Content of Doctrine Catechetics Thrust
The ANCHOR .
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An Anchor of the Soul, Sure and Firm"7St. Paul
Fall River, Mass., Thursday, June 24, .1971 . . PRICE 10¢ .Vo.I 15, No. ·25. © 19n The Anchor $4.00 per year
ROME (NC) ~ By definition, tory recognizes the possibility ofcatechetics is the use of ques-' legitimate experimentation. "However," he added, "the Ditions and- answers to te'ach the faUh. . rectory follows substantially the The Vatican issued at a news directives of St. Pius X regarding conference recently a general, the age of reason for children catechetical directory that raises based on the fact that sins of questions and· tries to supply children may be little sins, but some' of the ,answers to complex they are still, sins." Two-years in te making, the problems .of teaching the faith Directory was compiled by the in a jet-age world. One of the specialists Jrom ' religious instruction committee several nations who worked to- of the Congregation of the gether in writing it said the 124- Clergy, in collaboration with , catechetical experts from, numerpage directory "is not. a textbook, most assuredly. is not a ous bishops' conferences. Before final approval by Pope Paul VI, catechism, and makes. no prethe Doctrinal Congregation retense of being equally valid in - viewed the contents. American every corner of the world. In Cardinal John Wright, prefect fact, it may raise more questions than it can answer." Delegates to an, international catechetical congress that will convene iil Rome's Lateran University from Sept: 21-25 will study the Directory in depth. They will find that one of the St. francis of Assisi Church in more advanced suggestions found in ari addendum to the New Bedford has a proud heriDirectory is a return to the tage. It serves primarily the comthinking of Pope St. Pius IX munity's Italian residents, and is that children of the age of rea- tlie city's westernmost Catholic son (said to be seven) make their Church. It is also known as the Italian first confession before their First Church, and the "little church on Communion. Mill Street." First Confession St. Francis of Assisi has had One expert who studied the its memorable days, like June 3, Latin text of the Directory 1928 when it was dedicated after stressed that the current practice the parish had been formed with of allowing children to forego the blessing of the late Most confession before receiving Com- Rev. Daniel F. Feehan, Bishop of munion is "the only modern the Diocese of Fall River. The problem of catechesis given de- church, located at Mill and Newtailed attention" in the entire, ton Streets, formerly was the directory. All the rest touch on property of the First Evangelical the problems and prOVide capsule Church Society. answers or at least guides to At its dedication as St. Fransolution. cis of Assisi Church- it was said Commenting on this, topic of that from "the number of Italian separating confession from Communion, a post-Vatican II practice, the expert said the Direc-
of the clergy congregation, affixed his signature to the docum!'!nt on .Easter Sunday, April ]1, 1971. Problem of Change . The Directory states that the main problem of teaching the faith is found not only in the world but within the Church itself. The reason for this, as the Council teaches is that change is' everywhere engulfing what had always been the traditional arid the accepted. This·in turn forces a "change in attitude and in hu: man structures and calls accept. ed values into' question." Further complicating the problem, religious indifferentism and Turn to Page Eleven
Bishop Blesses ~Newl St. Francis Church·
HELPLESS: An East Pakastani refugee mother in India cradles her dying child, a victim of the dreaded cholera disease. Your generosity at Mass over the weekend will . help millions of helpless fleeing from the civil war in Pakistan. NC Photo.
Appeal for Helpless Dearly beloved in Christ, These days much is said about the,so-called "Third World" and .its inhabitants, the peoples of Latin America, Africa and Asia. . The seeds of our Faith have been long and deeply sewn in some areas of this "Third World;" other regions have barely heard the name of Christ proclaimed. Physical distress abounds in these areas and it is'axiomatic that the proclamation of the Gospel can bear little fruit unless the miseries of poverty, disease and hunger are alleviated. Annually on the last Sunday of June a special collection is taken up in parishes of the Diocese to assist programs of social -endeavor in Latin America and to facilitate the immense pastoral task of caring for the Catholic millions who inhabit our neighboring continent.
This year, in addition to providing assistance for Latin America, in response to urgent appeals from the National Office of the Catholic Relief Services, a portion of the proceeds of the collection to be taken at Masses next weekend will be allocated to the 0'#• •_ . . - , . _•. staggering task of providing immediate. care for Pakistani refugees, innocent victims of a vicious civil war which has wreaked predictable havoc" among God's 'belovel:l poor. Bishop Cronin will offer the 11 o'clock Mass and: .preach Consequently, I urge you'to be as g~nerous as possible in the 'the homily in St.Peter the Apostle Church, Provln~etown collection next Sunday. Be ason Sunday. sured of my gratitude, and more importantly, of the blessing Following the Mass,' there God whose love for the afflicted will be a procession to the beneficiaries .. of our charity is Town Pier where B!shop measureles's.. , Craonin 'will bless the individFaithfully yours in Christ, ual boats. ffi Dainel A Cronin BishOP.. of ,Fall River ' ._"_••"." ••,_••;,,•••, ...
Bishop to S'less P-Town Fle'et
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New Pries;tly' Assignments' Most Rev. I Da'niel A. Cr.onin today announced the transfer of -14 assistant pastors and soecial assignments for seven assistant pastors. Special assignments were given to: Rev. John J. Steakerit, priest-instructor at Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth; :Rev'. John J. Oliveira, priest-. instructor at .Bishop Cassidy High School in Taunton;, Rev. Maurice H. Jeffrey, priest'instructor at Ric;hopGerrard' ~iSh School in Fall River; Rev. .......,...L . . . .,I
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Brian H. Harrington, priest~in Wednesday, Sept. 1, }971. structor at Bishop Feehan Transfers of assistant pastors High School in Attleboro; Rev. involve: Ronald Sylvia, director of the Rev. George Almeida was born New Bedford area CYO; Rev. Nov. 23, 1931 in Newport, R. I., Francis L. Mahoney', co-director the son of Manuel and Anna of the,FaIl River area CYO; Rev. (Medeiros) Almeida.· He was' William F. O'Neill,' chaplain of ordained on May' 1, 1965 and the Attleboro area Catholic_ has served at St.' Michael Parish Nurses Guild. and St. Anthony of Padua Parish All appointments and assign- in Fall River; St. Anthony Parish, ments are effective Wednesday, Taunton; Sacred Heart' Parish, july 7, 1971, except for those of Oak Bluffs. He will now serve Father Harrington and Father as assistant pastor at Our Lady PhilIipino, . wh~c;h a('E~ .dfective to Page Eleven
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people present, and the large number who could not gain admission, it will not be long before the building will need to be enlarged." Such changes, no matter how needed, don't happen overnight; they take time. St. Francis of Assisi Church had another Iiistoric day June 19,1971, more than 43 years after its dedication. That was the day· Most Rev. Daniel A. Cronin, Bishop of the Diocese of Fall River, blessed the new addition and complete renovation of the existing edifice. Such a happy day for parishioners and friends of St. Francis of Assisi parish! Rev.·' Armando Annunziato, pastor of St. Francis, said, ,"Sinc~ 1928, St, Francis of Assisi Church has served as a .center Turn to Page Twelve