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FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS VOL. 41, NO. 19
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Friday, May 9, 1997
FALL RIVER, MASS.
Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly
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$14 Per Year
THE ENVELOPE PLEASE! Our Lady of Good Counsel Awards (left photo) were distributed May 3 at the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women convention held at Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro. Members are nominated by their local councils and one winner is chosen for each deanery per year. From left are Rosemary Ferreira, St. John of God, Somerset; Shirley Magnett, St. John Neumann, East Freetown; Emily Pelczarski, Holy Rosary, Taunton; Bishop Sean O'Malley, who presented the awards; and Alva Houde ofSt. John the Evangelist, Attleboro. Also awarded but not pictured was Dorothea Tocia of Our Lady of Victory, Centerville. Featured speakers at this year's convention (right photo) were, from left, Marian Desrosiers, assistant director of the Pro-Life Apostolate; Arlene McNamee, director of Catholic Social Services; Dr. Greer Gordon, keynote speaker from the religious studies department at Regis College, Weston.; Scottie Foley, program director of the Office of Family Ministry; and Lisa M. Gulino, director of Adult Education. (Anchor/ Mills photos)
Catholic women gather to share ideas, thoughts, concerns By Christine Vieira Mills Anchor staff May 3 was a day to celebrate some of the leaders of our diocese. It was also a day to celebrate some of the quiet doers that make things happen. And it was a day to support, empower and educate women, celebrate their ministries, and thank God for the chance to serve Him. o
M ore than 200 Catholic women from all over the diocese gathered "May 3 at Bishop Feehan High School, Attleboro, for the 44th annual convention of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. They gathered to pray, they gathered to learn, but mostly they gathered to share ideas, concerns, joys and sorrows with other dynamic and energetic women who, like themselves, "serve the Lord through parish ministry. The day included excellent speakers, liturgy, business meetings and elections, all revolving around this year's
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theme: "Mary, as we journey. toward the year 2000, teach us wisdom, teach us love." The National Council of Catholic Women holds Our Lady of Good Counsel as its patron saint. Katherine Lancisi, president
of the DCCW for the past two years, opened the convention with an impassioned address calling women to action. "Today we are surrounded by the culture of death, violence and exploitation," she said. "We must make our voi-
ces heard above it all in support of life, creation, love." "It is not enough that our pastors speak from the pulpit and our bishops from their national conference," she continued. "To be effective in the public arena, they need our educated,
Catholic Charities Appeal in full swing The 1997 Catholic Charities Appeal is now in full swing throughout the diocese. Msgr. Thomas J. Harrington, diocesan director of the Appeal, noted that the preliminary returns have been encouraging. "We're off to a good start," he said. "The initial reports (rom the parishes have been positive. However, we have a lofty goal and we'll certainly have to work very diligently." " Parishes throughout the diocese have promoted the Appeal by inviting representatives from some of the agencies, institutions and ministries funded by the Appeal to address parishioners. The diocese prepared a "Speakers Bureau," making available knowledgeable spokespersons to speak about specific activities. Addressing members of Holy Ghost parish, Attleboro, at all Masses recen~ly was Sister Euge-
nia Brady, SJ C, coordinator of the Rainbows program affiliated with the Diocesan Family Ministry Center. Rainbows offers loving support to children who are grieving the loss of a loved one through death, divorce or separation. "Sister made a wonderful presentation," said Father Stephen Salvador, pastor of Holy Ghost. In Fall River, Father Stephen Fernandes, pastor of SS. Peter & Paul parish invited Mrs. Joan' Cuttle, a staff member from the Diocesan AIDS Ministry Office and Sister Lucille Socciarelli, RS M, a member of the Pastoral Ministry Team at Charlton Memorial Hospital, Fall River, to speak at weekend Masses. Father Fernandes praised the dynamism of the presenters. For some new and recentlyappointed pastors, this was their
first experience guiding the Charities Appeal program. Father Richard Andrade, pastor of St. Jean Baptiste parish, Fall River, was very pleased with the enthusiastic, well-organized team of solieitors in that parish. "I found there are over 70 collectors prepared to conduct the canvass," he said. "We're certainly pleased to have that kind of cooperation." As the parish pha'se of the Appeal continues, an invitation is extended to prospective friends of Catholic Charities in business and industry, the professions and the clubs and organizations of Southeastern Massachusetts to contribute.
Donations may be directed to the Catholic Charities Appeal Office, 344 Highland Ave., P.O. Box 1470, Fall River 02722. Inquiries are welcome; tel. 6768943.
vocal support by vote, by voice, by media." "We are Christ's body," she added, "ever increasing as we encounter each other... caring by reaching out and responding to each other." Keynote Address Keynote speaker for the day was Dr. Greer Gordon, a theologian in the Department of Religious Studies at Regis College, a women's college in Weston. She' spoke of the relationship between mothers and daughters and the remarkable teaching opportunities open to the elder generations of women. "It is very important that we point out to the elders in our midst, our mothers, grandmothers, aunts what they have' given to all of us," said Dr. Gordon. "Those women who have lived in the traditional roles of mother, spouse and homemaker are in fact women ofaccomplishment and achievement." She pointed out that those women gave us the generaTurn to Page 13