t eanc 0 VOL. 44, NO. 20 • Friday, May 19, 2000
FALL RIVER, MASS.
fALL R~VER DiOCESAN NIEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSEITS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly • $14 Per Year
Catholic Charities Ap'peal at $1.5M FALL RIVER - The 2000 Catholic Charities Ap, peal for the Fall Ri ver diocese reached $1.5 million a week after it had opened and "It's full steam ahead," says Msgr. Thomas J. Harrington, director of the campaign, "This is a great first step," Msgr. Harrington said, as The Anchor readied to go to press. "But we've lots of work ahead of us if we hope to meet the needs contained in the budgetary requests for our many apostolates and institutions." The annual spring campaign l.flSt year exceeded $3.17 million, an increase of 9.1 percent over the 1998 total. One way in which excitement is generated about the Appeal is the cultivation of a friendly rivalry between neighboring parishes. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the town of Dartmouth where two of the flourishing parishes in the diocese are located. St. Mary's in South Dartmouth, or Padanaram Village, is the older of the two. When St. Julie Billiart Parish was established some 30 years ago in North Dartmouth, the competition was kindled. The late Father John F. Hogan, founding pastor of POPE JOHN Paul II prays at the shrine of Fatima in St. Julie's, and his counterpart, the late Msgr. Arthur Portugal May 13. (CNS photo from Reuters)
G. Considine, who built the beautiful St. Mary's, always strove for the upper hand, recalls Msgr. Harrington. Father Hogan and Msgr. Considine were succeeded by another pair of smiling rivals, the late Msgr. Patrick 1. O'Neill at St. Julie's, and the late Father Walter A. Sullivan at St. Mary's. "During their pastorates the rivalry in Dartmouth continued, and if anything, grew more intense," said Msgr. Harrington. Currently, Father Brian J. Harrington in the North Dartmouth parish and Father Terence F. Keenan in Padanaram continue the spirit of competition. According to Msgr. Harrington, Father Keenan confides that returns for the Appeal simply reflect the great generosity of his flock. However reports abound that Father Harrington has been known to encourage his parishioners to make sure they surpass their fellow townsfolk from the South Dartmouth. community of faith. Michael 1. Donly, diocesan director of development and coordinator of much of the activity in the CathoTurn to page JJ - Appeal
Fatima's 'third Retirements offive diocesan secret' linked' priests approved - page three to assassination Fellow U.S. bishops praise attempt on pope Archbishop Egan appointment ~
Beatification of two of three child visionaries prompts release of long-held secret. By CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
FATIMA, Portugal - Pope John Paul II, ordering the publication of the so-called "third secret of Fatima," believes part of it was a direct reference to the 1981 attempt on his life, said the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Angelo Sodano. Cardinal Sodano, the highest-ranking official of the Roman Curia, said that the 80-year-old pope asked him to make "the solemn announcement" of the secret's contents at the end of the pope's May 13 Mass in Fatima, 19 years to the day after the assassination attempt. . The pope on May 13 beatified Fatima visionaries Francisco and Jacinta Marto. After seeing the Virgin Mary beginning in Turn to page J3 - Fatima
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Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, OFM Cap., offers congratulations and prayers. By CATHOUC NEWS SERVICE
WASHINGTON - By one measure, Bridgeport, Conn., is just 50 miles from New York City. By another measure, the Diocese of Bridgeport, with 88 parishes and 361,000 Catholics, is a world away from the Archdiocese of New York, which has 2.4 million very diverse Catholics in 413 pari~hes. But according to a number of his fellow U.S. bishops, Archbishop Edward M. Egan is just the man to bridge the differences. He was named ninth archbishop of New York May 11, after serving 12 years as bishop of Bridgeport. He succeeds the late Cardinal John J. O'Connor who died May 3 after an eight-month battle with brain cancer. Turn to page 12 - Egan .
ARCHBISHOP EDWARD M. Egan gives his first New York press conference after being named to lead the archdiocese's 2.4 million Catholics. (CNS photo by Todd. Plitt)