anc 0 VOL. 32, NO. 24
•
Friday, June 10, 1988
FALL RIVER, MASS.
FAU RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSmS CAPE COD &THE ISLANDS Southeastern Massachusetts' Larges.t Weekly
•
$10 Per Year
Papal trip to Austria sparks controversy VATICAN CITY (NC) - Pope John Paul II will meet several times with Austrian President Kurt Waldheim and visit a former Nazi concentration camp during a June 23-27 visit to Austria. The Vatican has released a detailed trip itinerary, expected to be dominated by the pope's controversial visits with Waldheim. The itinerary does not mention Waldheim's name, simply listing a
June 23 eveni"ng meeting with the Austrian president, government officials and the diplomatic corps. Waldheim is also expected to meet the pope at airport arrival and departure ceremonies, a protocol requirement since both are heads of state of countries having diplomatic relations. Waldheim has been accused by international Jewish groups of Turn to Page Six
Changes announced As well as giving first assignments to two priests ordained last Saturday, Bishop Daniel A. Cronin has announced changes affecting four other priests of the diocese. Father Jose M. Sousa, JCL, who has been studying canon law at the University of St. Paul in Ottawa, will be a diocesan vicechancellor, residing and having faculties of a technical assistant at Our Lady of Health parish, Fall River. His assignment was effective June 6. Father James F. Buckley, now pastor of St. Margaret's parish, Buzzards Bay, will become pastor
of Holy Redeemer parish, Chatham. Father Horace J. Travassos, who has been parochial vicar at St. Patrick's parish, Somerset, will be rector of St. Mary's Cathedral, Fall River, while Father Barry W. Wall, the present rector and dean of the Fall River deanery, will be pastor at St. Anthony's parish, Mattapoisett. The three assignments are effective July I. Father Sousa Father Sousa, a native of St. Turn to Page Three
.~
BISHOP DANIEL A. CRONIN imposes hands on Father George Scales at the climactic moment of ordination, top picture; stands with Father Daniel Lacroix (left) and Father Scales after the ceremony. (Motta photos)
Losing at wrestling but winning with God By Joseph Motta FATHER SOUSA
FATHER TRAVASSOS
FATHER BUCKLEY
FATHER WALL
Dan Lacroix just lost a wrestling match to God. And he couldn't be happier. Lacroix and George Scales, both 28, were ordained to the Fall River diocesan priesthood by Bishop Daniel A. Cronin last Saturday at St. Mary's Cathedral, Fall River. The new Father Lacroix will be parochial vicar at Holy Redeemer parish, Chatham, effective July I. He will be temporarily at Holy Name Church, New Bedford, from June 15 until the July date. Father Scales will be parochial vicar at St. Mary's parish, Mansfield, effective June 15. Many family members and friends were on hand for the beautiful ordination ceremony. Most probably knew much about the decision-making processes the ordinands went through before entering the seminary.
"It's been a wrestling match with the Lord for many, many years," Father Lacroix told The Anchor. The New Bedford native said when he entered St. Mary's School, New Bedford, as a second grader in 1967, the late Father Bernard H. Unsworth, then St. Mary's pastor, provided him with a fine example of priesthood. "He was a very warm and generous man," Father Lacroix said, "the true image of 'Father.' " By eighth grade, Daniel Lacroix knew that priesthood "was something I could do." A career in teaching or the law was also high on his priority list. The future priest didn't think much more about a priestly vocation while a student at Bishop Stang High School, North Dartmouth. In fact, he later became a secondary school history teacher. But God didn't give up on Dan
Lacroix. While the future ordinand was a teenage religious education teacher at St. Mary's, Father John A. Perry, now pastor of Our Lady of Victory parish, Centerville, and then a parochial vicar at St. Mary's, hired him for the summer as a religious education clerical worker. "That introduced me to rectory life," Father Lacroix remembered, "seeing how the priests live. "They were always on the go, always dealing with people, very active, never boring." He worked at St. Mary's for six summers, in the process meeting Father Brian J. Harrington, then a parochial vicar at the church. Father Harrington, soon to assume duties as pastor of St. Patrick's parish, Somerset, was another fine example for Lacroix. "There's no one quite like him," Turn to Page Six