t eanc 0 FALL RIVER, MASS.
VOL. 43, NO. 19 • Friday, May 7, 1999
FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly • $14 Per Year
Bishop 0 'Malley attends Padre Pio beatification rites ~
/999 Catholic Charities Appeal begins ~
58th annual campaign extends into parishes
FALL RIVER - All of the Fall River Diocese's 111 parishes began their spirited phase of the 1999 Catholic Charities Appeal this week. According to Msgr. Thomas 1. Harrington, director of the Appeal, the outlook is encouraging if the spirit and enthusiasm of the pastors, parish chairmen and committee members are any indication. The attendance at the three recent kickoffs of the Appeal in the Attleboro-Taunton, Cape Cod and the Islands and the Fall RiverNew Bedford areas reportedly surpassed that of any year in recent memory. More than 500 parish workers, pastors, and business and community leaders from across the diocese met to demonstrate their support for the effort. 'The spirit was tremendous as was their commitment to make this Appeal the most successful in history," said Michael J. Donly, director of development for the diocese. 'There has been a very concerted effort on the part of the parish committees and pastors to continue where they left off last year, the most successful in the 57 years of the Appeal." Signs of this continued commitment were evident last Sunday night when area directors in the diocese began to call in the early returns from the parishes. The enthusiasm and cooperation that is showing itself, even at this early state, is certainly encouraging to the staff of the Appeal office, the directors asserted. The parish phase of the Appeal will continue until June 9. Area directors of the Appeal include: Father Bruce M. Neylon ofSeekonk, Father John A. Perry of East Freetown, Father Richard L. Chretien of Westport, Father Thomas L. Rita of Osterville, Msgr. John 1. Smith of South Yarmouth and Father Manuel P. Ferreira of Taunton.
Ascension Thursday Thursday, May 13, is the feast of the Ascension of the Lord. It is a holy day on which Catholics are obliged to attend Mass.
The bishop of Fall River tion in the life of the Church and the life of referred to his brother friar in this apostle of the confessional." Speaking of Padre Pio's popularity, the Capuchins as Ithe apostle Bishop O'Malley commented that, "I think of the confessional.'
rior life and he symbolizes all of that. His great devotion to the Passion of Our Lord, to Jesus crucified - something very countercultural - but which speaks to the people have a hunger for good and the inte- hunger our young people have for the spiritual life." By JAMES N. DUNBAR Born Francesco AND eNS REPORTS Forgione in 1887 to a poor family living near FALL RIVER Italy's Adriatic coast, PaBishop Sean P. dre Pio entered the local O'Malley, OFM Cap., Capuchin novitiate at was among nearly one the age of 15. million people who After his ordination crowded into Rome last to the priesthood in weekend for the beatifi1910, he immediately cation of Padre Pio da began informing his suPetrielcina, as Pope John periors that he was expePaul II advanced the riencing spiritual and sainthood cause of the physical signs, along Capuchin known to milwith a number of health lions worldwide for his . problems. holiness as a confessor In 1918, at the age of and his mystical experi30, the priest reported ence of the faith. bleeding from his hands, One of the most popufeet and side, the stiglar Church figures of the mata wounds of Christ's 20th century, Padre Pio crucifixion. According bore the marks of the stigto his biographers, Padre mata - the wounds of Pio was uneasy about Christ - for more than such phenomena, declarhalf a century until his ing, "I only want to be a death in 1968 at the age friar who prays." of81. On Dec. 18,1997, If anyone had reason he was proclaimed "vento seek an escape from erable." this life of pain and heartTwo plazas alone, St. ache, Padre Pio did. The Peter's and St. John stigmata brought him alLateran, the latter the most constant publicity pope's church, handled and attention, which he 150,000 and 250,000 redetested. Until his death, spectively. Other areas, doctors and scientists fitted with massive telescrutinized his mind and vision viewers, offered stigmata. Catholics and assemblies estimated in others, including atheexcess of 400,000 ists, tried to determine people a chance to watch the cause. Their concluthe magnificent ceremosions: Padre Pio's stignies and hear the music mata did not arise from by several choirs. The natural causes. Holy Father traveled by Like Christ's apostles, helicopter after the cerhe centered his whole emonies at St. Peter's to life on God. Even when the other areas. he used his supernatural "Padre Pio was a Cagifts, which included puchin, a member of our prophecy, healing and community, and a man bilocation, he gave God whose ministry was hearthe credit. "Nothing is ing confessions; he due to me. I am an instruspent hours, all day ment in divine hands ... sometimes, every day, in left to my own devices, I the confessional," can do nothing but sin, Bishop O'Malley said. and sin again." "This is a year of reparaPadre Pio's alleged tion in preparation for POPE JOHN PAUL II, above a large tapestry of Padre Pio, waves signs and special powers Jubilee Year 2000, the start of the new millen- to pilgrims in St. John Lateran Square following the beatification of soon helped attract masnium, and so it is cer- the Italian Capuchin friar May 2 in Rome. The pope was transported sive crowds to his southtainly a very apt year to to the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome following the beatification ern Italian monastery in celebrate this beatifica- at St. Peter's Square so that he could greet more pilgrims. (CNS San Giovanni Rotondo. Turn to page 13 tion, to remind us of the' photo from Reuters) PadrePio sacrament of reconcilia-