VOL. 30, NO. 19
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Friday, May 9, 1986
F ALL RIVER, MASS.
Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly
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58 Per Year
.CCA at $766,999.52
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First returns from parishes and Special Gift solicitors show a total of $766,999.52 already collected in the 1986 Catholic Charities Appeal. Special Gift solicitors are asked to make final returns by tomorrow. Parish volunteers will continue to call on parishioners not contacted last Sunday. The parish phase of the Appeal will close May 14 but Appeal books will remain open until I p.m. May 23 for final donations. Parish Honor Roll Parishes surpassing 1985 final Appeal totals will be enrolled on the 1986 parish honor roll. Last year III parishes were listed and Msgr. Anthony M. Gomes, diocesan Appeal director, said of this
year's campaign: "We are anticipating that every parish - 114 will be on this year's honor roll. We must have substantial increases in every parish to surpass last year's total of $1,669,666.23." The first two 1985 honor roll parishes are St. Joan of Arc, Orleans, with a total already collected of $22,040, and St. Elizabeth, Fall River, with a total of $5,601. Leading parishes, parish totals and special gift listings appear on page 2 of this issue of The Anchor. Next week's issue will include four pages of Special Gifts and parish donations and listings will continue in the order received by the printer until all have been published.
Sister Mary Noel Blute
Liaison is named Bishop Daniel A. Cronin has announced appointment of Sister Mary Noel Blute, RSM, as Episcopal Representative for Religious in the FaIl River diocese, effective July 2. She succeeds Father Lucien Jusseaume, representative for the past 20 years. Father Jusseaume, also chaplain at Our Lady's Haven, Fairhaven, will remain in that post. Sister Noel, a Fall River native, was from 1979 to 1985 provincial superior of the Mercy Province of Providence, responsible for works of the community in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. Previously she taught at Rhode Island elementary schools, at Bishop Feehan High School in Attle-
boro and at Salve Regina College, Newport. In her neW post, Sister Noel will work from an office in the Diocesan Family Life Center. She expects to visit superiors or other representatives of each community active in the diocese within the next six to eight months. In general, she .said, she sees her role as thaf of a liaison, helping match Religious with perceived diocesan needs. She said the information that emerged from listening and dialogue sessions held by Bishop Cronin in recent months with communities in the diocese will provide her with valuable guide~ lines. Turn to Page Six
Reactions to Chernobyl By NC News Service
In the wake ofthe Soviet nuclear accident at Chernobyl in the Ukraine and the subsequent spread of radiation throughout most of Europe, church leaders have stressed the interdependence of countries in the nuclear age. They have also joined human rights experts in criticizing lack of Soviet forthrightness concerning the accident and the continuing dearth of information on its victims. Services for Ukrainian victims of the disaster were held throughout the United States, while Pope John Paul II expressed concern for those living near the reactor. The accident prompted new debate on the dangers and benefits of nuclear power, with Catholic experts coming down on both sides of the issue. (See page 4.) What may be the worst nuclear reactor accident ever involved the
April 26 possible meltdown of the Chernobyl plant's nuclear core with release of large quantities of radiation into the atmosphere. No Western nation was informed of the accident until April 28, when Sweden detected increased radioactivity and questioned the Soviet government. Soviet spokesmen say two died and" 197 were injured in the accident but Western scientists suspect these figures are low. In addition, the Communist Party chief of Moscow said May 5 that 49,000 people were evacuated from the area. In a May I statement, Bishop James Malone, president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the Soviet nuclear reactor accident illustrates "the lesson of human solidarity in an increasingly interdependent world" and the need for a commitment to peace. Turn to Page Six