VOL. 49, NO. 19
Friday, May 13, 2005
FALL RIVER, MASS.
.Bishop speaks out against embryonic cloning, research
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FALL RIVER - A legislative proposal endorsing embryonic cloning, research and destruction in Massachusetts took another step forward in recent weeks with both the State Senate and the House of Representatives voting to approve a slightly revised version ofthe bill. The Senate passed the measure by a vote of 34-2 on April 26; the House followed suit with a 119-38 vote ofapproval on May 4. The bill, if passed, would put Massachusetts formally on record as promoting embryonic
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destroys the embryo. In commenting on the research, Bishop George W. Coleman said it is important that people understand that an embryo, no matter how it is produced, is a distinct, individual Voting results for dioc- member ofthe human species, ')ust esan State Representa- as each ofus was at an earlier stage tives and State Senators ofour lives." The value ofa life, he said, is not appear on page 13. measured in how long it has existed, but in the very nature oflife itself. On the cloning measure before somatic cell nuclear transfer - for the purpose ofextracting from them. state legislators, the bishop said he stem cells, a process which in tum Turn to page J3 - Cloning stem-cell research. The research involves scientists creating human embryos through cloning - or, in technical terms,
ASSONET VILLAGE celebrates the installation of Pope Benedict XVI. The facade of St. Bernard Church is adorned with yellow bunting on the white church - papal colors. St. Bernard's is the oldest church building in the Diocese of Fall River. (Photo by Paul Levesque)
Early Appeal returns spark optimism FALL RIVER - One week into the Catholic Charities Appeal and the early returns are making many pastors and parish volunteers feel "quite optimistic" about what they should expect "when all is said and done" ~t the end ofthe· Appeal. In one parish, St. Jacques in Taunton, Father Thomas Morrissey, the pastor, heard so many positive comments after Mass the two weeks prior to the beginning of the Appeal that he felt something good was going to happen. "We brought in a speaker from the Office of Catholic Social Services to speak at the Masses. When she got done all I heard from people after Mass was how amazed they were at the scope ofservices that are provided by this one agency alone, never mind all ofthe other agencies and apostolates we fund through the Appeal. From that point forward I could only hope that this new
enthusiasm would manifest itself in increased donors and donations" stated Father Morrissey. Once the first day returns were . called in to the Catholic Charities Office on May I Father Morrissey had.a great deal to smile about. The totals from the parish were so much higher than ever before on the first day, the central office called the parish back to make certain they had the figures correct. "The week following our speaker I told the parishioners that if they 'pledged' a gift to the Appeal rather than a standard onetime contribution they would be able to increase their gift substantially. That for only 17 cents per day they could pledge $50 and pay only $5 per month, or for 33 cents per day they could pledge $100 and only pay $1 0 per month. I guess that had some effect because the number of pledges we received from people who had Turn to page JJ - Appeal
The feast ofPentecost, May 15 Pentecost celebrates the coming ofthe Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, as Jesus had promised. Pentecost means "fiftieth." It derives its name from the Feast of Weeks, a Jewish festival of the early harvest celebrated 50 days after Passover, on which the first fruits were offered in gratitude to God. St. Paul referred to fellow members ofthe Church community as those "who have the first fruits ofthe Spirit" (Romans 8:23). It its decree on the missionary activity of the Church, the Second Vatican Council wrote:
"The Holy Spirit gives to the whole Church at all times unity in Communion and ministry....The mission ofthe Church is therefore fulfilled by the activity by which the Church, in obedience to Christ's command and under the impulse of the grace and love of the Holy Spirit, becomes fully and actively present to all men and to all peoples, to lead them by the example ofits life, by its preaching, by the sacraments and other means of grace, to the faith, freedom and peace of Christ, so that there lies open before them a free and firm path to a full sharing in the mystery ofChrist."