05.27.11

Diocese of Fall River

The Anchor

F riday , May 27, 2011

Abortion bill would lower age of consent

By Christine M. Williams Anchor Correspondent

BOSTON — Massachusetts lawmakers have introduced a bill that would lower the age of consent for an abortion from 18 to 16.

Pro-Life advocates say the bill, currently before the Joint Committee on Public Health, would harm minor girls and limit parental rights.

NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts, a supporter of the bill, contends that mandated parental consent does more harm than good.

In addition to lowering the age for consent to abortion, HB 629, An Act Relative to Consent and Counseling, would also expand the number of adults who could give consent for a minor girl. Family members at least 25 years old, physicians and counselors would be added.

Currently, a minor who does not want or is unable to obtain parental consent can receive a judicial bypass. The judge can authorize an abortion if the judge determines that the pregnant woman is mature enough to give consent or if

the judge finds that the abortion “would be in her best interests.”

The Commonwealth is one of 22 states that require parental consent in order for a minor to obtain an abortion. Parental notification is required in 11 additional states, and two more mandate both consent and notification.

At a State House hearing on May 10, little time was given to H629. Kathryn M. Davis, public policy coordinator for the Massachusetts Catholic Conference, told The Anchor that she came, eager to share the conference’s concerns but did not have the opportunity to testify. The MCC is the public policy arm for the four bishops of the Commonwealth.

“We are hoping that it just stays and dies in committee,” she said of the bill, adding that it takes away protections for minor girls and their parents.

In written testimony submitted at the hearing, Davis said, “Parents have an irreplaceable role in the development and well-being of their children. The role of a parent should not be subverted by Turn to page 18

Catholic Charities Appeal hits $2M mark at halfway point

FALL RIVER — As the 2011 Catholic Charities Appeal reached its halfway point the Appeal office was able to announce that it had eclipsed the $2M mark. This hopefully was a sign of good things to come for the 70-yearold springtime endeavor sponsored by the diocese.

“Obviously you are pleased when you reach positive benchmarks in any endeavor, but you

immediately reflect on the fact that you have a long way to go to exceed the previous year’s total of nearly $4.3M,” said Mike Donly, Director of Development for the diocese.

“We are optimistic about our prospects for the success of the Appeal, Donly continued, as we see pastors and committees committing significant time and energy to Turn to page 18

jobs well done — A group of winners of this year’s St. Pius X Youth Awards gathered for a photo with Bishop George W. Coleman, who presided at a recent service at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River, where they received the award. In all, 58 young people from across the Diocese of Fall River received the award at the 10th annual event. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza)

Living the faith at the end of life

By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff

EAST TAUNTON — With health care improvements making it possible to extend many lives, it comes as no surprise prolonging life through artificial means — and when to stop such measures — have become forefront in ethical discussions. On the one side, people are pushing for euthanasia and physician’s assisted suicide. On the other, some believe they must do everything possible to preserve physical life at all costs and by all means. What are faithful Catholics to

do? When is prolonging life just really extending the suffering?

During a meeting of the Respect Life Committee at Holy Family Parish in East Taunton, Father Kevin Cook proposed the idea of holding a seminar to address these and other end-of-life issues, especially after nurses in his parish asked him for guidance on how to uphold their faith while supporting their patients during their final days.

“There’s a reason why the Church teaches what Turn to page 12

St. Anthony’s Parish in Fall River prepares to celebrate centennial

B y K enneth J. Souza A nchor Staff

FALL RIVER — In the early 1900s, as the fledgling Fall River Diocese continued to feel growing pains as a steady influx of Portuguese immigrants began to populate outlying sections of the city, faithful Catholics were having difficulty getting to either Santo Christo Parish on Columbia Street or Espirito Santo Parish on Alden Street to attend Masses celebrated in their native language.

Seeing the need to serve this expanding portion of his flock, Bishop Daniel F. Feehan assigned a Portuguese priest from New Bedford to begin celebrating Masses for the first parishioners of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Fall River, which will mark its 100th anniversary Sunday.

“Back then as Portuguese

people started moving into this neighborhood they would have to walk sometimes two or more miles to attend Masses,”

said Father Brian C. Albino, current pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish. “They iniTurn to page 13

THEN AND NOW — Father Brian C. Albino, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Fall River, stands before an etching of the original St. Anthony of Padua Church, which was torn down and replaced by the current building in 1967. The parish will mark its 100th anniversary Sunday with a Mass celebrated by Bishop George W. Coleman at 3 p.m. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza)

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News From the Vatican

May 27, 2011

Pope urges ‘fearless’ missionary efforts, despite persecution

VATICAN CITY (CNS) fers most from persecution on — In a world marked by new account of its faith,” he said, forms of slavery and injustice, quoting from his 2011 World the Church must evangelize Peace Day message.

The 120 directors of the constantly and fearlessly — even in the face of persecu- Pontifical Mission Societies tion, Pope Benedict XVI said. were concluding their annual The pope, addressing direc- weeklong meeting in Rome to tors of the Pontifical Mission make decisions about missionSocieties, said Catholic activ- ary funding around the world.

Oblate Father Andrew Small, ity at every level needs to be infused with the missionary the newly-appointed national director for the Pontifical Misspirit. sion Societies “All the sechristians should in the United tors of pastoral not have fear, States, said life, of catechesis and of even if at present they U.S. Catholics charity should are the religious group continue to be the most genbe characterized by the which suffers most from erous donors missionary di- persecution on account to the pope’s missionary mension: the of its faith,” he said. projects, givChurch is mising more than sion,” he said.

Evangelization, he added, 40 percent of the total raised must begin with a firm faith worldwide.

Father Small said that and an enthusiastic desire to even in the Church, however, share it with others.

The Church’s evangeliza- there’s a risk of overlooking tion efforts are aimed at “trans- the particular needs of evangeforming the world according to lization.

“Things have shifted. People God’s plan,” leading men and women to “read freedom” and are aware of the world and its out of all forms of slavery, he needs more. I think we’ve forgotten the missionary needs. said.

“New problems and new That was the way we looked at forms of slavery, in fact, are the world in the past: We saw emerging in our time,” the it through the eyes of faith,” he told Catholic News Service. pope said.

Nowadays, he said, people “This is true in the so-called First World, which is well-off often see the world’s needs and rich but uncertain about its through the lens of hunger or future. And it is true in devel- poverty or HIV/AIDS. “But we’re forgetting that oping countries where, partly because of a globalization that when somebody needs their is often profit-driven, there’s AIDS drugs, they might also an increase in the masses of want somebody to pray with poor, of emigrants and of the them. I think we’ve neglected oppressed, in whom the light that side of it a little bit,” he of hope grows weak,” he said. said.

In his talk to the group, Pope Benedict said the duty to evangelize requires a “total Pope Benedict warned of the love” of Christ and a willing- “temptation to reduce evanness to sacrifice even one’s gelization to a project that is life in order to witness the merely human or social, hiding or passing over the tranGospel.

“Christians should not have scendent dimension of the fear, even if at present they are salvation offered by God in the religious group which suf- Christ.”

“C

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OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 55, No. 21

Member: Catholic Press Association, Catholic News Service

Published weekly except for two weeks in the summer and the week after Christmas by the Catholic Press of the Diocese of Fall River, 887 Highland Avenue, Fall River, MA 02720, Telephone 508-675-7151 — FAX 508-675-7048, email: theanchor@anchornews.org.

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Send address changes to P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA, call or use email address

PUBLISHER - Most Reverend George W. Coleman EXECUTIVE EDITOR Father Roger J. Landry fatherrogerlandry@anchornews.org EDITOR David B. Jolivet davejolivet@anchornews.org OFFICE MANAGER Mary Chase marychase@anchornews.org ADVERTISING Wayne R. Powers waynepowers@anchornews.org REPORTER Kenneth J. Souza k ensouza@anchornews.org REPORTER Rebecca Aubut beckyaubut@anchornews.org Send Letters to the Editor to: fatherrogerlandry@anchornews.org

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faith formation — Pope Benedict XVI meets with U.S. Cardinal William J. Levada, head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in the pontiff’s private library at the Vatican. (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano)

Doctrinal congregation: Small Vatican office has broad reach

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — As two recent documents illustrate, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith keeps an eye on almost everything coming out of the Vatican.

Although it has fewer than 50 employees, including ushers and receptionists, whatever any Vatican office does or says having to do with faith and morals is a matter that falls under the congregation’s gaze.

As the heir of the Holy Office of the Inquisition — and housed in a building still known as the Palace of the Holy Office — the congregation often is portrayed as an agency almost exclusively dedicated to seeking out errant theologians and condemning their writings.

The congregation does review books that bishops’ conferences bring to its attention, especially if the book presents itself as explaining Catholic morals or doctrine and is widely used in schools of theology or seminaries.

But since Pope Benedict XVI was elected in 2005 and U.S. Cardinal William J. Levada was appointed to succeed him as the congregation’s prefect, the office has issued only one formal public criticism of written works: a notification about two books by a liberation theologian, Jesuit Father Jon Sobrino.

More and more, the congregation’s pronouncements involve the application of Catholic moral teaching to questions concerning the very beginning and very end of human life. Biotechnology, the use of human embryos, politics and abortion, euthanasia and the care of the dying all have been topics of recent documents.

In early May, the Vatican published two documents signed by Cardinal Levada that demonstrate just how widespread the congregation’s reach is.

An instruction released May 13 called on bishops and pastors to respond generously to Catholics who want to attend Mass celebrated according to the 1962 Roman Missal, commonly known as the Tridentine rite.

And a circular letter released May 16 ordered every bishops’ conference in the world to prepare guidelines for dealing with accusations of clerical sexual abuse and for ensuring the protection of children.

Formally, the instruction on the Mass came from the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, which oversees the pastoral care of Catholics who have a special devotion to the older liturgy. Pope Benedict placed the commission under the doctrinal congregation in 2009.

The letter on clerical sexual abuse reflects the fact that the largest section of the doctrinal congregation — its disciplinary section — is charged with coordinating efforts to rid the Church of sexual abuse and with monitoring or conducting cases against individual abusers.

In addition to sexual abuse of minors, the disciplinary section deals with “the most serious crimes committed in the celebration of the Sacraments,” particularly the Eucharist and confession, examines “crimes against the faith — heresy, schism and apostasy — and, finally, evaluates cases of alleged apparitions, visions and messages with a presumed supernatural origin,” according to a description in the annual report, “Activity of the Holy See.” The international commission of bishops and theologians appointed in March to study the alleged Marian apparitions in Medjugorje, for example, is working under the auspices of the doctrinal congregation.

The disciplinary section also coordinates “the admission of former non-Catholic ministers to the priesthood and other similar questions,” the book said.

Under the provisions of Pope Benedict’s 2009 apostolic constitution, the doctrinal congregation is charged with establishing special structures for former Anglicans entering full communion with the Roman Catholic Church while preserving aspects of their Anglican spiritual and liturgical heritage.

The structures, known as “personal ordinariates” are similar to dioceses. The first was established in England in January and there was widespread speculation that a U.S. ordinariate would be announced before July.

Cardinal Levada and the four dozen people who work each day in the Holy Office aren’t doing all that work alone. The congregation has 25 cardinal and bishop members and 28 consulting theologians.

Most of the consultants are professors at pontifical universities in Rome and they get together at the congregation three times a month to offer their expert opinions and share their research on questions the congregation considers pressing.

More comprehensive, longterm studies are carried out by two other commissions that answer to the doctrinal congregation. The Pontifical Biblical Commission currently is conducting a study on “inspiration and truth” in the Bible. And the International Theological Commission is working on three topics: the principles, meaning and methods of theology; belief in one God and its implications for relations among Jews, Christians and Muslims; and ways to better integrate Catholic social teaching into Catholic teaching in general.

3 The International Church Australian Church leaders join global push for Archbishop Sheen’s cause May 27, 2011

PERTH, Australia (CNS) — Australian Church leaders have joined the global push for the canonization of U.S. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.

Several bishops, including Archbishop Philip Wilson of Adelaide, president of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference, signed the cover letter that Bishop Daniel R. Jenky of Peoria, Ill., will present to Pope Benedict XVI May 25 with the “positio,” two volumes that outline why the archbishop should be declared a saint.

Sydney Cardinal George Pell and Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart also wrote separate letters to the Peoria-based Archbishop Ful-

Pope cites need for prayers for Church in China

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The persecuted Catholic Church in China needs and deserves the prayers of Catholics throughout the world, Pope Benedict XVI said.

“There, as elsewhere, Christ is living His passion” because of government restrictions and pressures on the Church, the pope said May 18 at the end of his weekly general audience.

He asked Catholics everywhere to observe May 24, the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians, as a day of prayer for Catholics in mainland China. Pope Benedict established the annual day of prayer in 2007 when he wrote a letter to Catholics in China outlining ways to promote greater unity between those exercising their faith clandestinely and those participating in communities overseen by the governmentbacked Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.

The pope emphasized the need for unity between the Church in China and Rome.

“Chinese Catholics, as they have said many times, want unity with the universal Church, with the supreme pastor, with the successor of Peter,” he said. China’s communist government has insisted on controlling the country’s Catholic community, defining ties with the Vatican as interference in its internal affairs.

“By our prayers we can obtain for the Church in China that it remain one, holy and Catholic, faithful and steadfast in doctrine and in ecclesial discipline,” the pope said.

Pope Benedict offered special prayers for the bishops, priests and laity who face severe limits on their freedom and their exercise of the faith.

“By our prayers we can help them to find the path to keep their faith alive, to keep their hope strong, to keep their love for all people ardent” and to avoid “the temptation to follow a path independent of Peter,” the pope said.

ton John Sheen Foundation giving personal testimony to help the late TV evangelist’s cause.

In Peoria, a spokeswoman for the foundation said more than 100 cardinals, archbishops and bishops from around the world had signed the cover letters.

In his personal letter sent directly to the postulators of Archbishop Sheen’s cause, Cardinal Pell said he admires what Archbishop Sheen did as a catechist, in particular “his skill at harnessing the media to present Catholic teaching in a compelling and faithful way.”

“I’m also impressed by the number of people from many walks of life who have been

moved by Archbishop Sheen’s example and teaching,” the cardinal said.

“Archbishop Sheen had a gift for touching the lives of people in enormously varied circumstances and states of life. This gift continues to be evident through the inspiration his writings provide to people today,” Cardinal Pell said.

In his letter, Archbishop Hart spoke of the profound influence the late prelate had on his own life and vocation to the priesthood.

“As a small boy I remember the impression and the faith (Sheen) created when visiting Melbourne in 1948 for the centenary of the archdiocese,” Archbishop Hart said in his letter.

“My life has been profoundly touched by his stressing of a daily eucharistic holy hour, and I believe that the spiritual leadership which he has provided is worthy of closer examination,” Archbishop Hart said.

“In far-off Australia we would support very much the moves in the Church in the United States to promote (Sheen’s) cause for beatification.

“Clearly evident was his loyalty to the church, passionate love of God and devotion to Mary, our Blessed Mother. Even in the time of great suffering his deep, interior life transformed his life and ministry and shone from all that he did,” the archbishop added.

Handing the “positio” to the pope marks the formal start of the Vatican’s process to determine whether an individual should be beatified, then canonized as a saint.

Before the archbishop can be beatified, his cause needs a miracle attributed to his intercession.

The Vatican investigates the proposed miracle separately from the “positio.”

Msgr. Stanley Deptula, executive director of the Sheen Foundation, said he believes a miracle has already been granted through the intercession of the late prelate, but he would not release details, as is usually the case when a miracle is under investigation.

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The Church in the U.S.

May 27, 2011

Pope asks space explorers about science, peace, state of the earth

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI reached out to outer space to ask astronauts how their unique perspective from the frontier of the universe makes them think about difficult questions back on earth.

In a video hookup May 21 between the Vatican and the International Space Station in orbit around the earth, Pope Benedict asked the astronauts how science can help in the pursuit of peace and the need to protect a fragile planet.

Seated at a desk in front of a video screen, the pope could see the 12 astronauts huddled before the camera and trying not to float away from lack of gravity inside the super technological space station. The group included space station crew and members of the final mission of the U.S. shuttle Endeavour.

The pope praised the space travelers for their courage and commitment, and reminded them that after their extraordinary experience, they “must eventually come back down to earth like all the rest of us.”

His first question dealt with violence and war, and was addressed to the Endeavour mission commander, U.S. astronaut Mark Kelly, whose wife, Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, was still recovering after being critically injured in a shooting in January.

Acknowledging the attack and wishing her a full recovery, the pope said, “When you are contemplating earth from up there, do you ever wonder about the way nations and people live together down here, about how science can contribute to the cause of peace?”

Kelly said that because the space station itself was up and running only as a result of the efforts of many countries, it was itself a good model for international cooperation. And because it is operated

entirely on limitless solar power, he said, better development of that technology on earth could reduce the struggle over energy resources, which is the cause of much of the violence and war in the world now.

Pope Benedict noted that he often spoke of humanity’s responsibility to protect the earth in an ethical manner, and to guarantee the survival of future generations.

He asked Endeavour crew member Ron Garan what he could see on earth from his perch in space that needed attention.

Garan said that what was most evident is the fragility of earth and the atmosphere. “To think that this paper-thin layer is all that separates every living thing from the vacuum of space and is all that protects us, is a really sobering thought,” he said.

The pope asked Mike Fincke, mission specialist for the shuttle, what advice he would pass on to children “who will live in a world strongly influenced by your experiences and discoveries?”

The astronaut said that he hoped the space mission would “let the children of the planet know that there is a whole universe for us to go explore. And when we do it together, there is nothing that we cannot accomplish.”

Pope Benedict reminded Roberto Vittori, an Italian member of the Endeavour team, of the medallion decorated with the image of the creation of man, as painted by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel, which the pope had given him before this mission. He asked Vittori if he remembered to pray while out in space.

Vittori let the weightless medallion float in front of the screen and said, “I do pray: for me, for our families, for our future.” He added that the beauty of the earth from his extraordinary vantage point “is capturing my heart.”

space adventure — Pope Benedict XVI waves to astronauts on the International Space Station after speaking with them from the Vatican via a video link May 21. The pontiff asked the astronauts how science can help in the pursuit of peace and the need to protect a fragile planet. (CNS photo/ L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters)

Pennsylvania House approves regulations for state’s abortion clinics

PHILADELPHIA (CNS) — The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed legislation recently that would require abortion clinics to adhere to the same standards as other outpatient health facilities in the state.

The measure, H.B. 574, mandates more stringent fire and safety regulations, personnel and equipment requirements, and adherence to quality assurance procedures as is currently required of the state’s ambulatory surgical facilities, such as laser eye surgery centers or colonoscopy clinics.

The bill passed by a vote of 148 to 43 and will be sent to the state Senate.

It began as a response to a grand jury report that detailed deplorable conditions at the Women’s Medical Society, a clinic that Dr. Kermit Gosnell ran in West Philadelphia.

The report cited illegal lateterm abortions that Gosnell performed there, which led to the death of one woman and at least seven newborn babies. The deaths, according to the report, resulted from “the reckless and illegal manner in which Gosnell operated his clinic.”

“The investigation of Dr. Gosnell’s government-approved clinic revealed filthy, unsafe conditions and evidence that unlicensed workers illegally treated patients,” said Amy Hill, communications director for the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the

state’s bishops.

“Basic standards of cleanliness and infection control were not met. The office had no access for a stretcher in the case of an emergency. Exit doors were padlocked shut or blocked, resulting in a delay in the ability to respond in previous emergencies,” she said.

According to Hill, other freestanding ambulatory surgical facilities must comply with regulations designed to protect their patients.

“They are subject to unannounced annual inspections and sanctions or fines for not meeting the most basic health standards,” she said. “Clinics are required to have a registered nurse on site, follow infection control and equipment sterilization procedures, and must accommodate emergency equipment. Therefore, if a crisis occurs, the ambulance crew can get a stretcher into the clinic and quickly get the patient to a hospital.”

Hill added that the failure to require basic health standards and the practice of the Pennsylvania Department of Health to refrain from inspections “allowed for the existence of this horrific abortion clinic. House Bill 574 will prevent this from happening again.”

“The need for reform is evident,” said Rep. Matt Baker, the Republican who wrote the bill.

“We cannot allow the type of treatment endured by women at a West Philadelphia clinic to con-

tinue there or anywhere else.”

“Simply put, under House Bill 574 the state’s abortion industry would not be exempt from commonsense safety standards that apply to other ambulatory surgery centers,” he said in a statement. “Abortion centers are performing serious surgical procedures and should be regulated in state law to prevent the horrors that transpired in the Philadelphia abortion clinic.”

Hill said critics of the bill claim abortion clinics will be forced to close if they must comply with regulations they call “cumbersome.”

“To comply, some (clinics) may have to make changes,” she said. “They claim a similar law in Texas put 18 of 20 abortion providers ‘out of business, never to return.’”

Hill said the statement is misleading, noting that an Internet search for abortion facilities in Texas revealed there are “at least 25 facilities performing the procedure all across the state.

In fact, the number of abortions in Texas has increased in recent years, not decreased.”

She said it is not clear whether abortion clinics in Pennsylvania would close as a result of the legislation.

Instead, she said, “Pennsylvanians will agree that it is reasonable to expect clinics where surgical abortions are performed to be held to the same standard as a clinic performing any other surgical procedure.”

May 27, 2011

The Church in the U.S.

5

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online at www.anchornews.org “california missions & tour” Spiritual Director: Fr. Joseph P. McDermott, Pastor Immaculate Conception Church 122 Canton Street, Stoughton, MA 02072

horrific aftermath — A damaged car is seen at the Home Depot on Rangeline Road in Joplin, Mo., May 22 following a tornado that killed at least 89 people in the town. (CNS photo/Aaron Kafton, Reuters)

Dublin archbishop says Catholics not passing on faith to young people

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Irish society is not suffering just from the sex abuse scandal but from a failure to pass on the faith to the younger generation, said the archbishop of Dublin.

“We have to completely, radically change the way we pass on the faith,” Archbishop Diarmuid Martin told Catholic News Service recently. “Our parishes are not places where evangelization and catechesis are taking place.”

The archbishop traveled to Washington to present the Order of Malta Inaugural Lecture, “Faith and Service: the Unbreakable Bond.” During his speech and in remarks to CNS beforehand, he spoke of the declining practice of the faith in Dublin — 18 percent of Catholics regularly attend Sunday Mass — and of the need to give young people responsibility in the parish to reinvigorate them.

Archbishop Martin has served in Dublin since 2003 and presided over the uncovering of hundreds of past cases of sex abuse and the mishandling of priest abusers, but he says the problem goes deeper than abuse.

The Catholic Church runs 90 percent of the elementary schools in Ireland. Yet if only 18 percent of Catholics attend Mass, he said, he has to wonder about the commitment of Catholic teachers.

“If people are being prepared for the Sacraments by people who don’t frequent the Sacraments, there’s a real problem there,” Archbishop Martin told CNS. He reiterated what he has said often in the past, that “young Irish people are among the most catechized and the least evangelized.”

“Unless we address it, we’re not going to have a next generation of young Catholics,” he said.

“We’re suffering from some

of the products of being a mass Catholicism in the past. We’re still living, in some ways, as if that were the case today,” he said.

In his speech near the Georgetown University campus, Archbishop Martin said he believed the secularization of Irish society was quite advanced, and he spoke of what it means to live as a Christian citizen.

“If we start out in reflection on the place of faith in our culture with the conviction that God’s grace is present and can be found even within a world marked by human sinfulness, then our vision of the place of the faith in society changes, and the entire framework for the presence of Christians in society takes on a new shape,” he said.

“Christian commitment means getting your hands and your shoes dirty,” he said. “The Christian in society is not just another social commentator, but a witness to another way of living.”

He said Christian commitment “must not be limited to the occasional outburst of global solidarity” after natural disasters or “the more militant enthusiasm engendered around protest meetings.”

“For the Christian, solidarity and sharing should be the stuff of every day, an imperative and not just an option, a daily imperative and not an occasional awakening of conscience,” he said.

“Faith and service constitute an unbreakable bond,” he said.

“Defense of the faith is about living the faith without being afraid,” he said, adding that it means knowing that faith can improve all aspects of life.

In his CNS interview, Archbishop Martin spoke of the need for training volunteer lay people to start relieving priests of some of their extra tasks so they can focus on priestly duties. Lay people “bring a richness to ministry,” he said, and where he has full-time lay people working in parishes, they have increased the numbers of volunteer lay people.

He said Irish young people are “extremely generous, dedicated.”

“Parishes where young people are present and committed are parishes where they’ve been given responsibility,” he said. “And the parishes which treat young people where they say ‘You come on our conditions,’ that’s just not working.”

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6

The Anchor

The causes and context of sexual abuse of minors by U.S. priests, Part I

Last week we focused on a Circular Letter by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith giving guidance and a one-year deadline to bishops’ conferences around the world to formulate guidelines to respond to allegations of the sexual abuse of minors by Church personnel and to create the formational environment that will provide a safe environment for children. Many of these guidelines derive from the principles and protocols developed by the U.S. bishops in Dallas in 2002 in response to the crisis of the sexual abuse of minors in our country. As much as many U.S. bishops have been justly criticized for their failure to respond adequately to stop the sexual abuse of minors while it was occurring epidemically between the mid-1960s and mid-1980s, the present U.S. hierarchy has been resolutely committed to studying and learning from the disastrous mistakes of the past so as to be able to create a Church environment where such evil will not recur. Last week, we witnessed yet another example of how the U.S. bishops are taking the lead not only within the Church universal but also among all institutions in the United States in seeking to understand the problem and vigorously respond.

At their 2002 meeting in Dallas, the U.S. bishops — in addition to formulating the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People” and its corresponding “Essential Norms” — approved funding for two studies. The first, published in 2004, was a comprehensive statistical analysis by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the nature and extent of the abuse against minors by U.S. clergy between 1950-2002. It was a transparent presentation of “what” occurred so that no one, inside or outside the Church, would be able to remain in denial about the scope of the problem or to be able to posit explanations that didn’t fit the data. The second study, released last Wednesday and entitled “The Causes and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the United States, 19502010” (see pages 14-15), was an attempt to understand the “why” behind the “what.” Conducted by an independent research team from the John Jay College Research and prepared for, rather than by, the U.S. bishops, the report took five years to complete and cost $1.8 million. It is an unprecedented investigation, both in terms of breadth and depth, of the horror of the sexual abuse of minors, one that will likely be a reference point for decades. It is, moreover, one more piece of evidence of how serious the U.S. bishops want to get to the bottom of the evil that occurred. “This study,” the authors write, “provides a framework for understanding not only the sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests, but sexual victimization of children in any institution. No other institution has undertaken a public study of sexual abuse and, as a result, there are no comparable data to those collected and reported by the Catholic Church. Other organizations should follow suit and examine the extent of sexual abuse within their groups to better understand the extent of the problem and the situations in which sexual abuse takes place. Only with such an understanding can effective prevention policies be articulated and implemented.”

The study is broken down into six chapters. The first reviews the general statistics of clergy sex abuse in the U.S. Church and compares and contrasts it to public schools, child care settings, the Boy Scouts, the Big Brothers-Big Sisters organization, athletic organizations, the Southern Baptists, Episcopalians, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and the Jewish community. It establishes the point that, although abuse within the Church has garnered by far the most attention, the sexual abuse of minors is a widespread social problem. To note that sexual abuse of minors is widespread is not to downplay the evil of what occurred within the Church; it does, however, help in the determination of causes and contexts within the Church because it is not an isolated problem that can be ascribed exclusively to Church teaching, discipline or practice.

The second chapter provides an historical analysis of the crisis, explaining the distribution of allegations within the Church over time. It concludes that the “crisis” of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests is an “historical problem,” which peaked between the mid-1960s and the mid-1980s. To call it an “historical problem” does not mean that sexual abuse is no longer occurring — it existed prior to the crisis and will sadly never be totally eliminated — but the epidemic aspect of the “crisis,” when scores of priests in certain dioceses were going after the young with seeming impunity, is, the authors conclude, a thing of the past.

The second chapter also debunks the idea that priestly celibacy was a cause of the crisis; if it were, they argued crisply, the crisis of the sexual abuse of minors would be a constant of the celibate priesthood throughout the centuries, something for which there is not only no evidence but plenty of counterevidence.

This chapter mentions that while there is no one cause for the crisis, among the most notable contributing factors was the combination of poor human formation in celibate chastity in many seminaries on the one hand and a widespread acceptance of “sexual deviance” flowing from the culture of the sexual revolution on the other. “The rise in abuse cases in the 1960s and 1970s was influenced by social factors in American society generally,” the authors wrote. “This increase in abusive behavior is consistent with … changes in social behavior, such as an increase in premarital sexual behavior and divorce.”

Many in the secular media tried to jump on this point, claiming that the researchers were puppets of a Church trying to scapegoat “flower children” or “hippies” for the crisis. The researchers were doing no such thing. They were merely stating what any objective sociologist studying the causes of a crisis would have to note: the revolution of sexual values that occurred in the late 1960s — which overnight overturned traditional sexual morés and basically began to treat all sexual expression outside of rape as a positive good — had a negative impact on some priests whose human vulnerabilities with regard to sexuality were not identified and addressed in the seminary. In an age when sexual boundaries were being dismantled, it shouldn’t be shocking that some stepped over moral lines that the culture claimed should no longer exist. Moreover, at a time when vast numbers of Catholics, including priests, were rejecting Church teaching with regard to contraception in marriage, it shouldn’t be shocking that some priests were conceptually and concretely rejecting Church teaching in other areas of sexual behavior.

This is far from “blaming Woodstock” for the crisis, but it does imply — contrary to what many protagonists of the sexual revolution would like to admit — that when some poorly-formed priests began to follow the prevailing winds of the sexual revolution rather than the Gospel, there were catastrophic unintended consequences.

The third chapter looks at the crisis from the perspective of psychology. This is a very valuable chapter, giving the history of how the psychological sciences approached the phenomenon of the sexual abuse of minors and demonstrating how the psychological sciences were taken on a steep learning curve throughout the crisis. At first many in the psychological professions had confidence that molesters of minors could be treated and cured with classic psychological techniques. Many bishops consequently relied on their recommendations to restore abusers to ministry. “Prior to 1984, the common assumption of those who the bishops consulted was that clergy sexual misbehavior was both psychologically curable and could be spiritually remedied by recourse to prayer,” the authors wrote.

Even after 1985, they noted, “prompt psychological treatment for the priest was seen as the best course of action and became the primary intervention.” The experience of the last 30 years has taught us, however, that not only was this confidence unjustified, but the authors described that psychology has been unable to identify clearly tests to predict future sexual abuse or to discover adequate psychological remedies for abusers. The authors imply the obvious conclusion: one of the contributing factors of the crisis was that bishops relied too much on those in the psychological sciences, many of whom made disastrous recommendations that priests were capable of being returned to ministry. Up until now, this had been one of the least studied aspects of the crisis.

Next week, we will analyze two other controversial aspects of the report that have gotten a lot of attention in initial media reports: the analysis of the “organizational response” on the part of bishops to incidents and allegations of abuse and the extent to which homosexual attractions in the clergy played a role in the crisis.

May 27, 2011

The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary

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our Lord, we must also pray for those uring the presentation in the temple, the prophet Simeon told who persecute, who cause or benefit from injustice. But we must also pray Mary that a sword of sorrow would for ourselves, that we will never stand pierce her Immaculate Heart. This by and allow injustices to continue. prophecy was fulfilled when Mary The third Sorrowful Mystery is the helplessly stood by and witnessed the Crowning with Thorns. After being suffering and death of her only Son. scourged, our Lord is sentenced to death.

This week, we examine these events in But before He is sent off to be crucithe life of Christ that are referred to as fied, the soldiers continue to mock and the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, which are traditionally prayed on Tues- ridicule Him. They make a crown out of thorns and push it onto His head. They days and Fridays. show Him no compassion or mercy, but Pope John Paul II explained that, instead they punch and spit upon Him. “In the Sorrowful Mysteries we stand Do we believe that Jesus is our true beneath the Cross of Jesus, coming face king? Do we demonstrate that loyalty to face with the truth of His insistence to Him in the way we think, speak and that the Christ must suffer and die. No act? I can’t imagine that there would matter that we long to cry out, ‘if only be many who would treat our Lord in we had been there,’ we still encounter such way if He were standing before the reality of our human position and us, but how often do we disregard the truth that is Our Lord’s. We sense our allegiance to Him or our Catholic the sword piercing the heart of His identity for our worldly tendencies — Mother, and pray that it may open our whole being to the agony and the power our desires to be wealthy, popular or powerful? that the infinite love of Jesus in His The CarPassion chose rying of the and endured Cross is the for us.”

Putting Into fourth SorThe first rowful MysSorrowful the Deep tery. Here we Mystery is meditate upon the Agony in

By Father our Lord’s the Garden. being forced After the Last Jay Mello to carry His Supper with cross through His Apostles, the streets of Jerusalem to Golgotha, the our Lord goes into the garden of Gethsemane to pray. He is suffering so much place of His death. Even in His suffering, however, our Lord continues to reach anxiety about what is going to happen out to others, comforting those who are that His prayer becomes very intense and He begins sweating drops of blood. weeping. He leaves the image of His face on Veronica’s veil. But Christ also In the garden, our Lord expresses His trust in God’s plan, even amidst suffer- accepts help from Simon of Cyrene, who ing and pain. Jesus’ courage in the face carries the cross for our Lord.

One prayer here might be for a greatof death provides us an example of how we should approach the moment of our er acceptance of the crosses that we are asked to carry in life. These crosses own death. could be the little things in life that A good thing to pray for here might drive us crazy in which we are asked to be for those who are dying, especially endure with patience and charity. These those who do not have faith. I can’t crosses could also be much more chalimagine how terrifying it must be to lenging like enduring an illness or carstand on the threshold of this world ing for an elderly parent or sick spouse, and the next without faith. How many people die each day outside of that rela- each of which require no small amount tionship with our Lord and His Church? of grace. Let our prayer reflect our need for God’s grace that we may carry our We should also pray for ourselves that cross in imitation of our Lord. we may have the grace of final perThe last of the Sorrowful Mysteries severance and be in the state of grace is the Crucifixion. With tremendous when we die. We can easily remember this as we pray the Hail Mary, “Pray for faith, Mary stands at the foot of the cross and watches her beloved Son die. us sinners now, and at the hour of our The victim of false accusation, political death.” tactics, the brutality of Roman soldiers, The Scourging at the Pillar is the and a blood dripping crown, Jesus second Sorrowful Mystery of the Roexpresses great mercy as He cries out, sary. After His arrest and trial, Pontius “Father, forgive them, for they know Pilate has Jesus beaten and scourged not what they do.” by the Roman soldiers. They bind His The cross is the greatest symbol of hands and tie Him to a stone pillar and our faith! It reminds us of what God begin to whip our defenseless Lord. was willing to endure to bring about He came into the world to set us free from our sins and is rewarded by being our salvation. As we reflect upon the mystery of the crucifixion, let us also treated like a criminal. Knowing that recall that it was from the cross that JeGod can bring good out of evil, our innocent Lord silently suffers this grave sus said, “Behold your Mother!” From the cross our Lord entrusts each of us to injustice.

Mary and her intercession.

There are so many injustices that These mysteries clearly commuwe can (and should) pray for. There nicate the events that we just recalled are those who, like Christ, suffer false accusations that ruin their reputations or during the Lenten season, but we continue to meditate upon them throughout careers. There is the defenseless baby in the womb of his or her mother. There the entire year in the Rosary.

Father Mello is a parochial vicar at are the homeless and the hungry, the St. Patrick’s Parish in Falmouth. poor and the underprivileged. But like

May 27, 2011

7

The Anchor

On banners, overhead projectors and PowerPoint displays

Q: It is a regular feature at Masses in Australia and New Zealand that children or artists make banners for decorating churches, especially for the different seasons and for special occasions, such as Confirmations. Many parishes are now replacing overhead projectors with the words of the hymns, with computerized PowerPoint displays that allow for all kinds of graphics and backgrounds to be added. I have seen everything from small discreet icons to actual video clips of the entry into Jerusalem from Mel Gibson’s “Passion of the Christ” during the Sanctus and worse.

Are there any norms for visual displays in church, and in particular, the use of projected images during Mass? — J.B., Melbourne, Australia A: There are few specific laws or even orientation regarding this aspect. But perhaps some of the principles formulated by the U.S. bishops’ document on Church art and architecture, “Built of Living Stones,” might be of help.

With respect to the use of banners, the document says: “No. 127. Fabric art in the form of processional banners and hangings can be an effective way to convey the spirit of liturgical seasons, especially through the use of color, shape, texture, and symbolic form. The use of images rather than words

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lato once said that an acorn isn’t an acorn, it is a pre-oak. Plato is always great fun, even when he isn’t exactly accurate. Try using this idea in reading a great figure in history and see what reading the end backwards into the beginning does. What does reading the Catholic Chesterton into the earlier non-Catholic Chesterton do?

If you haven’t started reading Chesterton yet, I suggest reading him backwards because there is an opacity in his earlier writing that becomes translucent when back-lit by his conversion. For certain, he was aware that his thought was ripening toward something. To me, some mysterious essays become clearer: why he felt a need to defend “rash vows,” why he preferred the Gothic to the Classical and the Baroque to both of them.

It is also why the mystery novel was so appealing to him, a genre he mastered through the legendary sleuth and (surprise!) Roman Catholic cleric, Father Brown. The mystery of his confusion and the confusion of his countrymen was something he set out

the way it serves and does not is more in keeping with this interrupt the ritual actions which medium.” have their own structure, rhythm This would at least indicate and movement …. that tasteful and well-designed “No. 163. Artworks consistbanners may have a place within ing of technological and interacthe Liturgy, even if the handitive media, such as video and work of children. Indeed, in other electronically-fabricated one form or another, banners such as the symbols of confraternities and other Catholic organizations have long been used on solemn occasions such as eucharistic processions.

By Father Since the use of Edward McNamara videos or overhead projections is such a novelty and is still a rarimages, may also be appropriate ity, I have found almost nothing for sacred purposes. Subject to official on this theme. Some of the general principles on liturgi- the same criteria of suitability as other sacred art, technologically cal artwork in “Built of Living produced works of art can point Stones” might help clarify the toward sacred realities even issue: though they do not possess the “No. 143. Art chosen for the more enduring form, color, texplace of worship is not simply ture, weight, and density found something pretty or well made, an addition to make the ordinary in more traditional sacred art.”

Thus, while No. 163 apparmore pleasant. … Rather, artworks truly belong in the church ently leaves open the possibility of the use of technological aids, when they are worthy of the it does not elaborate upon the place of worship and when they contexts in which these means enhance the liturgical, devotional, and contemplative prayer may be used.

Personally I do not consider they are inspired to serve. that the use of slide shows and “No. 148. The quality of apvideos during Mass is a lepropriateness is demonstrated gitimate option. It is said that a by the work’s ability to bear the picture paints a thousand words, weight of mystery, awe, reverence and wonder that the liturgi- but even a picture must be interpreted using words, albeit cal action expresses and by

Liturgical Q&A

mentally. Thus, these visual elements, instead of enhancing the rite, draw attention away from the liturgical action of participating in the rite itself.

For this reason I believe that No. 148 cited above, by stressing that liturgical art serve and not interrupt “the ritual actions which have their own structure, rhythm and movement,” is especially applicable in this case.

Several readers have questioned the wisdom of using overhead projectors. A Sydney, Australia, correspondent wrote: “More and more churches over the world are using the projector during Mass to show the readings, prayers and lyrics of the songs.”

Personally I believe that a moderate use of these projections can be of use, above all in presenting the lyrics and music of hymns and sung parts of the Mass. In this sense they could almost be considered as the modern equivalent of the large choir books of medieval times. These outsized books which contained the musical notation for Mass and the Divine Office were usually placed at the center of the choir so as to be visible to all.

I am less enthusiastic about projecting prayers, readings and other proclaimed texts, as these should be listened to rather than

The Catholic Church and conversion

movement tried to mend the to solve. In retrospect, each most painful breaks while still of the diverse subjects he saving the Church of England covered marked a pit-stop on as independent from Rome. the road to something colosThat earnest preservation, as sal but elusive, as he tried Chesterton notes, had very on various figures in history, identifying where they were right and zeroing in on where they went wrong. He was a sleuth A Twitch on the trail of truth.

Classical and Upon a Thread medieval philosophy teach that the truth

By Jennifer PIerce precedes the good — if we are to seek the good we first must seek the truth, and Chesterton little to do with the truth and everything to do with the intuited that the truth was the Church of England. only remedy for the madness Other Protestant sects arose of Victorian modernity. For everything did seem confused but their character failed to in Chesterton’s England, even stand apart from Catholic ideas: the Quaker was focusif it is painfully obvious now ing on the Catholic idea of how this became so. Usually, the quietude and simplicity we start with a reason and of truth, while the Calvinist then take a strong action, or obsessed over the Catholic at least, that is how the sane, idea of an omnipotent God. mature, and intelligent go The Calvinist might be outabout things. England had done by the Communist who been struggling for 200-plus is obsessed with the equality years to back into a reason of men, and so forth, but only for why an imprudent divorce one “ism” housed all of these should be a sufficient argu“virtues gone wild” because ment for making a break with they broke from the pack and Rome. The Anglo-Catholic

tried to lead. It is only the Catholic Church that posits all of these values together, with the balancing truth of Christ at the head, inspiring Chesterton’s dear friend Hilaire Belloc to pen in the forward to “The Catholic Church and Conversion”: “The Catholic Church is the natural home of the human spirit.” The most striking thing about our theology (which is quite different from thought related to our politics) is that it anticipates all of our tendencies toward excess, all of our skepticisms, all of our anxieties and fits neatly into them, as if these weaknesses were created to be filled by the Church.

The revelation of conversion, both Chesterton’s and all others, is that “the Church is much larger inside than it is outside.” Once one makes that leap of faith required to walk through her open doors, you realize that you mistook the vestibule for the entire Church.

You feared being enslaved by her dogmas only to realize that her fundamental dogma

read. Even here, however, it could be argued that the projection is no more distracting than a hand missal or any number of other liturgical resources commonly found in parishes.

It is also cheaper as the parish does not have to invest in hundreds of weekly bulletins or expensive hymnals.

To project the text of the Eucharistic Prayer would almost inevitably turn attention away from the altar and toward the screen.

Great care should be taken regarding their location. It must be remembered that they are a complementary resource and not a necessity. If the church’s structure does not allow for a discreet location it is better to renounce the use of the projector and seek other solutions. Insofar as possible, the screen should not be in the presbytery and never behind the altar.

In synthesis, I would say that these means may be used if they can help liturgical participation.

They are only tools, however, and the proper celebration of the Liturgy must never be influenced or limited by their presence.

Father Edward McNamara is a Legionary of Christ and professor of Liturgy at Regina Apostolorum University in Rome. His column appears weekly at zenit.org. Send questions to liturgy@zenit.org. Put the word “Liturgy” in the subject field. Text should include initials, city and state.

was to be a slave to the truth, the only slavery known that has the unique ability to free one. The strongest accusation against the Church has been that she is a cult. This should surprise no one, however, for it channels all of our natural cult tendencies into something greater than ourselves. For you see, we humans, regardless of our orientations or opinions, organize ourselves in cults. There is the cult of the body in diet and exercise, the cult of celebrity, the cult of partisan politics. All of these cults, at the end of the day, are a love affair with our own reflection. Without something there, stable, continuing, and at last, true, we are doomed to find no permanent human identity that isn’t subject to radical overhaul through the twin whims of fad and fashion.

“The Catholic Church,” writes Chesterton, “is the only thing which saves a man from the degrading slavery of being a child of his age.”

Jennifer Pierce is a parishioner of Corpus Christi in East Sandwich, where she lives with her husband Jim and three children.

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he beatification of Pope John Paul II earlier this month brought back to me memories of the once-in-a-lifetime joy I had as a seminarian being present with him in October 1995 as he entered the Great Lawn of New York City’s Central Park to celebrate Mass for an estimated 125,000 ecstatic, cheering people.

When the Holy Father emerged from his popemobile at the foot of the gigantic, portable altar and climbed the stairs to the altar, the vast assembly stood in awe and continued to chant: “JP2, we love you! JP2, we love you!”

The pope walked from one side of the sanctuary to the other, raising his outstretched arms in greeting and rhythm to the roaring crowd. As the chanting continued, the Holy Father walked to the microphone and quieted the jubilant multitude. When it was silent enough for the pope to

May 27, 2011

The Anchor

Filled with the Spirit of truth

be heard, he said, “Yes, yes, you another Advocate to be you say you love me but you with you always, the Spirit of do not obey me.” truth, whom the world cannot Jesus said to his disciples: accept.” The sign that we are “Whoever has My command“in the Spirit” is our desire ments and observes them is to understand God’s will and the one who loves Me.” We obey it.

Christians have the ComIn the Acts of the Apostles, mandments and are called to observe them. This is why Homily of the Week our submission to the will of God is Sixth Sunday the hallmark of our of Easter love of God. Clearly,

By Father observing God’s will Henry J. Dahl for us involves more than mouthing the words: “I love You!” To receive the Commandwe hear that the Gospel would ments and to observe them spread from Jerusalem to likewise involves more than Judea to the ends of the earth. our intellectual comprehenPhilip, a deacon, travels to sion and desire to submit to Samaria to share the Gospel God’s will. It takes the gift with the Samaritans. The of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said Samaritans, who are outcasts to His disciples, “If you love because their Jewish faith is Me you will keep My comnow watered down with pagan mandments. And I will ask beliefs, hear the Gospel and the Father, and He will give accept it with joy. However,

hearing the word would not be enough to live out the Commandments. The Samaritans also needed the gift and fire of the love of the Holy Spirit.

This is why the Apostles sent Peter and John to pray over the Samaritans and call down the Holy Spirit upon them. Anointed with the Spirit, “There was great joy in that city.”

At our own Confirmation, we were anointed with that same Spirit. As Spirit-filled people like Philip, Peter and John, we are encouraged to share the source of our hope and joy — our faith in the Lord Jesus — with others.

St. Peter says: “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence.” At times we may be maligned and defamed for

our beliefs. Nevertheless, Peter reminds us, “It is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.”

As we prepare for the Ascension, we have Jesus’ promise that He will send another Advocate to be with us always. Jesus, the first Advocate, will not leave us orphans. The second Advocate, whom he will send, will be the Spirit of truth, who will remain with us and be in us always. Filled with this trinity of divine persons we are invited to share in the overflowing inner life and love of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Brought to life in the Spirit and filled with divine love and life, we, and all the earth are able to cry out to God with joy. Now, filled with the Spirit of truth, whenever we say, “I love You,” we truly mean it.

Father Dahl is pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Parish, in Provincetown.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. May 28, Acts 16:1-10; Ps 100:1-3,5; Jn 15:18-21. Sun. May 29, Sixth Sunday of Easter, Acts 8:5-8,14-17; Ps 66:1-7,16,20; 1 Pt 3:15-18; Jn 14:15-21. Mon. May 30, Acts 16:11-15; Ps 149:1-6a,9b; Jn 15:26-16:4a. Tues. May 31, Zep 3:14-18a or Rom 12:9-16; (Ps) Is 12:2-3,4bcd,5-6; Lk 1:39-56; Lk 1:39-56. Wed. June 1, Acts 17:15,22-18:1; Ps 148:1-2,11-14; Jn 16:12-15. Thur. June 2, Feast of the Ascension (Holy Day of Obligation), Acts 1:1-11; Ps 47:2-3,6-9; Eph 1:17-23; Mt 28:16-20. Fri. June 3, Acts 18:9-18; Ps 47:2-7; Jn 16:20-23.

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son of Poland is now Blessed John Paul II. What is Poland to do now?

If a friend might offer a suggestion: the Church in Poland should start looking forward rather than backward.

Ever since the late pope’s death in 2005, the Polish Church seems to have been looking over its shoulder at the colossal figure of John Paul II. Given the magnitude of John Paul’s accomplishment, and the widelyshared sentiment that John Paul II was a God-given blessing to

An open letter to my friends in Poland

ways wanted to know about the Poland in thanks for the counnew books, the new articles, and try’s fidelity during decades of the new arguments in my corner partition and totalitarian occuof the intellectual and cultural pation, that nostalgia is understandable. But it is now time to look forward, which is what Blessed John Paul II would want.

I’m often asked about the human traits

By George Weigel I saw in John Paul II. One answer I often give is that the late pope was the most intensely curious man I’ve ever known. He al- world. He even wanted to know the latest pope-jokes.

That intense curiosity was a matter of theology, not psychology. John Paul II truly believed that in the designs of Providence, there are no mere coincidences. What seems to us “coincidence” is actually an aspect of Providence we have not understood yet. So his curiosity was a matter of looking into “here” and “now” to see where the wind of the Holy Spirit might be blowing, and in what direction.

Polish Catholicism should adopt this future-oriented stance.

Remembering the John Paul II years should now be a remembering in service to the future.

The 21st century Church in Poland must take up John Paul’s challenge in the 1991 encyclical Redemptoris Missio and re-

The Catholic Difference

imagine itself as a Church that is a mission, not an institution for which mission is one among many activities. Or as John Paul put it in closing the Great Jubilee of 2000, the Church must leave the shallow water of institutional maintenance and put out “into the deep” of the New Evangelization.

How? The Polish Church must recognize that the faith can no longer be transmitted by the ambient culture; it has to be persuasively and courageously proposed. There is a compelling Catholic apologetic in the magisterium of Blessed John Paul II. Let Poland take the lead in translating this teaching into effective catechetical material.

Polish Catholicism has not fully developed its public voice, and when it speaks about public policy, it does not always speak in a vocabulary that everyone can understand. Developing a public voice that speaks to all is another important way for the Church in Poland to be a “John Paul II Church” looking forward, not backward.

Then there is Europe. John Paul II knew that “old Europe” was in serious trouble. In “new Europe,” in America, and in

their willingness to take the social doctrine of the Church seriously he saw a chance for the entire West to recover its Christian roots; not as a matter of reconstructing the old altarand-throne regimes but precisely in order to build the free and virtuous societies of the future. A Polish Church that helps Poland build a free and virtuous Europe for the future would be a Church living the legacy of John Paul II in public in a very important way.

Poland has to stop looking in the rear-view mirror. Strengthened by the great spiritual, moral, and intellectual patrimony left it by its noblest son, John Paul II, Polish Catholicism must now look boldly toward the future. Monuments will continue to be built throughout Poland to this man who changed the global Church and the course of 20th-century history, and that is fine. Yet the most fitting Polish monument to Blessed John Paul II, the pope who called the world to courage out of the depths of Poland’s own courage, would be a courageous Polish Catholicism that maintained its own vibrant faith while helping re-evangelize Europe.

George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

May 27, 2011

How not to have the perfect lawn

Friday 27 May 2011 — out in my own backyard — Memorial Day weekend hurch landscaping is important. It can say “Welcome” or it can say “Go away.” Over the years, in various parish assignments, I’ve done what I could to kick it up a notch (landscape, that is).

They tell me I have a green thumb. If so, I inherited it from my Portuguese grandfather; and he, in turn, from his.

One assignment had a parish center featuring a lovely interior courtyard open to the sky. The gravel ground cover, though, was lackluster. I solved the problem by embedding pots of

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The Anchor blooming plants in the gravel.

For cheap money, I turned the space into the centerpiece it was designed to be. But there was

The Ship’s Log Reflections of a Parish Priest

By Father Tim Goldrick no water source. I had to haul buckets of water from a faucet hundreds of yards away, through the building, down the carpeted corridor, and out into the courtyard. After several years, someone pointed out a small metal

plate half-buried in the gravel.

I thought it was just a mechanical connection to something or other. When I popped the cover, I found a hidden faucet. Grrrr.

In another parish, there was a huge but boring backyard. Over years, I planted shrubs, trees, and flowers with my own hands. Parishioners began to use it for outdoor functions. There had originally been only one small scraggly tree in the yard, but the tree was significant. It had been a gift to the pastor. I pruned it, fertilized it, watered it and, as a final touch, edged

Whither human dignity

The problem he says, rather, is hile much of the “puritanical America, infiltrated world has been alterby rigorous Protestantism,” nately stunned and entertained which cannot deal with issues by the saga surrounding the concerning “pleasures of the former head of the International flesh.”

Monetary Fund, let’s revisit While I am grieved by the a few basic facts. Dominique injury to actual persons in Strauss-Kahn was also the leadthis story, one couldn’t find a ing Socialist candidate poised more illustrative morality play. to run against French President Indeed, as time passes, Savary’s Nicholas Sarkosy. At the heart description of the hedonism of of socialism is its antagonism his colleague has been proven towards two things: private accurate, although evidently property and religion. Historically, socialists have worked diligently to secularize the public square, and their disdain for traditional morality is matched only by their contempt for the thought that

By Genevieve Kineke the human person has been created in the Divine image. the “pleasures” he pursued So now we have a powerwere not always shared by the ful social architect who finds women he chased. His previous himself face-to-face with a poor victims have now found their servant. When charged with voice, offering the media details bullying her in a reprehensible of similar boorish encounters, fashion, he responded by saying and a loosely-held secret nickthat their “liaison” was conname, The Seducer, has boiled sensual. The only thing left to to the surface. Seduce means exacerbate his vulgarity and her “to lead astray, as from duty, victimhood is his Amen Corner rectitude, or the like; corrupt.” (mostly European) which has Appropriately, it is also a name scorned her personally, further attributed to the devil himself, invaded her privacy by publigiven his success in corrupting cizing deeply personal details, Eve in the Garden of Eden. and denigrated her gall in unIs America the problem, as dermining his worldly prestige Savary suggests, despite the — how dare she! billions of dollars its citizens In fact, many across the spend on pornography? Despite pond are tut-tutting American its seeming disdain for chastity provincialism, in the manner of and modesty? Despite the fact Socialist member of European that its courts have increasingly Parliament, Gilles Savary, who ruled to suppress Christian noted, “Everyone knows that symbols for fear they will ofDominique Strauss-Kahn is a fend? libertine, and that he is distinAt present, what America guished from others by the fact does honor is the person before that he doesn’t try and hide it.”

The Feminine Genius

the law. Our system says that says the word of a chambermaid is taken as seriously as the word of an international banker.

And for whatever struggles our society is having with sexual morality, in principle we believe that the pleasures of the powerful cannot come at the expense of the weak.

And yet, we have two colliding world views which are undermining human dignity.

Some societies idolize property and obsess about wealth; and others prize pleasure and hold contempt for virtue — and many places combine the two, despite their fawning tributes to the common man.

Interestingly, materialists have a profoundly skewed approach to human value, only conferring personhood on those deemed worthy in their man-made constructs.

All told, sexual license is fundamental to socialism, and DSK’s behavior is entirely in keeping with his creed. Hence his antipathy for the very institutions that uphold virtue — that safeguard the human person.

If this intriguing drama could be plumbed for what it reveals about godless social constructs where many citizens are denied fundamental respect, then perhaps we might discover that Catholic ethics are the antidote for the appalling treatment of women on both extremes.

Mrs. Kineke is the author of “The Authentic Catholic Woman” (Servant Books) and blogs at feminine-genius. typepad.com

it. How was I to know that the tree had such shallow roots? The half-moon edger quickly sliced through the roots and the tree came crashing to the ground.

I was so shocked I didn’t have the presence of mind to shout, “Timber!” St. Fiacre, patron of gardeners, pray for me.

In still another parish assignment, as I was moving into the rectory, I happened to be lugging a rubber tree plant. The pastor approached and asked hopefully if I knew anything about plants. “Just a little,” I answered in complete honesty. He proceeded to tell me that he had appeared before the City Council to request permission for the removal of an abandoned building on the property. He agreed to the condition that the property was to be attractively landscaped following the demolition. The building was gone, but the property looked like it had been bombed. The parish could not afford to hire landscape designers. I ended up personally landscaping an entire city block of church property. Humberto Cardinal Medeiros himself, on a rare day-off, picked out some of the trees. That was many years ago. Every spring, I drive by to admire the now fullygrown weeping cherry trees and flowering dogwoods.

In another parish assignment, a parishioner who owned a landscape company donated a “Mary Garden.” There were formal walkways and boxwood hedges and garden beds. But the parish could not afford the long-term maintenance, so I did it myself. I got fresh air and exercise; it provided parishioners with a lovely place to sit, relax, and pray; and it was my way to privately honor the Blessed Mother.

I do not, dear readers, mow lawns. I’m not fond of them.

Perfectly manicured grass is just too costly and labor-intensive.

Lawns are also ecologically questionable, what with their chemical dependency and heavy water addiction. Americans inherited the concept of sweeping lawns from European aristocracy. Many American men spend much of their money, time, and energy striving to have the perfect lawn with which to impress their friends and neighbors. Not me.

If you insist on having the perfect lawn, you could install expensive in-ground irrigation.

With the setting of a timer, the sprinkler heads will pop up automatically. Of course, in order to calm irate neighbors during a water ban, you’ll need to post little signs that the public drinking supply is not being depleted.

Or, for only $200, you can spray-dye brown grass green. I am not making this up. You still have to water live grass, even if it’s dyed green. After three months the spray-painted lawn will turn an ugly shade of blue.

Then there’s the plastic lawn.

No matter how much you spend, “Astroturf” looks cheap. You can also cover your yard with concrete and paint it green, but I don’t recommend it.

There are ground covers other than grass: alternative plants or attractive pebbles, for example. The Japanese use lots of sand in their Zen gardens.

I’m just as eager as the next guy to get out there and plant a “knock-your-socks-off” yard, but at 65 years, my “get up and go got up and went” a long time ago (as they say). I’ll use lots of crushed stone and no more grass than absolutely necessary. It will be small. I will plant only in containers. Sorry, guys, but nolo contendere. I will not have the perfect lawn this summer, and that’s a guarantee.

Father Goldrick is pastor of St. Nicholas of Myra Parish in North Dighton.

5 Ann 0th ivers ary!

10

The Anchor

By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff

May 27, 2011

The recipe for Christian living and giving

FALL RIVER — If food is where the heart is, then the breads made at Açores Bakery in Fall River are filled with spiritual goodness. For Duarte and Venilde Camara, their bakery has become the cornerstone of their commitment to their parish and their faith.

“We have a lot of faith in everything,” said Venilde. “When people ask for help, we help.”

They bring a lot to St. Michael’s Parish in Fall River, their parish after coming from Portugal more than 32 years ago.

“They bring a lot to the parish and are very involved,” said pastor Father Edward Correia. “They do a lot of work behind the scenes.”

And he isn’t kidding. Though humble when asked to talk about their charitable work, within minutes the couple had recalled many ways in which they have tried to help others, especially by providing sweetbreads to everything from soup kitchens to fund-raisers. And they donate in the truest form of the word: from the ingredients to their time; everything they do is done for free.

“He is the one that is doing it,” laughed Venilde, motioning to her husband. “He doesn’t sleep. When he has something to do to help people, he’s the one.”

“With God’s help,” added Paula Correia, Venilde’s sister, who helped translate

on behalf of the couple. fle. Even though the team couldn’t send Working together has made them tickets, they acknowledged the effort the stronger, said Venilde. And when Correia young man made for his school. began to talk about how Venilde and DuThough always a giver by nature, arte’s compassion when Duarte lost had rubbed off on his 35-year-old their nephew, she brother John in began to tear up. a car accident “My kids go to and then lost Bishop Connolly, his 18-year-old and just recently nephew in a they had a breakmotorcycle acfast,” said Corcident, he rereia, pausing to doubled his efcompose herself. forts and does “And they said everything in they wanted to their memory, sell sweetbread.” especially for his When the kids brother. turned to their The inmates aunt and uncle at the Dartmouth for help, the House of Correccouple made the tions have been bread and then the recipients of waived away any their faith-filled payment. Their nature for the efforts are not past 15 years. lost on their own Recently, the progeny, as evicouple made 1,500 denced by a letter sweetbreads and their son wrote to received two letthe Boston Bruters of appreciains in hopes of Anchor Persons of the Week — tion. While some getting tickets to Venilde and Duarte Camara. (Photo by would wonder donate for a raf- Becky Aubut) where the other 1,498 thank-you notes went, Duarte cherishes the two letters, regardless.

“To him,” said Correia, “even if it was just one letter, it was like it was from everyone.” The personal, hand-written notes sent to them after this year’s contribution are a testament to the couple’s kindness.

“I would personally like to thank you for the sweetbread on Sunday. Usually no one cares; throw the key away, they say. But we are all men, we make mistakes but that doesn’t make us bad.

I have been to your bakery; I like your round bread. Thank you again, especially in this hard economic times,” wrote

Steven, an inmate at the house of corrections.

“Dear staff,” wrote a female inmate, “I would like to thank each and every one of you for your kindness in taking your time in thinking of us immigrant women. Your gift made all of us happy, it reminded me of wonderful times I had with my loved ones eating massa sovada. May God bless you abundantly, may He pour all His blessings on each and every one of you in Jesus’s name.”

The residents of Catholic Memorial Home in Fall River have also been the happy receivers of donated sweetbreads and malassadas; “Of course they want to pay, but my husband just gives everything,” said Venilde.

During Thanksgiving, the couple allows St. John of God in Somerset to use their ovens to cook turkeys. They have donated countless sweetbreads for fundraisers to benefit schools and individuals — like the young New Bedford girl who needed a wheelchair, or the disabled children in Portugal who needed to raise money for a bus.

Every year the couple takes part in the donations that are collected from area businesses and bakeries — donations that range from meats, wines and bread — to be blessed at St. Michael’s and distributed to the poorer families in the area.

Others assert that they never say no and never turn anyone away. They say they’re not rich. They didn’t win the lottery nor come into a large inheritance.

They own a simple bakery that operates on a simple premise — give, and you shall receive.

“First of all, it’s God,” said Venilde.

“It’s God helping us to do things like that.

He is the one. Second, [my husband] is very strong to do this.”

“One day, when he dies, hopefully he will get his reward,” said Correia, translating for Duarte. “God is the reward.”

To submit a Person of the Week nominee, send an email with information to fatherrogerlandry@anchornews.org

The Anchor

May 27, 2011

I

Freedom is not free

t was established following type of lifestyle we would be livone of the darkest times this ing right now. country has ever seen — the Civil We look at other countries War, which began 150 years ago, a where being a Christian or a Jew conflict that saw Americans killing or being a certain race or even sex Americans. is cause for abuse, imprisonment Memorial Day, first known as and even death.

Decoration Day, was established We may see this taking place, to honor the valiant soldiers from both sides who died in the bitter four-year struggle.

Shortly after World War I, Memorial Day would recognize all U.S. soldiers killed in battle.

By Dave Jolivet Unfortunately, there have been far too many men and women of all ages, races and creeds who made the but we have no idea what these ultimate sacrifice for this country. people are going through. Yet, had But as we all know, or should it not been for the spilled blood know, freedom is not free. of U.S. soldiers we may be in the No matter where one stands same shoes. on issues of war and peace, there Like them or not, U.S. soldiers is no debate that thanks to the have always stood up for the opcountless men and women who pressed, the victimized, and the put themselves in harm’s way for enslaved. If they don’t have your freedom, the rest of us can live our approval, they at least deserve lives pretty much as we choose, your respect and thanks. without fear of persecution or Why? Because aside from punishment. And that includes the Civil War, our soldiers have the ability to live out our Catholic always gone to battle on unfamilfaith. iar footing. They’ve battled evil in This ability did not come mud and snow, in searing tropical cheaply. climates and blinding desert sandIn World War I and II, it was storms. They’ve sloshed through our brave men and women who swamps and rice paddies, climbed saved our nation and the world mountains and scaled cliffs. from tyranny and occupation. Had They’ve spent days, weeks, not our troops defeated the threats months, and years away from to freedom, only God knows what home, loved ones, and the com-

My View From the Stands

To advertise in The Anchor, contact Wayne Powers at 508-6757151 or Email waynepowers@ anchornews.org

forts and enjoyments most of us take for granted on a daily basis.

All to keep us free and to liberate those who are not.

I totally agree with those who plead for dialogue to resolve differences, but as we’ve all seen, there are some who won’t listen and who won’t talk.

Soldiers aren’t politicians. They aren’t dictators. Their job is keep us free and safe.

The blood spilled by millions of U.S. soldiers through the years allows us to cook-out this weekend, to watch baseball and the Indy 500, and to enjoy family and friends. And that spilled blood also gives us the freedom to disparage the very people who preserve our rights. I hope we concentrate on the former and not the latter.

If anything, these soldiers, living or dead, deserve our thanks and prayers.

11

12

The Anchor

Talking it out — Dr. Mary Patricia Tranter, left, holds a roundtable discussion focused on end-oflife issues at Holy Family Parish in East Taunton. For three consecutive Wednesdays, Tranter helped those in attendance find a balance between their Catholic teachings and applying those ideals to individuals suffering from serious illnesses.

Living the faith at the end of life continued from page one

she does,” said Father Cook. “It’s being taught out of the Gospels and out of love for the patient, the awareness of the different types of care. As nurses, they are an important part of focusing on and helping the person in their faith and their suffering.”

Father Cook reached out to Dr. Mary Patricia Tranter, president of Coyle and Cassidy High School and teacher of a bioethics class at the school, and chairman of the Ethics Board at Good Samaritan Hospital. She was also part of the Support of Life Campaign in the mid-90s, writing and publishing a training manual focused on end-oflife issues from the Catholic perspective.

“I think there is a general misconception that the Church expects us to use all means to prolong life,” said Tranter, “and because of that misconception, very often you will get into discussions — and sometimes arguments — with individuals over a ventilator and feeding tubes.”

There are times when it is morally permissible to remove a ventilator or feeding tube, and there are times when it is not, said Tranter.

“The Church recognizes there is a time when natural death will be the ultimate end, and that it is OK for treatment to move from the curative to the palliative,” said Tranter, referring to specialized care focused on pain, stress and symptoms of a serious illness.

With Father Cook’s blessing, Tranter addressed these issues during a roundtable discussion, guiding not only nurses but also interested parishioners through the history of medicine and how to apply Catholic faith principles in certain circumstances.

Tranter said that when applying Catholic morals to end-of-life issues, the basic fundamental tenet is that all human life is sacred from the moment of conception to the time of natural death. It’s when there is no reasonable hope of sustaining life, when death is immi-

nent, that it’s possible to chose to make the patient as comfortable as possible and stop treatment.

For example, said Tranter, when a patient is experiencing multiorgan failure from a progressive disease like cancer, the liver and kidneys shut and down stop the patient from assimilating nutrients into his or her body.

“If the kidneys have shut down and you continue to infuse fluids, then the kidneys can’t filter the blood and fluids would build up; tissues would become edematous,” said Tranter, thus causing additional suffering to the patient.

Instead, said Tranter, it’s possible to take the palliative care approach by making the patient as comfortable as possible, “so the patient wouldn’t have discomfort and be able to die naturally.”

“On the opposite extreme, and the one that probably causes the most controversy and discussion, is when you may have a brain-injured patient who is not able to feed himself and requires a feeding tube for nutrition,” said Tranter. “The patient does not have a terminal illness, death is not imminent and the body physiologically can process the food and hydration. In that instance, to remove the feeding tube would impose another cause of death — starvation.”

Some individuals have tried to justify their actions by highlighting their circumstances or intentions, said Tranter, trying to find the good in their decisions; but “when you are judging a moral action, all actions need to be good in order for the act to be good. There are some actions that are, in and of themselves, considered to be intrinsically evil,” said Tranter, such as abortions, euthanasia and assisted suicide.

In the last 15 years, the hospice and palliative care movement has really taken shape, said Tranter, and there are good drugs that can manage the pain; not only is morphine used more effectively but other drugs have been created to

alleviate pain.

“I think people have come to realize with hospice and palliative care,” said Tranter, “that people can die a comfortable death and not have that same fear of pain and suffering. If you truly understand the process, and the signs and symptoms of dying and are open to it, bring in that whole palliative care notion. Then patients and families can be more comfortable with the dying process.”

John Powers, a parishioner of Holy Family Parish, attended the seminars with his wife. Neither are medical professionals, but Powers appreciated all that Tranter had to say.

“It was comfortable but emotional,” said Powers. “It was deep and you had to think.”

Each session built on the one previous, and Powers said he was content to listen to the dialogue going back and forth between the nurses, offering up ideas when he could. Both he and his wife watched their mothers die, and Powers said that when he was younger, he had a brother-in-law on a feeding tube for years. Now that he and his wife are getting up there in years, said Powers, opening a dialogue not only with each other but also with their children, is something that needs to be done.

“It’s something that needs to be addressed. We all die but I never gave it much thought. My wish was that I’d just die without any problem,” said Powers. “To me, it hits the conscience. You’ve got the Catholic version and you’ve got the secular version, and the whole dignity of life. It’s not what we the people who are not dying feel is hurting us, it’s what benefits or doesn’t benefit the patient.”

That’s the message that Tranter wants to get across, that it’s about the patient who is dying, not those who are living. There is also a battle waging on the other side of the coin, said Tranter, where some people feel that those suffering should be put out of their misery.

May 27, 2011 Back in 1997, the state of Oregon legalized physician’s assisted suicide, sparking controversy across the nation. Currently nine states, including Massachusetts, criminalize assisted suicide through common-law; 34 states have statutes explicitly criminalizing assisted suicide; only three states, Oregon, Washington, and Montana, permit physician assisted suicide. Now more than a decade later, Tranter feels that people are still not as informed as they should be.

“I think people have become pretty neutral on the subject,” she said. “The more ignorant we are about death, and the more we don’t want to talk about dying, the more difficult this is going to be because we will not avail ourselves of those things that will keep us comfortable.”

Father Cook knows that having Tranter teach a seminar dealing with end-of-life issues was just a drop in a very large bucket, but he is hoping that other parishes in the diocese will feel the ripples.

“Among the nurses, there was a clear discussion of the differences when you are dealing with a person of faith,” he said, adding that there were a few nurses from other parishes who also attended. “They were talking about the beauty of the experience when the person has accepted that he or she dying. Many times when they are approaching death with that experience of faith, even with the pain, there’s a beauty to the whole mystery. Many say you experience the presence of the Lord in those moments.”

Many of the non-medical individuals who attended the seminars may have had a bad experience that put a real fear of dying in their minds and now don’t know how to cope, said Tranter. Having nurses from a few parishes that work in local hospitals attending and learning how to balance their profession and their faith is beneficial to everyone.

“I think the whole concept of the parish nurse is a great way to go,” said Tranter. “You’re talking about individuals who are medical professionals you can trust medically and also know share the same faith values.”

Knowledge is power, said Tranter, who during the height of the controversy in the mid-90s was also holding seminars; a passionate subject she would be willing to bring to any parish for its own roundtable discussion.

“I don’t think there are enough resources out there for the average family or person,” said Tranter, who commended Father Cook and the nurses for reigniting the debate. “They saw this as a need because it is clearly a need everywhere. Education is critical.

I’m not sure that we, as a Catholic community, are doing enough to educate our parishioners and fellow Catholics on many ethical issues, end-of-life is only one of them. I think it really is: how do we empower people to get actively involved in taking up the challenge to educate each other, and open up vehicles of communication so that people aren’t afraid to ask those questions?”

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6

Sunday, May 29, 10:30 a.m.

(Please note: Special time this week because of the Indianapolis 500 airing. The Mass will resume its normal slot next week. ) Celebrant is Msgr. Stephen J. Avila, pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in Mansfield

May 27, 2011

T

13

The Anchor

Dead people and some living ones who have inspired holiness

wo new books by New York priests, Father George Rutler’s “Cloud of Witnesses: Dead People I Knew When They Were Alive” (Scepter, 2010), and Father Benedict Groeschel’s “Travelers Along the Way: The Men and Women Who Shaped My Life” (Servant Books, 2010), offer character sketches of people in modern America who have influenced them in their quest for holiness. Both books are great reads, shimmering with characters who exude much holiness, humanity and humor.

Not surprisingly, some of the same people are sketched: Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata; Cardinal Terence Cooke, Archbishop of New York; Cardinal Avery Dulles, the outstanding Jesuit theologian who converted to Catholicism while at Harvard and went on to teach at Fordham University; Father Richard John Neuhaus, another convert, who created and brilliantly edited First Things magazine.

and moral teaching. Think, for Only Father Rutler sketches example, of the numbers of Blessed John Paul II, presumCatholics who get divorced. (A ably because he had personal recent sad example is Arnold interactions with him that Schwarzenegger and Maria Father Groeschel didn’t, and only Father Groeschel sketches Shriver.) We need realistic Mother Angelica, who founded EWTN and hired both Fathers Groeschel and Rutler to host their own shows on cable.

(Father Rutler doesn’t sketch Mother AngelBy Dwight Duncan ica because he is only writing about those who have died.) reminders of the Church’s holiBoth books, each in its own ness. way, offer extremely imporHow wonderful is it, then, to tant testimony to the reality of holiness in the Catholic Church read about the Capuchin Father Solanus Casey, whose heroic in modern America. This is virtue has been decreed by the important because we are all Vatican, and who lived with the too familiar with the bad news young novice Benedict Groeabout the Church and the sins schel in the 1950s: “As a young of Church people. Obviously, novice, I was unable to sleep the priestly sex abuse scandals one night. Finally, I gave up still haunt us, and we are too trying, and about two o’clock familiar with the phenomenon in the morning, I went down to of Catholics who are unfaiththe darkened chapel to pray. I ful to the Church’s doctrinal

Judge For Yourself

assumed I would be alone, but it turned out that I was not.

“As I turned on the two strong lights that were trained on the altar, I discovered Father Solanus in front of me, kneeling on the top step in front of the tabernacle.

Seeing him was a shock, because he was clearly in some kind of ecstasy and completely unaware of my presence. He didn’t even realize that I had turned on the lights.

His eyes were fixed on the door of the tabernacle. The arms of this elderly man were extended outward in prayer, and as the seconds passed, I realized he was absolutely unmoving; his arms did not tremble in the slightest.

“I watched for a few minutes, and during that time he did not move at all. I then put out the lights and went back to my room, feeling very embarrassed.”

Or Father Rutler on Wel-

lington Mara, the owner of the New York Giants and architect of the National Football League: “The father of 11 children and grandfather of more than 40. He and Ann attended daily Mass all their lives and raised their children in the faith. When Christmas approached, his note on the refrigerator, where teen-agers were wont to gather, read, ‘No Confession, No Santa.’ The Rosary he was buried holding was not decoration: he prayed it constantly each day. The long lines at his wake over two days and the overflowing cathedral and stopped traffic in midtown Manhattan were tributes to a grand man.”

Be amused and enthused and edified by the wonderful men and women that these holy and eloquent priests have written about. Learn how attractive and compelling holiness really is.

Dwight Duncan is a professor at UMass School of Law Dartmouth. He holds degrees in civil and canon law.

longevity.

After founding pastor Father Antonio Carmo became ill, Father Joaquim Moreira and Father Artur dos Reis filled in as administrators until Father Jose Augusto Martins was appointed pastor in 1930.

In 1932 Father Luiz C. da Silva presided in the interim until Father dos Reis was appointed pastor in March 1933.

In August of 1955 Father Laureanno C. dos Reis was named the fourth pastor of the parish, who presided over the 50th anniversary celebration and also led the effort to build the new church in 1967.

Father dos Reis was the longest pastor ever to serve the parish until his retirement in 1981.

In late September 1981 Father Evaristo Tavares was appointed the fifth pastor of St. Anthony’s, serving until 1991 when Father Edward Correia became the sixth pastor.

In June of 1994 Father Gastao Oliveira was appointed the seventh pastor of St. Anthony’s Parish, serving one year until Father John C. Martins was appointed pastor in 1995.

“Father Martins, who I succeeded here as pastor, always told me this would be a good parish for me,” Father Albino said. “I’m really happy to be here: these are excellent people.”

Sadly, Father Martins passed away in 2008 shortly after retiring from St. Anthony’s Parish, which Father Albino regrets since he would have played a key role in the centennial celebration this weekend.

“I feel bad the poor man passed away right after his retirement — he didn’t get a chance to do anything,” Father Albino said. “He would have been the one I would have invited to offer a keynote speech for the centennial.”

Father Albino did confirm that former pastor Father Edward Correia would be attending the anniversary Mass Sunday.

“Looking back over 100 years, I’m always humbled by the fact that people who made merely nickels and dimes sacrificed so much to put up a house of God, which ended up being a central part of their community,” Father Albino said. “Just the faith and devotion the people had back then to build such beautiful churches is amazing. Back then, the parish church was the center of their lives — both socially and religiously.”

“I think about that phrase, ‘We stand on the shoulders of giants,’ and in this case it’s so true,” Father Albino added.

“Just think about the real, profound faith those people had to leave us this legacy.”

St. Anthony’s Parish in Fall River prepares to celebrate centennial continued from page one

tially celebrated Masses in the basement of the old St. Roch’s Church and Bishop Feehan appointed Father Antonio Carmo, who was then assistant pastor at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in New Bedford, to take up permanent residence here on Davis Street so he could continue to celebrate Masses.

They later made a deal with Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish to use their basement for Masses and services.”

According to Father Albino, it didn’t take long before even those temporary locations were no longer sufficient to meet the demand, and by April of 1911 Father Carmo proposed to Bishop Feehan that the parish should have its own church, to be built with funds raised by the parishioners themselves.

“The original church was built on property where the existing parking lot is; at the time it was a sandlot baseball field that the diocese purchased,” Father Albino said. “The first church was dedicated in 1913.”

It was Feb. 2, 1913 to be exact that St. Anthony of Padua Parish was dedicated and officially joined the ranks of the aforementioned Santo Christo, Espirito Santo and St. Michael’s parishes as one of the first Portuguese parishes in the city.

The St. Anthony of Padua Parish community will mark

this milestone Sunday with a special Mass at 3 p.m. celebrated by Bishop George W. Coleman to be followed by a ticketed reception at White’s of Westport at 6 p.m.

“I’ve only been the pastor here for four years this June, so I sort of walked into the 100th anniversary celebration,” Father Albino said. “I’ve never had to put together one of these before, but fortunately we had a good committee here that helped to start the planning process last year.”

As a second-generation Portuguese himself who grew up attending Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in New Bedford, Father Albino said he’s proud to be celebrating the rich history of a parish that has survived so much.

“This parish has survived World War I, World War II and the Great Depression,” he said.

“This parish has a really good history as far as participation and personal sacrifices.”

Shortly after the last major parochial milestone, Father Albino noted how the parishioners once again banded together to decide to build a new church as the original 50-yearold edifice was deemed beyond repair.

“The original church used to be where the parking lot is now,” Father Albino said. “The old church was torn down and the current one was built in

1967.”

While the original church building resembled the architecture of the existing parish rectory, the newer more modern church would boast a 100foot tower topped with a cross at its peak and a baptistery set apart from the main body of the church enclosed with glazed marble and stained glass.

The current St. Anthony of Padua Church was officially dedicated on May 28, 1969 by Bishop James L. Connolly.

“Today we have about 1,100 families or about 3,000 parishioners,” Father Albino said.

“We still have two big feasts a year — the Holy Ghost and St. Anthony’s feast. We have about 200 kids in the CCD program, along with very active parish societies.”

Father Albino said even after four years he’s still impressed by how dedicated his parishioners are when it comes to parish functions.

“One of the things that still amazes and astounds me every year is the work everyone puts in for the annual feasts,” he said. “We put up a big tent here in the parking lot, and we offer a free dinner outside for the Holy Ghost feast where more than 300 people receive sopas for free. Everything is still done the way it’s always been done.”

Tradition remains an important reason for the parish’s

14

The Catholic Response

May 27, 2011

of the Church’s “unshakeable commitment to protect our children” and make Church facilities and programs safe environments for minors. He also urged anyone who had been abused by a Church official to contact the archdiocese.

Archbishop Dolan similarly apologized to abuse victims in his statement.

The archbishops praised local efforts of archdiocesan programs in place to implement the charter

and provide safe environments for young people today, emphasizing such steps are key to preventing further abuse.

“After the painful revelations of the sexual abuse crisis, the only greater sin our Church could commit would be a failure to follow the very policies and procedures we have in place to protect children and root out abusers. And that can never happen,” said Archbishop O’Brien.

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Several commonly held assumptions about clergy sexual abuse of minors are actually misperceptions, according to the report released May 18 on a major study of the causes and context of the problem in the United States.

The study, released at the headquarters of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, was conducted by a team of researchers at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York.

“No single psychological, developmental or behavioral characteristic differentiated priests who abused minors from those who did not,” the report said.

Furthermore, it was found that “the majority of priests who abused were not driven by particular pathologies, and most did not ‘specialize’ in abuse of particular types of victims.” The report said 70 percent of priests referred for abusing a minor “had also had sexual behavior with adults.”

It often is thought that the sexual abuse crisis in the Church continues unabated today, the report observed. But it said “the peak of the crisis has passed.” It said the church “responded,” abuse cases decreased substantially and clergy sexual abuse of minors “continues to remain low.”

Data show that abuse incidents were “highest between the mid1960s and the mid-1980s,” the report noted. “Ninety-four percent of the abuse incidents reported to the Catholic Church from 1950 through 2009 took place before 1990,” it said. Currently, “fewer new reports are brought forward” each year.

The researchers pointed to “archival data” they analyzed indicating that during the 1990s, despite reports of sexual abuse received

by Church leaders, “the extent of the incidence of sexual abuse was not known” by them, “and the historical dimension of it also was not known.”

Certain misperceptions regarding the abusers’ sexuality were spelled out by the report. It said: — “Media reports about Catholic priests who sexually abused minors often mistakenly have referred to priests as pedophiles.”

The report called attention to clinical descriptions of pedophilia

that speak of “fantasies, urges or behaviors about sexual activity with a prepubescent child that occurs for a significant period of time.” However, it said, nearly four out of five minors abused were 11 or older at the time of the abuse.

Eleven generally is regarded in professional literature “as an age of pubescence or postpubescence,” the report noted. It said less than five percent of priests with abuse allegations exhibited behavior consistent with actual pedophilia.

— “Clinical data do not support the hypothesis that priests with a homosexual identity are significantly more likely to sexually abuse” minors than priests “with a heterosexual orientation or behavior.”

However, “because of the large number of sexual abuse victims who were male minors,” homosexuality’s role in the abuse “has been a notable question,” the report explained. It considered it “important to note that sexual behavior does not necessarily correspond to a particular sexual identity.”

A possible reason that so many male minors were abused is that priests had greater access to them, the report speculated.

The study showed that “the only significant risk factor related to sexual identity and behavior was a ‘confused’ sexual identity, and this condition was most commonly found in abusers who were ordained prior to the 1960s.”

Neither celibacy nor the Church’s male priesthood undergirded the sexual abuse problem, the report said. “Features and characteristics of the Catholic Church, such as an exclusively male priesthood and the commitment to celibate chastity, were invariant during the increase, peak and decrease in abuse incidents, and thus are not causes of the ‘crisis,’” it said.

Priestly celibacy, consistently practiced in the Church over many centuries, cannot explain the spike of abuse cases from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s and the steep decline after 1985, the report added.

The sexual abuse of minors “is not a phenomenon unique to the Catholic Church,” the report said. It referred to abuse of this kind as a “pervasive and persistent” problem often found in organizations where “mentoring and nurturing relationships develop between adults and young people.”

Misperceptions of abuse problem common, John Jay report says

protecting children — Karen Terry, principal investigator for the John Jay College report on the causes and context of clergy sexual abuse, speaks during a press conference at the headquarters of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington May 18. Seated center is Blase J. Cupich of Spokane, Wash., chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People, and Diane Knight, chairman of the National Review Board. The report said there is “no single identifiable ‘cause’ of sexually abusive behavior toward minors and encouraged steps to deny abusers “the opportunity to abuse.” (CNS photo/Nancy Wiechec)

U.S. bishops say new John Jay report on abuse key to understanding issue

WASHINGTON (CNS) — U.S. Catholic bishops called the newlyreleased report on the causes and context of clergy sexual abuse an important tool to gain insight into the scope of the problem and prevent it from occurring in the future.

“It is important for us to understand, as completely and accurately as we are able, the causes and context of this problem in order to respond appropriately for the safety and protection of our children and young people,” wrote St. Louis Archbishop Robert J. Carlson in an editorial for the St. Louis Review, archdiocesan newspaper.

The report: “The Causes and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors

by Catholic Priests in the United States, 1950-2010,” was released May 18. It was conducted by a team of researchers at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York and commissioned by the National Review Board, a lay consultative body created in 2002 under the bishops’ “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.”

An earlier study on the nature and scope of abuse appeared in February 2004. The causes and context study commenced in 2006.

Detroit Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron called the comprehensive report “both sobering and significant,” saying in a May 18 statement that it was “yet another indicator to keep us vigilant in our efforts for the protection of children and youth.”

New York Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the report pointed out “that

there was no single cause that led to the sexual abuse crisis. Neither celibacy, as some have suggested, nor homosexuality, as others have claimed, has been found to be a reason why a person would engage in sexual abuse of a minor.”

He also said in a statement that the study “is a report to the bishops of the United States, not from them,” noting that initial reaction to it was critical of U.S. bishops.

Members of Catholic groups unhappy with the study protested outside USCCB headquarters immediately before the document’s release. Participants from Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, known as SNAP, Voice of the Faithful and bishopsaccountability.org, described the study as flawed, biased and not addressing the scope of the abuse crisis.

A handful of protesters carried signs reading: “Not True: Crisis Is Not Foreseeable” and “Not True: Crisis Was Long Ago.” Becky Ianni, director of SNAP in Washington and Virginia, told Catholic News Service she would like to see a study of bishops who moved abusive priests to other locations more than a study of abusive priests. Ianni, who was abused by a priest when she was a child, also said it minimizes her suffering to hear that the abuse she experienced was a “product of the time period,” referring to the report’s link of clerical abuse to the social upheaval of the 1960s and 1970s.

The report showed that sexual abuse of minors by priests “increased steadily from the mid1960s through the late 1970s, then declined in the 1980s and continues

to remain low. Most abuse incidents occurred decades ago.”

Baltimore Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien said that the report’s link of increase number of abuse cases during a socially turbulent time period should not provide consolation.

“While it may be comforting for some to learn that there is nothing intrinsic in our Church or its makeup that contributes to the presence of sexual abuse, it does not mitigate the damaging effects of sexual abuse that did occur in our Church,” he said in a column for The Catholic Review, the archdiocesan newspaper.

He also noted that although the abuse crisis is “a historical problem,” it has “not been completely eradicated from our Church or from our society. We have the responsibility to protect children entrusted to our care and we must be ever vigilant in our efforts to prevent any incident of sexual abuse.”

Archbishop Dolan pointed out that the sexual abuse of minors affects every family, religion, school, organization, institution and profession in society and credited the U.S. Catholic Church for being “the first group anywhere to contract a professional agency” to examine the “causes and contexts of this scourge.” He also said the study closely mirrors what has taken place in the New York Archdiocese, specifically that the vast majority of sexual abuse occurred decades ago and has declined sharply in the Catholic Church since 1985.

Archbishop Carlson apologized to those who had been abused by Church officials and assured them

May 27, 2011

15

The Catholic Response

No room for complacency in protecting children from abuse, bishop says

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Although a new report on the causes and context of child sexual abuse by Catholic clergy says it is primarily a historical problem, the Church must guard against complacency, two key figures in the release of the report said at a Washington news conference.

“There is no room for fatigue or feeling that people have heard enough when it comes to efforts to protect children,” said Bishop Blase J. Cupich of Spokane, Wash., chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People.

Diane Knight, a retired Milwaukee social worker who chairs the all-lay National Review Board, said the report’s findings that the Church’s actions since 2002 have been “effective in preventing further acts of abuse” should in no way “lull us as a Church into complacency.”

“There will always be adults who are attracted to children in society and in the Church,” Knight said. “Thus, we must always be on guard and do all that is possible to prevent sexual abuse.”

The two spoke May 18 following the release of a report by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York on “The Causes and

Context of Sexual Abuse of Mi- abuse of children “is a human rible acts of abuse that occurred. nors by Catholic Priests in the problem,” not just a Church There are no excuses.

United States, 1950-2010.” The problem.

“There is much that the report was commissioned by the “Our Church is committed to church has to learn from this reNational Review Board as part being part of the solution,” he port, and much of it is difficult,” of its mandate under the bishops’ said. “The very fear that abuse she added. “The bottom line is 2002 “Charter for the Protection would ever recur in the Church that the Church was wrong not to of Children and Young People.” compels us to take whatever ac- put children first for all of those They were joined at an after- tion is needed to see that it does years, all of those decades.” noon news conference Knight said the in the headquarters of sexual abuse crisis had here is no room for fatigue or caused a “shattering of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops feeling that people have heard trust in God’s very repby Karen Terry, princi- enough when it comes to efforts to pro- resentatives.” pal investigator for the “We would be a sorry tect children,” said Bishop Blase J. CuJohn Jay study.

Church if such news of “The problem of pich of Spokane, Wash., chairman of the sexual abuse were treatsexual abuse of minors U.S. bishops’ Committee on the Protec- ed as commonplace,”

by Catholic priests in tion of Children and Young People. she said. “Protection of the United States is children must be part largely historical, and and parcel of every parthe bulk of cases occurred de- not arise again.” ish, school and faith community cades ago,” Terry said.

He also pledged the bishops to in America, indeed, in the entire But, she added, “the vulner- “build partnerships with leaders world.” ability to abuse remains a risk in the civic community to rally The U.S. bishops are to rein any organization where adults the entire adult world to put an view their 2002 charter during form mentoring and nurturing re- end to this societal scourge.” their June meeting in Seattle, but lationships with minors.”

Bishop Cupich praised the Bishop Cupich said its policy of In response to a question, John Jay researchers and the “zero tolerance” for any priest Terry stressed that the report funders of the study “for helping credibly accused of sexual abuse was prepared independently by us better understand what hap- of a minor “must remain in efthe John Jay researchers, with- pened in this sickening period of fect.” out any influence on the findings our history.”

That policy not only protects from the bishops or the National Knight, who has served on children, he said, but also proReview Board. the National Review Board tects “the tens of thousands of “We did the work, we did the since 2007 and chaired it since priests who have suffered greatly writing, we came to the conclu- 2009, said nothing in the John in this crisis, all the while quietly sions,” she said.

Jay report “should be interpreted serving with honor and self-sacBishop Cupich said the sexual as making excuses for the ter- rifice every day of their lives.”

Asked why bishops sometimes returned abusive priests to ministry with children after treat-

WASHINGTON (CNS) — It is “critical to build safety barriers around children and young people to keep them from harm,” said Teresa M. Kettelkamp, executive director of the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington.

The barriers she had in mind take the form of “protective guardians, codes of conduct, background evaluations, policies and procedures, and safety training programs” aimed at preventing sexual abuse of minors.

In a discussion of safe environment programs, Kettelkamp posted 10 child-protection points on her office’s website.

A report released May 18 in Washington on a major study of the causes and context of the sexual abuse of minors in the church accented the value of safe environment programs.

“No one has the right to have access to children,” Kettelkamp said. She insisted that “background checks work,” keeping “predators away from children” in churches, schools

and other organizations.

The U.S. bishops’ 2002 “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People” created Kettelkamp’s office. It staffs the bishops’ Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People. Helping dioceses implement safe environment programs is a key priority.

Safe environment programs should make clear to everyone in the community “the standards of conduct for clergy and other persons in positions of trust with regard to sexual abuse,” the charter said.

The programs equip children, youths, parents, ministers, educators, volunteers and others to recognize the warning signs and grooming techniques of potential sexual abusers. For example, Kettelkamp said: — Some seek “age-inappropriate relationships” and are “more comfortable with children than fellow adults.”

— Some abusers give potential victims “undue attention or lavish gifts.”

— Some allow “young peo-

“T

Diocesan programs help build ‘safety barriers’ against child abusers

ple to participate in activities” their parents would disapprove of, such as viewing pornography or consuming alcohol.

Today, safe environment programs exist in the vast majority of U.S. dioceses. Diocesan websites commonly provide an easy-to-spot link to the local Church’s program.

At a May 18 news conference, Bishop Blase J. Cupich of Spokane, Wash., chairman of the USCCB Committee on Protection of Children and Young People, said the report shows that in terms of safe environment programs, “what we are doing works.”

“Our children know to run away and to speak up when someone or something makes them feel uncomfortable,” he said. “Protection of children is now a regular part of every Church ministry and service.”

Bishop Cupich said more than 5.3 million children and more than two million “adults who serve the church through our schools, churches and youth groups” have received safe environment training to date.

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ment, Bishop Cupich said those decisions were based on “the science of the day,” which indicated that a person could be “cured” of abusive behavior.

“That was a bad mistake, shared by people across the board,” he said. “We know better now.”

Terry, dean of research and strategic partnerships at John Jay, defended the report’s findings that few of the priests who abused minors during the peak of the abuse crisis in the 1960s and 1970s were pedophiles.

“Very few priests exhibited behavior consistent with the persistent abuse of prepubescent children,” she said. Instead, she said, the majority were “generalists” who abused multiple minors of different ages based on the opportunities available to them.

For the purpose of comparing the behavior of sex offenders, the John Jay report defined a priest-abuser of children age 11 or younger as a pedophile, and a priest-abuser whose victims were all boys over age 12 as an “ephebophile.”

In addition, Terry said, most of the victims of abusive priests were young males, not because most priest-abusers were homosexuals, but because their work gave them more access to males and more opportunities to abuse them.

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Youth Pages

16

May 27, 2011

COMMUNION CLASS — Amy Madeira’s second-graders at St. Michael School in Fall River recently celebrated their First Communion. Pictured are this year’s class.

web weaver — William McKeeman, center, a senior at Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth has been chosen as one of the two high school state finalists in the 2011 Doodle 4 Google national competition, open to K-12 students of U.S. schools to create their own Google doodle inspired by the theme, “What I’d like to do someday…” Two students in each of four-grade groupings per state were selected from more than 107,000 compositions for a total of 400 finalists. McKeeman’s entry, “Save A Life,” (inset) is featured on the Doodle 4 Google website as one of only two Massachusetts finalists. The winner of the competition will take home a $15,000 college scholarship and a $25,000 technology grant for their school, among many other prizes. Fine Arts teacher Alyssa Adriance, left, encouraged her students to enter the national competition. Also pictured is Stang principal, Peter Shaughnessy.

olÉ seÑoritas — From left, Bishop Feehan High School (Attleboro) senior Meghan Casey, juniors Lindsey and Lauren Claus, and Laura Clerx were winners of three prestigious Spanish awards. The National Spanish Honor Society awarded Casey a $2,000 Spanish Honor Society Senior Scholarship. The Claus sisters placed third nationally with a monetary prize of $100 in the first annual Spanish Honor Society video contest. They had to create and perform a two-minute video in Spanish highlighting Spanish Honor Society activities. Clerx was awarded the Spanish Honor Society Bertie Green Travel Scholarship to Argentina. She will be traveling to Argentina this July with the other winners and Spanish Honor Society board members.

The Anchor is always pleased to run news and photos about our diocesan youth.

If schools or parish Religious Education programs, have newsworthy stories and photos they would like to share with our readers, send them to: schools@anchornews.org

good citizens — St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro recently received an entertaining visit from “Officer Phil.” The Officer Phil national program educates children about safety, crime prevention, values and responsibility in a way they will understand. It also teaches them to build respect and strengthen relationships with authority figures such as parents, police and educators. The professional animator uses magic, ventriloquism and technology to educate through entertainment.

The Attleboro Police Department sponsors the Officer Phil Program which allows St. John’s to receive an annual visit. The program has been around since 1975 and is geared toward students from kindergarten through grade four. In addition to the live animated presentation, each child received an activity workbook. Pictured are Seamus Sutula, Kendahl Nye and Kate Blazejewski with Officer Phil as they discuss topics such as sportsmanship and bullying.

Youth Pages

May 27, 2011

W

hile I sit at my computer typing this column, the news media and Internet are abuzz with doomsday prophecies claiming that the world will end on Saturday, May 21. If you are reading this, then congratulations on surviving yet another false prophecy (just in time to gear up for the superhyped Mayan 2012 doomsday prophecy!) On the other hand, if you are not reading this, then our time together over the last several years has been fun!

Since the dawn of time — or at least since Adam and Eve’s exile from Eden — mankind has tried to predict how “near” the end actually is. They apparently never heard of the phrase, “In God’s time, not ours.” There are, however, a few ends that are very near… …the end of high school or

FALL RIVER — The ProLife Apostolate has announced that the first annual Diocesan Pro-Life Boot Camp will take place on the campus of Stonehill College in North Easton from July 15 through July 17.

Pro-Life Boot Camp offers students opportunities for daily Mass, introduction to Theology of the Body (writings of Pope John Paul II), praise and worship, prayer time at a local abortion center, and time to create and perform fun Pro-Life skits. In addition, the attendees perform service projects for families in need through Pro-Life and pro-family organizations.

Monica Ashour, MTS, M.Hum., will be featured at the event. Ashour is cofounder of the Theology of the Body Evangelization Team, Inc. (TOBET: www.tobet.org).

Before becoming a national speaker, she served as campus minister at St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Texas A&M University. The Oct. 24, 2010 issue of Our Sunday Visitor lists Ashour as one of the top 10 speakers in the nation saying: “Although Ashour, who cofounded the Texas-based Theology of the Body Evangelization Team, speaks to adults as well as teens, there are few speakers as experienced and gifted as Ashour at reaching young Catholics.” Ashour also

The end is near

as if they deem their faith as college for the seniors.

And the end of parish Faith inconsequential and irrelevant to their lives. Church Formation programs, which becomes “that thing I had to unfortunately for too many do to receive the Sacrament means the end of attending of Confirmation” rather than Sunday Mass until the start of next fall’s Faith Formation program.

But with all ends, come new beginnings.

For our high school and college seniors, this is the start of a

By Crystal Medeiros new chapter in their lives; one in which they come to a better a daily, lived reality. Faith understanding of who they becomes a part of their past are as individuals, separate rather than an integral part of and apart from their families their present. and comfortable school surDoes this apply to every roundings. This is a period of enlightenment so to speak. youth and young adult? Of All too often, however, youth course not. It is, never the less, a generalization that and young adults place Jesus fairly applies to far too many Christ and their Catholic young people. So instead of faith on the back burner — if resting on laurels (or sand) they don’t abandon anything this summer, here is a sumfaith-related altogether! It is

Be Not Afraid

17 mer challenge for all graduating seniors (high school and college) as well as those (young and old) who are on vacation from faith formation: 1.) Attend Mass every Sunday.

2.) Pray. Spend some alone time with Jesus this summer.

Pray with Sacred Scripture; pray in the car on the way to work; pray while sitting at the beach.

Simply spend at least five minutes in quiet prayer and reflection each day.

3.) Share your faith with others. Do not be afraid to talk about your faith, not only with Catholic friends or family but with people of other faiths as well.

4.) Ask questions of your priests, youth ministers or Religious Education direc-

Diocese of Fall River to host first annual Pro-Life Boot Camp at Stonehill College from July 15-17 enjoyed 18 years teaching theology in the high school classroom. She is an inspirational speaker and a great motivator for the youth.

Jocelyn Trindade, Youth Coordinator for the event told The Anchor, “During this Boot Camp, our goal is that young people will come to understand that Christ taught us how to be fully human and that He came ‘that we might have life

to the full,’ which does not entail boredom and ‘floating downstream’ like the world is teaching us to believe.

“We will be learning how to strive for the highest goals, not settle for mediocrity, and come to understand that in this often-time difficult process is found joy and life — in a word – Christ! It will be a weekend that will change hearts and build up the culture of life here

in the diocese.”

The registration fee is $125 for the weekend, and space is limited. Make checks payable to the Pro-Life Apostolate and write “Pro-Life Boot Camp” on the memo line. Enrollment is not guaranteed until one has paid and turned in forms. The Pro-Life Apostolate is limited in the total number of participants this year and expects to reach capacity very quickly.

tors. They are wonderful resources and can guide or help you discover answers to questions you may have about the faith. They are much more reliable than Wikipedia!

5.) Act. Engage in at least one act of Christian service this summer. Look to the Corporal Works of Mercy for guidance and direction.

Faith Formation is ongoing and lifelong. It does not take a summer respite. Allow your faith to grow for it has already taken root. Nurture it this summer like you would a garden. For the end may be near, but with the faith we hold in our hearts and share with others, it is only the beginning.

Crystal is assistant director for Youth & Young Adult Ministry for the diocese. She can be contacted at cmedeiros@ dfrcec.com

“If you or a teen-ager you know is interested and wants to become more fully immersed in Pro-Life values, print, fill out, and mail in the registration form and medical form along with a deposit to hold your spot,” added Trindade.

For information or a registration form, contact the Diocese of Fall River Pro-Life Office at pla@plrachel.org, or call 508-675-1311.

18

The Anchor

Abortion bill would lower age of consent continued from page one

authorizing other adults in non-judicial settings, who may have ties to the abortion industry or who may have limited knowledge of the minor or her family situation, to facilitate a minor’s access to an abortion without parental knowledge. The bill’s passage would substantially weaken the protections for parents and their minor daughters under current law.”

In their written testimony, the Massachusetts Family Institute called the bill “radical and irresponsible.”

“Children under 18 need parental consent to get a tattoo or body piercing. Parents of children under 18 must give consent for disbursement of aspirin in schools, and parents are responsible for paying the medical bills incurred with any complications following an abortion,” MFI said.

“Most teen-age girls are not prepared for the physical, emotional and psychological aftermath of abortion,” the institute added.

“Parental involvement decreases the risk of medical complications connected with an abortion by allowing parents to provide important medical information and history their daughter may not know or provide.”

In addition, MFI said that expanding the number of adults who can give consent for a minor would continue cycles of abuse.

“Far too often the person abusing a young girl is a family member. Allowing that same family member to give consent for the victim to get an abortion would violate statutory rape and incest laws,” the testimony states.

NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts claims that abusive family situations are the reason parental consent should not be required.

“Healthy family communica-

tion is vital, but government can’t mandate it. Sadly, some young woman cannot discuss their pregnancies with their parents. They may live in situations where there is physical violence or emotional abuse. Their pregnancies may be the result of incest. They may fear being kicked out of the house. Or they may not realize how supportive their parents might be,” the group said in its submitted testimony.

NARAL called parental consent for minors a “burdensome mandate” that necessitates jumping through judicial hoops, resorting to illegal abortions or crossing state lines. They cited a 2009 analysis that found that three times as many minors sought abortions out-of-state after the parental consent law was adopted.

But Pro-Lifers, including Kathryn Davis, argue that the state’s laws on abortion should be more restrictive, not less so. She also advocates for the informed consent bill, called Laura’s Law. “The state’s mandatory version of the consent form merely describes abortion as a procedure where ‘the contents of the womb (uterus) are removed,’ fails to include any reference to the potential for physical, psychological or emotional problems after an abortion, and omits any listing of or contact information for agencies providing pregnancy assistance,” she said in her testimony for the hearing.

Edith McDaniel, a Silent No More regional coordinator, told The Anchor that most women who go to abortion clinics are young and are not given enough information about the procedure. Silent No More seeks to raise awareness of the devastating effects of abortion.

McDaniel, who had an abor-

tion, said there was a stark contrast between that experience and another when she had minor surgery on her wrist. For her wrist, she met with two different doctors who both explained the procedure before she signed a consent form.

“That didn’t happen when I had an abortion. It doesn’t happen when people have abortions.

They go in, they’re given some brief information and then in they go,” she said. “One of the things we hear touted all the time is that abortion is a choice. How can we effectively say we are giving women a choice when we’re not giving them the information to make that choice? How fair are we being in terms of women’s rights to subject them to a medical procedure that can have far-reaching consequences — medically, emotionally, psychologically?”

According to the Elliot institute, a Pro-Life organization based in Illinois, teens are acutely at risk for complications during and after an abortion. They are more likely to suffer from cervical lacerations as well as lifethreatening infections, which can lead to infertility. They are also five times more likely to seek help for psychological and emotional problems compared to other teens who carried a pregnancy to term. They are six times more likely than other teens to attempt suicide.

McDaniel added that the younger the woman, the less likely she is to know much about medical procedures and to understand her own body.

“When you lower the age of consent, you’re talking about children at that point,” she said. “They have no sense of mortality. They have that sense that they’re going to live forever.”

southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the Islands.

“When you consider that literally tens of thousands of men, women, and children are assisted by the agencies and apostolates funded by the yearly Catholic Charities Appeal, it stands to reason that some of them are going to be in your local area,” says Donly. “And when you consider that each and every year there are people asking for assistance who have never asked anyone for help before, it brings home the fact that even people who were contributors to the Appeal in the past may actually now need to be ministered to in their own time of need. It doesn’t matter who you are.

“When you are in need of assistance we do our best to help

you, and all of this is possible solely through the generosity of the thousands of friends and parishioners who donate to the Appeal each year. You could never consider a venture of this size without having the hope and confidence that so many thoughtful people, over 33,000 last year, would step up and sacrifice for those in need around them.”

Donations to the Appeal can be sent to the Catholic Charities Appeal Office, P.O. Box 1470, Fall River, Mass. 02722; dropped off at any parish in the Diocese of Fall River, or made on the Appeal website: www. frdioc-catholiccharities.org For information visit the website or contact the Appeal Office at 508-675-1311.

Catholic Charities Appeal hits $2M mark at halfway point continued from page one

their parish appeal process.”

The Appeal process has changed significantly over the years as parishes use different ways of approaching potential donors. However, the thing that has remained constant is the fact that it is local people, pastors and committee members, soliciting other local people for the well-being of those around them. Even though those who are in need of assistance are not always known by those who are soliciting support for them, parishioners are very much aware that the need is great throughout the entire diocese as well as in their local communities. The Appeal is in actuality assisting friends and neighbors right in their own neighborhoods as well as neighborhoods all across

May 27, 2011

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Around the Diocese 5/27

St. John Neumann Parish, 157 Middleboro Road, East Freetown, will host its annual Lakeside Family Festival tonight from 6 to 11 p.m., tomorrow and Sunday from noon to 11 p.m., and Memorial Day from noon to 5 p.m. The festival will feature a huge barn sale, car show, games, live entertainment, midway rides, food, fun and more. For more information visit www.sjnfreetown.org.

5/28

Courage, a welcoming support group for Catholics wounded by same-sex attraction who gather to seek God’s wisdom, mercy and love, will next meet on May 28 at 7 p.m. For location information call Father Richard Wilson at 508-992-9408.

5/31

A Healing Mass in preparation for Pentecost will be held at St. Jude’s Parish, 249 Whittenton Street, Taunton on May 31 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Mass will follow at 7 p.m., with Benediction and healing prayers after Mass.

6/3

The Fall River Area Men’s First Friday Club will meet June 3 at the Parish of the Good Shepherd, 1598 South Main Street, Fall River.

Following the 6 p.m. Mass celebrated by Father Freddie Babiczuk, there will be a hot meal in the church hall. The guest speaker is Roland Moses who will speak about Cardinal Newman. Any gentleman wishing to attend may do so. Phone Norman Valiquette at 508-672-8174 for guest seat reservations or with any questions.

6/4

A Day with Mary will take place on June 4 from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at St. Kilian’s Church, 306 Ashley Boulevard, New Bedford.

It will include a video instruction, a procession and crowning of the Blessed Mother along with Mass, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and an opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. There is a bookstore available during breaks. For more information call 508-984-1823.

6/4

Spend the day together as a family at the Family Rosary Retreat sponsored by Holy Cross Family Ministries to be held at Boston College High School, Dorchester on June 4 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The full day of activities will include workshops for all age groups, keynote speakers, eucharistic adoration, Mission Rosary and Vigil Mass. For more information or to register call 508-283-4095 or 800-299-7729 or visit www. familyrosary.org/conference.

6/9

The Diocese of Fall River’s Divorced and Separated Support Group will meet June 9 at 7 p.m. for part two of its series on “Marriage Breakdown.” The evening will include a screening of the video “Ends and Beginnings,” with discussion to follow. The group will meet in the parish center of St. Julie Billiart Church, 494 Slocum Road, North Dartmouth. Parking is available to the left of the church. For more information call 508-993-0589, 508-673-2997 or 508-678-2828.

6/18

The second annual My Brother’s Keeper Family Walk will be held June 18 at Stonehill College and The Sheep Pasture in North Easton beginning with registration at 9 a.m. The threemile walk will begin with a prayer service and end with lunch and family activities. Parking is available at the Holy Cross Center, 500 Washington Street. For more information call Erich Miller at 508-238-7512 or visit www. mybrotherskeeper.org.

6/21

The fourth annual Summer Catholic Reflections Series sponsored by St. Anthony’s Parish, East Falmouth; Our Lady of Victory Parish, Centerville; and hosting parish Christ The King in Mashpee will begin June 21 at 7 p.m with Father Robin Ryan speaking on “Prayer in Times of Suffering.” Father Ryan is the vice-provincial of the Passionist Congregation in the eastern United States and has taught systematic theology at St. John’s Seminary in Boston and at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. For directions and more information visit www. christthekingparish.com.

May 27, 2011

The Anchor

Gerald R. “Jerry” Foley, former codirector of the Diocese of Fall River’s Family Life Ministry

REHOBOTH — Long time codirector of the working with Scottie, “It has been very nice for us Diocese of Fall River’s Family Ministry Office, to have worked together. We have just enough of Gerald Ryan Foley (Jerry) died May 17 at the a sense of humor and enjoy being with each other age of 71. Foley and his wife of 46 years, Scottie and it’s made the time pass quickly.”

(Honour Campbell), led the ministry for 30 years The Foleys said they were proud that more than before retiring last May. 15,000 couples had gone through the diocesan Born in Springfield, he was the son Marriage Preparation Program while of Edmund D. Foley and Mary (Ryan) they were directors.

Foley.

“Hopefully these are couples that Jerry began his schooling in Longhave learned how to have a successmeadow, Mass., graduated from Caful marriage and have carried that on thedral High School in Springfield, in raising their families in the Church,” received a B.A. from the University of Foley told The Anchor.

Notre Dame class of 1961 and an M.A. Besides Scottie, he leaves two sons from Regis University in Denver, CO Gerald Ryan Foley Jr. (Jed) of Attlein 1985. boro, and Sean Campbell Foley of During the Vietnam War he served East Greenwich R.I.; and two daughas a Naval officer assigned to Fleet ters Erin Foley Eves of Sicily and Operations Control Pacific. Upon Margaret Foley Yoder (Meg) of Seoul completion of duty he returned to his South Korea, and eight grandchildren, Gerald R. job with IBM in New Jersey and later Erin, Liam and Maeve Yoder, Fiona “Jerry” Foley moved to Rehoboth, where he was a and Ryan Eves and Owen, Colin and data processing consultant for 20 years working Cameron Foley. with Fortune 500 companies in Boston.

He was predeceased by his parents and older During that time he was a volunteer for the Fall brother Edmund and he leaves behind his brothRiver Diocesan Office of Family Ministry. Upon er John Foley of Santa Barbara, Calif., and sister retirement he joined his wife working full time Anne Foley White of South Easton, and numerous as Family Ministry Program Directors. He retired nieces, nephews and godchildren. from that position in June 2010. He and Scottie A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated May were part of the Worldwide Marriage Encounter 21 at St. John the Evangelist Church in Attleboro. national leadership for nine years and they served Contributions may be made in Foley’s name together for six years on the board of the National to the Blanding Library, 124 Bay State Road, ReAssociation of Family Life Ministry. hoboth, or the University of Notre Dame ScholarIn an Anchor article last May, Foley said of ship Fund, Notre Dame, Ind.

Sister of St. Joseph Therese Ouellette, was Fall River native

HOLYOKE, Mass. — Sister of St. Joseph Therese Ouellette died May 15 at the age of 81. A native of Fall River, she was the daughter of Odilon and Aldea (Jalbert) Ouellette.

Sister Ouellette entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of LePuy in Fall River from St. Jean Baptiste Parish, Fall River.

She graduated from Novitiate

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks May 28 Rev. Lionel A. Bourque, Former Chaplain, Cardinal Cushing Hospital, Brockton, 1982 May 30 Rev. Jordan Harpin, O.P., Dominican Priory, Fall River, 1929 Rev. Edmond J. Potvin, Pastor, St. Jean Baptiste, Fall River, 1937 Rev. James M. Quinn, Pastor, St. John the Evangelist, Attleboro, 1950 Rev. Robert T. Canuel, Assistant, St. Anne, Fall River, 1993 May 31 Rev. Vincent A. Wolski, OFM Conv., Pastor, Holy Cross, Fall River, 1964 June 1 Rev. James A. Ward, Former Pastor, St. Peter, Provincetown, 1911 June 3 Most Rev. James J. Gerrard, DD. Auxiliary Bishop of Fall River, 1959-1976, Retired Pastor, St. Lawrence, New Bedford, 1991

High School and earned a B.A. from Sacred Heart College, Fall River and an M.A. from Rivier College, Nashua, N.H. She ministered in the Diocese of Fall River as a teacher at St. Matthieu and St. Jean Baptiste schools in Fall River; as teacher and librarian at St. Michael and St. Louis schools in Swansea; and later as Reading Specialist again at St. Jean Baptiste. She then served in Child Care in Assonet, and Johnson Residence, Swansea.

In addition to her Sisters in

Community, she is survived by her sisters, Jeanne Goulet of Westport, Germaine Rodrigue of Keystone Heights, Fla., and Margaret Coulombe of Colchester, Conn. She was predeceased by her brothers Raymond and Normand.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held in the Mont Marie Chapel on May 18. Burial followed in Mont Marie Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of St. Joseph, Mont Marie, 34 Lower Westfield Rd., Holyoke, Mass., 01040-2739.

19 Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese

Acushnet — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Parish on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays and Fridays 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays end with Evening Prayer and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.; Saturdays end with Benediction at 2:45 p.m.

ATTLEBORO — St. Joseph Church holds eucharistic adoration in the Adoration Chapel located at the (south) side entrance at 208 South Main Street, Sunday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Brewster — Eucharistic adoration takes place in the La Salette Chapel in the lower level of Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road, on First Fridays following the 11 a.m. Mass until 7:45 a.m. on the First Saturday, concluding with Benediction and Mass. buzzards Bay — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Margaret Church, 141 Main Street, every first Friday after the 8 a.m. Mass and ending the following day before the 8 a.m. Mass.

East Freetown — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. John Neumann Church every Monday (excluding legal holidays) 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Our Lady, Mother of All Nations Chapel. (The base of the bell tower).

East Sandwich — Eucharistic adoration takes place at the Corpus Christi Parish Adoration Chapel, 324 Quaker Meeting House Road, Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Also, 24-hour eucharistic adoration takes place on the First Friday of every month with Benediction at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning.

EAST TAUNTON — Eucharistic adoration takes place in the chapel at Holy Family Parish Center, 438 Middleboro Avenue, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. On First Fridays, eucharistic adoration takes place at Holy Family Church, 370 Middleboro Avenue, following the 8 a.m. Mass until Benediction at 8 p.m.

FAIRHAVEN — St. Mary’s Church, Main St., has eucharistic adoration every Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the Chapel of Reconciliation, with Benediction at noon. Also, there is a First Friday Mass each month at 7 p.m., followed by a Holy Hour with eucharistic adoration. Refreshments follow.

Fall River — Espirito Santo Parish, 311 Alden Street, Fall River. Eucharistic adoration on Mondays following the 8:00 a.m. Mass until Rosary and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.

FALL RIVER — Notre Dame Church, 529 Eastern Ave., has eucharistic adoration on Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the chapel.

FALL RIVER — St. Anthony of the Desert Church, 300 North Eastern Avenue, has eucharistic adoration Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

FALL RIVER — Holy Name Church, 709 Hanover Street, has eucharistic adoration Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Our Lady of Grace Chapel.

FALL RIVER — Good Shepherd Parish has eucharistic adoration every Friday following the 8 a.m. Mass until 6 p.m. in the Daily Mass Chapel. There is a bilingual Holy Hour in English and Portuguese from 5-6 p.m. Park behind the church and enter the back door of the connector between the church and the rectory.

Falmouth — St. Patrick’s Church has eucharistic adoration each First Friday, following the 9 a.m. Mass until Benediction at 4:30 p.m. The Rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

HYANNIS — A Holy Hour with eucharistic adoration will take place each First Friday at St. Francis Xavier Church, 347 South Street, beginning immediately after the 12:10 p.m. Mass and ending with adoration at 4 p.m.

MASHPEE — Christ the King Parish, Route 151 and Job’s Fishing Road has 8:30 a.m. Mass every First Friday with special intentions for Respect Life, followed by 24 hours of eucharistic adoration in the Chapel, concluding with Benediction Saturday morning followed immediately by an 8:30 Mass.

NEW BEDFORD — Eucharistic adoration takes place 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 233 County Street, with night prayer and Benediction at 8:45 p.m., and Confessions offered during the evening.

NEW BEDFORD — There is a daily holy hour from 5:15-6:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1359 Acushnet Avenue. It includes adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Liturgy of the Hours, recitation of the Rosary, and the opportunity for Confession.

NORTH DARTMOUTH — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Julie Billiart Church, 494 Slocum Road, every Tuesday from 7 to 8 p.m., ending with Benediction. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available at this time.

NORTH DIGHTON — Eucharistic adoration takes place every First Friday at St. Nicholas of Myra Church, 499 Spring Street following the 8 a.m. Mass, ending with Benediction at 6 p.m. The Rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 8 a.m.

OSTERVILLE — Eucharistic adoration takes place at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 76 Wianno Avenue on First Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and every Friday from noon to 5 p.m., with Benediction at 5 p.m.

SEEKONK ­— Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish has eucharistic adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the chapel at 984 Taunton Avenue. For information call 508-336-5549.

Taunton — Eucharistic adoration takes place every Tuesday at St. Anthony Church, 126 School Street, following the 8 a.m. Mass with prayers including the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for vocations, concluding at 6 p.m. with Chaplet of St. Anthony and Benediction. Recitation of the Rosary for peace is prayed Monday through Saturday at 7:30 a.m. prior to the 8 a.m. Mass.

WAREHAM — Adoration with opportunities for private and formal prayer is offered on the First Friday of each month from 8:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Church, High Street. The Prayer Schedule is as follows: 7:30 a.m. the Rosary; 8 a.m.

Mass; 8:30 a.m. exposition and Morning Prayer; 12 p.m. the Angelus; 3 p.m. Divine Mercy Chaplet; 5:30 p.m. Evening Prayer; 7 p.m. Sacrament of Confession; 8 p.m.

Benediction.

WEST HARWICH — Our Lady of Life Perpetual Adoration Chapel at Holy Trinity Parish, 246 Main Street (Rte. 28), holds perpetual eucharistic adoration. We are a regional chapel serving all of the surrounding parishes. All from other parishes are invited to sign up to cover open hours. For open hours, or to sign up call 508-430-4716.

WOODS HOLE — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Joseph’s Church, 33 Millfield Street, year-round on weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. No adoration on Sundays, Wednesdays, and holidays. For information call 508-274-5435.

20

The Anchor

May 27, 2011

HOLY ROLLERS — Sacred Hearts Fathers Al Dagnoli, left, and Tom McElroy, right, stand amidst two lines of revving motorcycles during the 13th annual Blessing of the Bikes event in front of St. Joseph’s Church on Spring Street in Fairhaven. The yearly event has become a major fund-raiser for the parish school and drew nearly 400 bikers who cruised from Fort Phoenix State Beach to ride past the church to receive the blessings. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza)

convention mode — The Diocesan Council of Catholic Women recently held its 58th annual convention at St. John the Evangelist Church in Pocasset. Top photo, from left: President Jeanne Alves welcomes the guest speaker, Father Frank I. Sutman, O.P.; along with moderator, Sister Eugenia Brady, SJC; and convention chairman; and fourth vice president, Betty Mazzucchelli. Below, Alves, right, presents the Our Lady of Good Counsel Award to Corinne Barry, a member of St. John the Evangelist Parish’s Women’s Guild.