uses a blade with a knob at the end

and is designed to bend when a fencer makes contact. Scoring is electronic via a circuit on the foil that is triggered when the fencer makes contact with an opponent. Scoring is judged by referees, based on the “right of way” rules.

Bailey competes in the epee division. The epee competition is similar to the foil in that the blades and circuitry are similar.

But in epee, there is no right of way; there is full-body contact; the competitors must make contact with a bit more force for the electronic score to register; and the score isn’t dictated by the referee, along with other rules.

Both sisters have been successful in competitions across the country in their age categories, often placing well within the top 20, or 10 or better.

They’ve competed in the Junior Olympics, the North American Championships, and the U.S. Nationals.

The recent trip to Moscow was to watch Morgan compete at the Cadet World Championships. Morgan was the youngest member of Team USA and finished a very impressive eighth in the world.

Bailey hopes to go to college and fence, although she’s not sure if she wants to fence on the varsity team or on the club team. “Fencing for club teams gives you more options for tournaments,” she explained. “You compete as an individual and can attend the tournaments you like. As a member of the varsity team, you can only compete in NCAA-sanctioned events.”

“I have a dream of making the U.S. Olympic team for the 2016 summer games,” Morgan told The Anchor.

Regardless of what future competition results bring, the Partridges of Swansea have already tasted the victory of faith, family, fun ... and fencing.

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Youth Page

their net worth — As part of a Lenten mission, students at SS. Peter and Paul School in Fall River took part in a school-wide day of retreat fulfilling their calling as Christ’s disciples.

In keeping with the Gospel of Luke where Jesus calls His disciples to become “fishers of men,” promises were written on fish and collected in a net.

budding artists — The first-grade students at Holy Name School in Fall River recently created a colorful background from colored tissue paper and then glued cut shadow images onto the paper. The frames keep the shadow images in perspective. It was part of the school’s Art Fair.

May 4, 2012

it’s all legal — Casey May as Elle and Megan Jepson as Paulette act out a scene from “Legally Blonde,” a recent production at Coyle and Cassidy High School in Taunton.

time standing still — Diane McKenna and Molly Smith’s fourth-grade classes at St. Mary-Sacred Heart School in Attleboro performed a tableaux of the 14 Stations of the Cross during Holy Week. Several of the students stood motionless depicting each of the stations while Father David Costa, the school’s director, and readers from the class talked about each station. The readers related each station to what they believe Jesus must have been feeling and what students may be feeling.

good sports — Student athletes from St. John the Evangelist School and Parish in Attleboro recently attended a sports Mass held in their honor. Deacon Del Malloy gave a special homily geared toward the importance of fairness and fun. The student athletes took part in all aspects of the Mass. This Mass kicked off the school’s annual basketball tournament championship week.

May 4, 2012

The Anchor

Worcester bishop stands firm in Victoria Kennedy controversy

Worcester (CNA) — In response to a petition from supporters of Victoria Kennedy, Bishop Robert J. McManus of Worcester reaffirmed his support for Anna Maria College’s withdrawal of its invitation for her to be commencement speaker.

“While I recognize that there are those who do not agree with Anna Maria’s decision to disinvite Mrs. Kennedy as its commencement speaker, I continue to stand behind the concerns which I shared with Dr. Jack Calareso, the college’s president, last March,” Bishop McManus said.

He said he supports the public statement of the college’s board of trustees, which said the invitation withdrawal is “in the best interest of all parties.”

The board withdrew the invitation last month after Bishop McManus asked the Paxton, Mass. college to withdraw the invitation in February.

He said he would not attend if Kennedy were commencement speaker, following the U.S. bishops’ stance against colleges honoring Catholics who publicly oppose Church teaching.

Kennedy, the widow of U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, has a public record of such statements. She

has defended a “pro-choice” position on abortion in The Washington Post and has praised a homosexual rights advocate for his support for “gay marriage.”

An online petition asking for Kennedy’s reinstatement as commencement speaker reportedly gathered about 20,000 signatures. The national group Catholic Democrats, which Kennedy serves as a board member, delivered the petition to the Diocese of Worcester chancery.

The petition drive was organized by Faithful America, an online interfaith activist initiative co-founded by former Virginia Democratic Congressman Tom Perriello. The initiative’s present partners include the National Council of Churches, which is a longstanding institution of mainline Protestantism, and Sojourners magazine.

On April 6 Bishop McManus told The Catholic Free Press that his concern was that giving the commencement speaker honors to Kennedy would “undercut the Catholic identity and mission of the school.”

He said Kennedy is “a very public person” who has “publicly associated with political and social organizations that promote activities and points of

view that are contrary to fundamental Church teaching.”

The bishop did not want the bestowal of the honorary degree on Kennedy to give the impression that someone can hold a position contrary to Catholic teaching and still be honored.

Diocese of Worcester spokesman Frank Delisle told CNA April 2 that the bishop’s action was not intended to target Kennedy but was intended to show consistency.

Bishop McManus’ predecessor, Bishop Daniel P. Reilly, had objected to Holy Cross College’s invitation to television host Chris Matthews to be the 2003 commencement speaker and to receive an honorary degree.

The college declined to disinvite Matthews, and Bishop Reilly did not attend commencement.

On March 30 the college said that it withdrew the invitation with “deep regret,” citing Kennedy’s accomplishments in her work on child safety and gun control.

However, the college voiced concerns about “being in conflict with the bishop” and said the event could “create negative publicity and a difficult situation” for both Kennedy and the college.

Kansas City (CNA) — A Missouri judge has ordered a group that works with victims of sexual abuse by clergy to turn over decades of records to an accused Catholic priest’s lawyers who want to determine whether the group has been coaching alleged victims and plaintiffs to say they repressed memories of abuse.

Attorneys representing priests in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph sought the records from the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, known as SNAP. Although the group strongly denied that it coaches victims, Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Ann Mesle said she will order the material to be turned over to the priest’s lawyers and the diocese’s lawyers.

“I believe they are entitled to have information on repressed memory,” she said recently.

The SNAP material also would be available for use in four other cases pending against Tierney, and possibly for lawyers defending other priests in the Kansas City area and in Clinton County, Mo., Mesle said, according to the

Associated Press.

Missouri law has a fiveyear statute of limitations on civil sexual abuse allegations unless the victim can prove that he or she had repressed memory of the abuse. If defense lawyers can prove that plaintiffs did not suppress memories of sexual abuse, judges would have to throw out a lawsuit against Father Michael Tierney and the Catholic diocese.

Father Tierney is accused of abusing a 13-year-old boy in the 1970s but has denied any wrongdoing.

The names of third parties who contacted SNAP with information about possible abuse may be removed from the documents, some of which are more than 20 years old.

Lawyers representing accused priests and the diocese have agreed to allow the removal.

Father Tierney’s lawyer Brian Madden rejected claims that the lawyers and the diocese are “trying to ‘out’ the alleged victims.”

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” he told the Associated Press.

Rebecca Randles, the al-

leged abuse victim’s attorney, said her client never had contact with SNAP and has legitimately repressed memories of abuse.

Judge Mesle noted that she expects her order to be appealed.

Last January, SNAP said that it would refuse to submit to a judge’s request for information about allegations against Father Tierney.

In a January 2 deposition, SNAP director David Clohessy answered questions concerning accusations that an attorney violated a court gag order by revealing information about an abuse lawsuit to the organization.

Judge Mesle previously said that Clohessy “almost certainly” has knowledge relevant to the Father Tierney case.

According to the Kansas City Star, she said on April 20 that she planned to order another deposition for Clohessy.

SNAP’s stated goals include abuse prevention and the healing of those wounded by abuse. Its critics, however, say focuses more on attacking the Catholic Church than assisting victims.

Judge orders SNAP to turn over abuse records

17 The Anchor is always pleased to run news and photos about our diocesan youth.

If schools or parish Religious Education programs, have newsworthy stories and photos they would like to share with our readers, send them to: schools@anchornews.org

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The Anchor

May 4, 2012

Wikipedia head joins Vatican meeting, talks about abortion terminology

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The co-founder of Wikipedia told a Vatican audience that his online encyclopedia could contribute to peace by promoting “a more thoughtful world,” even as the site was under fire for how it referred to those who oppose and support legalized abortion.

Jimmy Wales, who co-founded Wikipedia in 2001, was invited to address the annual assembly of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. The meeting at the Vatican April 27-May 1 focused on Blessed John XXIII’s 1963 encyclical “Pacem in Terris” and continuing challenges to promoting peace and justice in the world.

In an interview after his speech, Wales also spoke about Wikipedia’s arbitration process to determine the correct Wikipedia use of the terms “pro-choice,” “Pro-Life,” “abortion rights” and “anti-abortion” to describe individuals and movements.

Wikipedia, which allows almost all entries to be initiated, updated and edited by almost anyone, had received complaints about an inconsistent use of the terms, which some people felt unfairly tended to use the negative “anti-abortion” to describe the Pro-Life position while almost always using the positive “pro-choice” label to describe those who support legal abortion.

The online site conducted a

“community consultation” of users March 23-April 23, asking them to discuss the terms, their implications and list in order of preference the terms they thought were most appropriate.

Wikipedia administrators were scheduled to review the discussion and votes before issuing a final ruling May 1 that would be binding for three years.

Wales told Catholic News Service he had not had a chance to read the online discussion or the final decision. But in general, he said, Wikipedia recognizes that certain words or terms “are heavily loaded” and the goal always is to find “a single, simple, neutral term.”

One of the Wikipedia principles is that “you can refer to people as they refer to themselves,” Wales said. “Certainly the most common terms in the U.S. in this discourse are Pro-Life and pro-choice, but both sides have complaints” about the accuracy of the other’s description.

Wikipedia also wants to be careful about using terms that imply a judgment, for instance by using the term “pro-abortion,” he said. Those supporting legalized abortion “may be proabortion relative to a Catholic priest of course,” he said, but most people who support legalized abortion would not say they promote abortion.

In his presentation to the Pon-

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tifical Academy of Sciences, Wales explained how Wikipedia pursues its goal of promoting “a world in which every single person on the planet has free access to the sum of all human knowledge.”

While most pages of Wikipedia can be edited by anyone, the edits are reviewed by other Wikipedia users and can be referred to Wikipedia administrators — usually longtime contributors who volunteer their time and are elected by Wikipedia users — and to an arbitration committee.

Wales said he believes the online encyclopedia “has a significant role to play” in peacemaking because it encourages participation, has a broad reach, makes information accessible and is available in about 280 languages. The English, German, French and Dutch pages each have more than one million articles posted, he said.

Wikipedia is a “mediating and moderating influence on the dis-

course on the Internet,” he said, because each article is open to review, discussion and correction. Much of the information people access through the news media tends “to be inflammatory. That doesn’t contribute to peace at all,” he said. His goal is to have Wikipedia be “calmer, slower and more reflective than that.”

Honduran Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Tegucigalpa told the meeting that while people today are better educated and have greater access to information than in the past, they are becoming less human because education is focused so heavily on hard science, that it leaves aside questions about the meaning of human life and destiny.

“I would say the signs that I see are much more hopeful than that,” Wales told CNS. When he speaks at high schools and universities, the young people cheer — “they love Wikipedia” and

love reading it.

“I think there is a real passion among young people today to be better informed,” he said.

Wales said the Catholic Church must use the Internet and social media to engage in discussions with young people and it must do a better job of allowing them the space to comment and discuss.

Church sites, though, need to have filtering software and participants who can exercise “social control” on those who misbehave.

“If you invite 20 people over to your house for a party and somebody starts making obnoxious and racist and sexist comments, you may ask them to leave, but at the very least, you don’t invite them back,” he said.

An interactive website must do the same with unruly guests.

“The same spirit you would have at a Church supper, you ought to have online,” Wales said.

ATTLEBORO — On May 12, the Greater Attleboro District Council of the St. Vincent de Paul Society will be hosting the 2012 Family Walk, “Helping Our Neighbors.” The familyfriendly walk will take place at the Attleboro Springs Wildlife Sanctuary at La Salette Shrine.

One hundred percent of the walk proceeds will benefit those

less fortunate from the towns of Attleboro, North Attleboro, Seekonk, Rehoboth, Norton and Mansfield.

The walk starts at La Salette and travels through some of the various trails around the Shrine such as Attleboro Springs Wildlife Sanctuary. Everyone is invited to join; children are welcome.

Registration is at 9 a.m. with

a 10 a.m. kickoff. Guest dignitaries include Attleboro Mayor Kevin Dumas and State Representative Betty Poirier. The walk ends at noon. Walkers may walk at their own pace. The registration fee is $10 and participants may solicit pledges. All walkers raising $100 or more will receive a free event T-shirt.

“The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Attleboro District, is dedicated to serving the needy in our communities and created this Family Walk to raise awareness of the needs in our area and raise funds to assist people in need,” said walk chairman, Armand Frechette. “These individuals turn to us seeking assistance with their rent, utilities or such basic needs as food and medical care — often, we are their last resort. Our motto is ‘Helping Our Neighbors.’ The free services we provide are based upon need and not religious affiliation.”

What makes the organization different is that the 251 volunteers in the Greater Attleboro Area provide person-to-person assistance through home visits.

Additionally, they provide assistance to the elderly, sick and disabled.

Because of the society’s supporters, it has been able to assist more than 32,000 individuals and families this past year.

For more information about the district and the walk, visit its website at www.svdpattleboro. org.

Attleboro area St. Vincent de Paul to host first annual family walk

May 4, 2012

Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese

Acushnet — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Parish on Monday and Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Evening prayer and Benediction is held Monday through Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

ATTLEBORO — The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette holds eucharistic adoration in the Shrine Church every Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. through November 17.

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

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

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

East Sandwich — The Corpus Christi Parish Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 324 Quaker Meeting House Road, East Sandwich. Use the Chapel entrance on the side of the church.

EAST TAUNTON — Eucharistic adoration takes place in the chapel at Holy Family Parish Center, 438 Middleboro Avenue, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. On First Fridays, eucharistic adoration takes place at Holy Family Church, 370 Middleboro Avenue, from 8:30 a.m. until 7:45 p.m.

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

Fall River — SS. Peter and Paul Parish will have eucharistic adoration on March 30 in the parish chapel, 240 Dover Street, from 8:30 a.m. until noon.

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

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

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

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

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

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

HYANNIS — A Holy Hour with eucharistic adoration will take place each First Friday at St. Francis Xavier Church, 347 South Street, beginning immediately after the 12:10 p.m.

Mass and ending with adoration at 4 p.m.

MASHPEE — Christ the King Parish, Route 151 and Job’s Fishing Road has 8:30 a.m.

Mass every First Friday with special intentions for Respect Life, followed by 24 hours of eucharistic adoration in the Chapel, concluding with Benediction Saturday morning followed immediately by an 8:30 Mass.

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

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

NEW BEDFORD — St. Lawrence Martyr Parish, 565 County Street, holds eucharistic adoration in the side chapel every Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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

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

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

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

Taunton — Eucharistic adoration takes place every Tuesday at St. Anthony Church, 126 School Street, following the 8 a.m. Mass with prayers including the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for vocations, concluding at 6 p.m. with Chaplet of St. Anthony and Benediction.

Recitation of the Rosary for peace is prayed Monday through Saturday at 7:30 a.m. prior to the 8 a.m. Mass.

WAREHAM — Every First Friday, eucharistic adoration takes place from 8:30 a.m. through Benediction at 5:30 p.m. Morning prayer is prayed at 9; the Angelus at noon; the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3 p.m.; and Evening Prayer at 5 p.m.

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

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

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The Anchor

Cross in desert park to be restored after land swap arranged

LOS ANGELES (CNS) — A cross will be restored to a war memorial in a remote part of a national park in the California desert, according to a settlement agreement approved April 16 and announced April 24. District Court Judge Robert J. Timlin signed off on an agreement between the Department of Justice and the American Civil Liberties Union to swap the oneacre parcel at Sunrise Rock in the Mojave National Preserve for land of equal value elsewhere in the preserve that was donated for the trade.

The memorial site will be owned by the Veterans Home of California-Barstow, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 385E. The agreement is the latest step in a long-running saga over the memorial, which was installed in 1934 by the Veterans of Foreign Wars on a rocky hillside in an isolated section of the 1.6-million-acre preserve in San Bernardino County. Private groups and individuals had maintained and replaced a cross on the site over the years. The property is far from areas that are frequently traveled, but it has been used on occasion for Easter religious services.

A former National Park Service employee sued the government, objecting to the Christian symbol represented on federal land. In 2009, the Supreme Court ruled it would be constitutional for the monument with a cross to stay on federal land, but sent the case back to lower courts to reconsider the proposed swap that would end government ownership of the property.

A statement posted on the preserve’s website said that after the exchange of ownership is completed — sometime before the end of the year — the National Park Service would install a fence around

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks May 5 Rev. Leo M. Curry, Retired Pastor, St. Dominic, Swansea, 1973 Rev. Albert Rowley, SS.CC., In Residence, St. Francis Xavier, Acushnet, 1985 Rev. Raymond A. Robida, Catholic Memorial Home, Fall River, 2003 May 6 Rev. Thomas P. Elliott, Founder, St. Mary, Mansfield, 1905 Rev. Asdrubal Castelo Branco, Retired Pastor, Immaculate Conception, New Bedford, 1980 Rev. Ernest E. Blais, Pastor, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Fall River, 1994 May 7 Rev. Raymond P. Levell, S.J., Professor, Spring Hill College, Mobile, Ala., 1958 May 9 Rev. J.E. Theodule Giguere, Pastor, St. Anne, New Bedford, 1940 Rev. John P. Clarke, Pastor, St. Mary, Hebronville, 1941

the parcel with signs explaining it is private property. The agency would leave two entrance areas unfenced for access, the statement said. And

the park service will install a plaque on Sunrise Rock “describing this memorial commemorating American war veterans.”

Around the Diocese 5/4

The Fall River Area Men’s First Friday Club will meet today at the Parish of the Good Shepherd, 1598 South Main Street, Fall River. Following the 6 p.m. Mass celebrated by Father Freddie Babiczuk, there will be a hot-meal in the church hall. The guest speaker will be Attorney Raymond Picard.

Any gentleman wishing to attend may do so. For information phone 508-672-8174.

5/5

A Day with Mary will take place tomorrow from 7:50 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at Holy Family Parish, East Taunton, including a video presentation, procession, crowning of the Blessed Mother, Mass, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and an opportunity for Reconciliation. Bookstore available during breaks. For more information call 508-996-8274.

5/5

The St. Vincent de Paul Society’s thrift store, Count Your Blessings, is having a Spring Craft Fair at 145 Main Street in Buzzards Bay tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Looking for a Mother’s Day gift? Gifts include handcrafted jewelry, cosmetics, handbags, blankets, baked goods, plants, concessions and lots of raffle items. The event is free to the public with plenty of parking.

All proceeds benefit the St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Margaret and St. Mary parishes.

5/6

The annual Blessing of the Bikes to benefit St. Joseph School will take place Sunday at 10 a.m. from the parking lot of Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven. Rain date will be May 20. The run lasts about two hours and will end at the Ice Chest Bar and Grille on Route 6 in Fairhaven. For more information or to sign up, call Liz at 508-996-1983.

5/6 5/7

The Knights of Columbus of St. Mary’s Parish in Mansfield will be hosting a pancake breakfast on Sunday to benefit and support diocesan seminarian Jack Schrader. For more information call 617-619-6240.

Experience La Salette missionary Father Andre “Pat” Patenaude’s unique ministry of music and healing. Father Pat will celebrate a Healing Service on May 7 at 7 p.m. at St. Lucy’s Church, 909 West Main Road (Route 114) in Middletown, R.I. Those who wish it will be anointed after Mass. For more information, call St. Lucy’s rectory at 401-847-6153.

5/10

The Divorced and Separated Support group of the Fall River Diocese will meet on May 10 at 7 p.m. in the parish center of St. Julie Billiart Parish, 494 Slocum Road in North Dartmouth. The evening will continue the Divorce Care Series with a screening of the video “Facing Your Loneliness.” There will be a group discussion after the presentation. For more information call 508-678-2828, 508-993-0589 or 508-673-2997.

5/12

ECHO of Cape Cod is hosting its first annual dinner and auction to benefit the ECHO program on May 12 beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Christ the King Parish Hall, 3 Job’s Fishing Road in Mashpee. To purchase tickets or make a donation, send cash or check payable to Echo of Cape Cod to: ECHO Fund-raiser: 9 Laura Lane, Bourne, Mass., 02532. Tickets are $10.

5/14

A Living Rosary, hosted by the Immaculate Conception Women’s Guild, will be celebrated at Immaculate Conception Church, Thomas Street in Fall River on May 14 at 7 p.m. All are invited to participate. Refreshments will be served in the hall following the Rosary.

5/16

Please help plan the Cape Cod Stand Out for Religious Liberty effort by attending a meeting on May 16 at 7 p.m. at Corpus Christi Parish Center, Quaker Meeting House Road in East Sandwich. Refreshments will be served. The effort to protest recent attacks on our religious freedom is scheduled for June 2 in Hyannis from 1 to 3 p.m.

5/22

Father Roger J. Landry, executive editor of the The Anchor, will discuss “Religious Freedom: An issue of grave concern in the United States and within our own Catholic Church” on May 22 at 7 p.m. in the Corpus Christi Parish Center, Quaker Meeting House Road in East Sandwich.

A question-and-answer session will follow. The program will be videotaped by the Cape Cod Family Life Alliance for airing on its cable TV time spots. For more information, call 508-385-7867 or e-mail bgailbowers@comcast.net.

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

May 4, 2012

Archbishop Gomez: Year of Faith is pope’s best anniversary present

Vatican City (CNA/ EWTN News) — Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles says the forthcoming Year of Faith is the best present Pope Benedict could give the Church as he marked his seventh anniversary as pontiff.

“Today we give thanks to God for the election of the Holy Father and are praying for him as we begin the bright future of his pontificate, especially the Year of Faith which he has called for starting this October,”Archbishop Gomez

told CNA April 19.

“It will be a great opportunity for us Catholics to reflect upon our faith, to try to understand better our faith, because in the end the most important issue we have in our times in the Church is education in the faith.”

The Los Angeles archbishop was in Rome on his “ad limina” visit along with his fellow Californian bishops and the hierarchies of Hawaii, Utah and Nevada. Archbishop Gomez said it a “great blessing to physically participate in the celebrations this week” beginning with the pope’s 85th birthday on April 16.

To mark the election of Pope Benedict XVI on April 19, 2005, the Vatican took the day off. The pope resumed his public duties the following day with a meeting with Archbishop Gomez and a delegation of his fellow bishops.

“We want to share with him the reality of the Church in Los Angeles and California how active the people of the archdiocese are in practicing their faith,” said Archbishop Gomez.

He particularly wants to discuss the promotion of vocations the priesthood. The Province of Los Angeles currently has about 200 seminarians which, said Archbishop Gomes, is “a great blessing for our province, the Church in California and the Universal Church.”

The bishops were eager to hear if the pope had “some specific advice or recommendations” for the bishops before they returned to California.

Upon his return, Archbishop Gomez says he intends work on plans for the Year of Faith, which is slated to begin in October of this year.

Already scheduled is the diocesan Guadalupe Festival in August which celebrates devotion to Our Lady and September’s 10th anniversary of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Fundamental for the archbishop, though, is “education in the faith.”

“I think as Catholics we all need to know our faith better,” he concluded. “The more that we know God, the more that we know the life and teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, the more that we know about the action of the Holy Spirit, the more we that can love God. And at the end of the day our Christian faith is about loving God.”