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VOL. 39, NO. 211
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FALL RIVER, MASS.
Friday, May 26, 1995
FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS
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Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly
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$11 Per Year
Pope will serve church "as I()ng as God wills" VATlCAN CITY (CNS) - On May 17, Pope John Paul II anticipated his 75th birthday with thanksgiving for his life and faith and with a pledgl: to lead the Catholic Church "a.s long as God wills." "First of all, I renew before Christ the offering of my willingness to serve the church for as long as he wants, abandoning myself completely to his holy will," the pope said the day before his May 18 birthday.· . "I leave to him the decision about how and when he will relieve me of this service," he said in an apparent reference 10 the fact that other bishops must submit their resignations on their 75th birthdays. . In that regard, the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, said the canon law rule requiring bishops to submit their resignations at age 75 clearly does not apply to the pope, although he could choose to resign.
Other bishops discuss their personal situation and that of their diocese with the pope before he makes a decision on whether to accept their resignations, the cardinal said in an interview with the Italian Catholic newspaper Avvenire. "But the Roman pontiff does not have a similar person to dialogue with. He certainly evaluates every circumstance, but in the end the weight of the decision must fall on him alone," the cardinal said. Cardinal Sodano said Pope John Paul is well aware of the challenges facing the church as it moves toward the year 2000 and is prepared to lead the church to the start of the new millennium. "The jubilee of 1900 was celebrated under the pontificate of Pope Leo XIII. He was 90 years old already," the cardinal said. "Yet with a strong and gentle paternal hand he brought the church . Turn to Page 13
TRUE LOVE WAITS: Joseph Warner and his parents Celeste and Jack Warner were among families of 18 teens in St. Anne's parish, Fall River, taking part in a May 14 "True Love Waits" pledge service inspired by the nationwide interdenominational chastity program. In the presence of their parents, the youths recited a commitment "to God, myself, my family, my friends, my future mate and my future children to be sexually abstinent from this day until the day I enter a biblical marriage relationship." Parents then gave their son or daughter a ring, to be given to his or her future spouse as a symbol of the "True Love Waits" pledge. (Studio D photo)
Appeal stands at $1,740,010
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POPE JOHN PAUL II
Reports from parishes and Special Gifts collectors have brought the total of the 1995 diocesan Catholic Charities Appeal to $1,740,010.12, it has been announced by Father Daniel L. Freitas, Appeal director. Expressing gratitude to all contributors, Father Freitas said he hoped that the total would increase as final reports are received from parishes and Special Gifts. Parish Honor Roll To date, the following parishes have surflassed their 1994 collections: Fall River Area, Notre Dame, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Jean Baptiste, Santo Christo, Fall River; S1. Louis de France, Swansea; Cape and Islands Area, Our Lady of Assumption, Osterville; S1. Pius X, South Yarmouth; Taunton Area, Holy Rosary. LEADING PARISHES Attleboro Area O.L. of Mt. Carmel, Seekonk $3'6,244.00 St. Mary, Sel!konk 29,828.00 Turn to Page 13
DIRECTING THE CATHOLIC Charities Appeal for Cape Cod and the Islands is Father Thomas L. Rita, pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption parish, Osterville; Bishop O'Malley is honorary chairman of the Appeal. (Gaudette photo)