VOL. 50, NO. 21 • Friday, May 26, 2006
I
FALL RIVER, MASS.
Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly • $14 Per Year
Permanent deacons: Servants of the Gospel and of charity By MiKE GORDON
continuing fonnation classes, annual retreats, and fees for a reNORTH DARTMOUTH gional convention. The permanent diaconate proA deacon is an ordained mingram began in the Fall River dio- ister who serves the Church. cese in 1977. Thanks to the gen- "His particular calling is to read erosity of those giving to the an- the Gospel and preach. He is an nual Catholic Charities Appeal, it ordinary minister ofthe Eucharist. has continued strong ever since. He baptizes, witnesses at wedThe ~ dings, conducts wakes and funerprogram flli:At"OLlC . als and n "/ :- .AI bur i is one of I: CHAn"'''] man y ~ ,. fJI., t!k,. .... a Is, " imporMsgr. tant ministries benefiting from the Oliveira said. Although he may annual drive. Msgr. John J. not say Mass, hear confessions or Oliveira, now in his fourth year anoint the sick, in most parishes a as the program's director, sat deacon is also assigned other dudown with The Anchor recently ties by his pastor. Deacon comes to talk about how much the ap- from the Greek word diakonos, peal helps the program. which means a helper or servant. ''The entire program is supCurrently there are 13 men in ported by the Appeal and we're the pennanentdiaconatepreparagrateful for the funding," said tion program. They were recently Msgr. Oliveira. "We couldn't do installed as acolytes at ceremonies it with out the generosity of so at St. Mary's Parish, New many people. They have enabled Bedford. The ministry of acolyte is the last liturgical stage of us to do so much." The approximately $80,000 preparation before diaconal orthat the program receives each dination. Acolyte means one who year helps with the education of serves at the altar and these men Turn to page 14 -Deacons permanent deacon candidates, ANCHOR STAFF
L'
C....-t}l<90 "n·"
CROWN AND SCEPTER are revered items in <tt,le Portuguese dominga celebrations held in homes and in parishes in these Easter weeks. The royal items recall Queen Isabel of Portugal, who would place her crown on peasants to show they were equal to her in the eyes of God. (Photo courtesy of Father Henry S. Arruda) 11
'Dominga' families open their homes in long-standing HoIY~:IGhost traditions By DEACON JAMES N.
DUNBAR
FALL RIVER - In the seven weeks of the Easter; season, one can visit homes of lucky parishioners in Portuguese parishes in the diocese who, with great pride, nightly host recitation of the rosary, prayers and songs to the Holy Spirit, and then serve traditional massa (sweet bread), wine and other refreshments. "It is a great honor to be chosen as one of the
II
'dominga' families - the word means 'Sunday' and be Part of the after-Easter Portuguese feast of the Holy Spiri~, a tradition of adoration to the third person of the ~lessed Trinity," said Father Henry S. Arruda, pastor of St. Anthony's Parish in Taunton. "We say those who host the dominga are lucky, because they are chosen by lottery - and there are many vying for the honor" - to open their homes Turn to page 18 - Dominga
By
MIKE GORDON ANCHOR STAFF
/ .--J
FATHER TIMOTHY P. Reis, parochial administrator of St. Paul Parish, Taunton, distributes first Communion to twin brothers Timothy, left, and Matthew Caissie at St. Paul's Church recently. With the boys is Jackie DaSilvia, coordinator of the parish's Religious Education program. (Photo by Dick Arikian)
SOMERSET - "A priest's life is a very full life," Father Edward J. Byington stated, summarizing his decades of priestly service. As he sat behind his desk in the office at St. Thomas More Parish, Father Byington spoke about his upcoming retirement and reflected on the road that has brought him to this point in his life. It's been a road filled with many rich experiences and ones that he has traversed at a steady pace. A Fall River native and graduate of Durfee High School, he went on to earn a bachelor's degree in history and government from Boston College. Turn to page 15 - Retirement
FATHER EDWARD"J. Byington, pastor of St. Thomas More Parish, Somerset, will, be retiring after more than 35 years serving the Diocese of Fall River. (AnchortGordon photo)
'
..
.