VOL. 34, NO. 22
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Friday, June 1, 1990
Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly
F ALL RIVER, MASS.
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511 Per Year
Preserve values, pope tells Malta Catholics VALLETTA. Malta (CNS) Pope John Paul II's weekend visit to Malta focused on the need to protect the nation from negative values of outside cultures. The steep bastions that surround Malta's older cities have not protected the nation of 350,000 from materialism, drug abuse and the breakup of families. But the pope's May 25-27 visit also was a time of celebration for the Mediterranean nation. The 52hour visit included three separate 21-cannon salutes, and the limestone walls that drop to the sea were draped with yellow, white and red banners - the colors of the papal and Maltese flags. Malta's population is more than 98 percent Catholic, and most Catholics attend Mass each week, according to the Malta archdiocesan information office. Abortion and divorce are illegal, but the number of legal separations is increasing. "As we approach the third Christian millennium, our dominant culture shows signs of a weakening of moral commitment and a narrow sense of spiritual inspiration," the pope said at a May 27 meeting with intellectuals. "It is necessary to reaffirm adamantly the primacy of ethics over technology, the primacy of 'being' over 'having,' " he said. "As we look to Eastern Europe and observe the collapse of materialistic ideologies which sought to deprive man of his very soul, we cannot fail to notice elsewhere the rise of a practical materialism, a new idolatry, which also threatens the spirit," he said during a May 27 Mass. A strong family life is the first defense against social ills, the pope said several times during the visit. "Like many societies, yours is not immune to a kind of spiritual disorientation caused by rapid social changes and the attraction of value systems and modes of behavior which run counter to the deepest convictions that have molded your identity as a people," he said at a May 26 Mass outside
the Marian shrine of Ta' Pinu on the island of Gozo. "I ask aU of you to pray with me that Malta's families will be the crucible in which your society will forge a renewed commitment to the Gospel values, which are its most precious inheritance from the past," he said. The pope also made repeated appeals for reconciliation in the political life of the population, which is almost equally divided between the socialist Labor Party and the Nationalist Party, a Christian .Democratic body. "You have shared with me some of the hurt which you feel at the divisiveness and hostility you see around you," the pope said at a meeting with more than 15,000 young people. "The building of peace between individuals or within social groups requires great patience, respect for the convictions of others and a sincere attempt to engage in a constructive dialogue aimed at discerning the truth and working together for the good of each other and all society," he said. The first day of his visit, the pope asked the ruling Nationalist Party leaders to continue churchstate negotiations aimed at overturning several anti-church laws enacted by the Labor Party in the 1970s and 1980s. With the election of a Christian Democratic government in 1987, negotiations began on two main issues of concern to' the church: ownership of property and funding of private schools. The pope told government leaders, including President Censu Tabone and Prime Minister Edward Fenech Adami, that although the negotiations are not complete, they have had positive results. The volume of the welcoming cannon blasts was matched almost everywhere the pope went with greetings of "Long live the pope" in Maltese. The streets where the pope's motorcade were to travel were repaved in anticipation of his visit, and the bordering trees were Turn to Page Six
OUR LADY OF ANGELS CHURCH
Diamond year for parish, pastor June will be a memorable month for Our Lady of Angels parish, Fall River. Not only will the parish mark its 75th anniversary, but its pastor, Rev. Anthony M. Gomes, also 75, who assumed his duties 29 years ago this month, is retiring from active ministry. He is much beloved by his flock, many of whose younger members have never known another pastor. Among them is Dolores Motta, whose photographs of Our Lady of Angels accompany this article and who has served on the com- . mittee preparing for the gala 75th jubilee Mass to be celebrated by Bishop Daniel A. Cronin at Our Lady of Angels at 4 p.m. Sunday, ' June 10, and to be followed by a dinner and ball at White's of Westport. "He's a wonderful priest and an asset to the diocese of Fall River. He'l be greatly missed," she said. Among projects of the diamond jubilee committee, headed by John Branco, has been preparation of a parish history. It follows: A jubilee is, as it always has
been, the commemoration of a great event in the life of a people, of a race, of a nation. It brings with it solemn rejoicing and a d:lebration of accomplishment brought about through labor and sacrifice. The Portuguese people of North America, and in a very particular manner, the people of Our Lady of the Angels parish, are rejoicing in the celebration of a great event, the Diamond Jubilee of the founding of their community dedicated to the worship of God and the preservation of their PortugueseAmerican heritage. For these things we are most thankful. 75 Years of Faith Ecclesiastical authority sanctioned creation of a new Fall River parish to be named Our Lady of the Angels. It was established canonically on the sixth day of September in the year of Our Lord 1915. Parishioners first attended services in the lower church of neighboring St. Patrick's parish. The first two Masses were conducted on Sunday, Oct. 14, 1915, each
Mass concluding with Benediction of the Blessed sacrament. This was the humble beginning of our parish community. The following boundaries comprise our parish: to the north, Turn to Page Six
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MSGR. GOMES
John Sullivan ordination at Cathedral tomorrow In St. Mary's Cathedral ceremonies at 11 tomorrow morning, Bishop Daniel A. Cronin will ordain Rev. Mr. John Michael Sullivan to the priesthood for the Fall River diocese.
Rev. Mr. Sullivan
Rev. Mr. Sullivan is a native of Freetown and of St. Bernard's parish, Assonet. The son of the late Charles B. and the late Lois M. (Fullerton) Sullivan, he has a brother, Charles, and six sisters: Cecelia Gauthier, Cynthia Thom-
son, tin<1get Morns and Ellen, Lois and Emma Sullivan. Born April 19, 1956, he attended Freetown Elementary School, graduating in 1968, and Apponequet Regional High School, graduating in 1974. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from Southeastern Massachusetts University, from which he graduated in 1978, and a master's degree in divinity from St. John's Seminary, Brighton, which he entered in 1985.
During his seminary studies he had field placements at Immaculate Conception parish, Malden; the Hospice of Boston, Dorches.ter; and St. Ann parish, Somerville. He served his transitional diaconate at St. Pius X parish, South Yarmouth. At St. John's Seminary Rev. Mr. Sullivan was a sacristan and during summer vacations he was a counselor at Cathedral Camp, East Freetown.
First Mass He will offer his first Mass at 2 p.m. Sunday at St. Bernard's Church. Among concelebrants will be Father Edward E. Correia, pastor of St. Bernard's, and Msgr. JohnJ. Smith, pastor of St. Pius X and diocesan director of vocations. The homilist will be Father George P. Evans of"St. John's Seminary. A reception at Independence Harb'or, Assonet, will follow the Mass.