06.27.97

t eanc 0 VOL. 41, NO. 26

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Friday, June 27, 1997

FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS

FALL RIVER, MASS.

Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly

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Bishops act on youth., media, liturgy, structure

By Jerry Filteau

Catholic News Service KANSAS CITY, Mo.(CNS)Meeting in Kansas City June 1921, the V :S. Catholic bishops took action on youth ministry, major liturgical texts, a pastoral communications plan, a new home missions collection and restructuring their national conference.

They left the meeting one prayer short of approving an entire new Sacramentary, the-book of some 3,000 prayers used by the celebrant at Mass. In executive session they approved 159 of the 160 remaining prayers.

Their inconclusive vote on the one remaining prayer will be decided in coming weeks by a mail ballot of the 50 or so active Latin-rite bishops who were not at the Kansas City meeting. They have worked on the new Sacramentary - their first in 25 years - at every national meeting since 1992.

In other actions the bishops: - Vnanimollsly approved "Renewing the Vision - A Framework for Catholic Youth ,Ministry," a statement on the essential goals and elements of ministry among young people.

- Vnanimouslyadopted a "Pastoral Plan for Church Communications" setting key goals and directions for church engagement with today's media.

- Took their first concrete steps towards restructuring'the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and V .S. Catholic Conference into a single conference.

- Decided that in the future unified conference only bishops will be allowed to be members of

U.S. BISHOPS gathered June 19-23 in Kansas City, Mo., for their annual spring meeting.

The agenda included issues in liturgy, communications, youth and home missions. (CNS/ Hesse photo) committees - ending a long tradition of some nonepiscopal members serving on current VSCC committees.

- Debated and voted - again inconclusively - on acceptance of a compromise text of a new English-language Lectionary for the V nited States, the, first in 25 years.

- Vnanimously consented to the plan of the Archdiocese of Hartford, Conn., to initiate the sainthood cause of Father Michael

McGivney, a 19th-century Connecticut priest who founded the Knights of Columbus.

- Approved a request to Rome to transfer the feast ofSt. Camillus de Lellis, patron of nurses and the sick, from July 14 to July 18 in the V nited States.

- Studied a preliminary draft of a strategic plan for communications in preparation for voting on a final version in November.

- Heard oral reports on the review of V.S. catechetical texts

.,, SutUfay: !Feast OfSaints PetertintfPauf

Index Church & World Daily

Readin~ls

Editorial

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Necrology

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Saluting Seniors .. 10 Steering Points

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Youth News ."

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ARCHBISHOP JAMES P. Keleher of Kansas City, Kan., points out his signature on a giant greeting card on display June 19 at the bishops' annual meeting. The card, with messages to young people, 'is to b'e presented at a national Catholic youth gathering later this year.

(CNS/ Besse ph9~O) , .

since the publication of the "Catechism of the Catholic Church" and on a recently published survey of the views of active Catholic youths on vocations.

Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo of Dili, East Timor, winner of the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to achi~ve human rights for the people of East Timor, spoke briefly to the bishops June 20.

He appealed to Catholics everywhere "to put pressure on responsible authorities to end torture in East Timor, release political detainees and do everything possible to establish an open dialogue between military officials and the people of East Timor."

"I t is not a matter of politics; it is a simple matter of justice and human decency," he said.

Archbishop Agostino Cacciavillan, papal pro-nuncio to the V nited States, gave a brief talk June 19. He said efforts by Rome and the V.S. bishops to deal with differences over Catholic higher education and over Scripture translations for use at Mass serve to highlight the importance of the unity of the world's bishops with and under the pope.

More than half the 230-plus active and retired bishops who attended the meeting came early to participate in a half-day morning workshop June 19 on pastoral and other issues bishops face in health care ministry amid rapid changes in the structures and delivery of V.S. health care.

The bishops' new Catholic youth ministry statement calls ministry to youth "a top priority for the entire church community."

It was written by the subcommittee on youth of the bishops' Turn to Page 13

"'. ·T~itle· 'lru}i.ng hailed: 'by 'dio'cese, government, educators········ Supporters of stronger church- for students from Catholic and state separation 'sounded the only other religiously affiliated schools. negative notes in response to the President Clinton, Ed ucation ruling, although some who agreed 'Secretary Richard W. Riley, Cathowith it voiced apprehension about lic bishops and representatives of how the decision might be applied public and private teachers' groups to other types of public-parochial . were among those who said the school collaboration. ruling was appropriate and necesAt a minimum, the decision will sary. mean that public school districts "Because of today's ruling, all . will no longer have to payout tens school children, whether in public of thousands of dollars a year or private schools, can benefit from their Title I grants to provide equally from the important supmobile classrooms or rented space plemental remedial programs of in which to hold remedial classes Title I," said a statement from President Clinton. "N 0 longer will children have to leave their school buildings in order to get the assistance they need."

Title I was established to pay for remedial education for low-income students no matter what type of school they attended. The 1985 ruling came out of a la wsuit by New York taxpayers who objected to public school teachers working in parochial schools.

The same public school district administrators who lost the 1985 case appealed to the Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling on the grounds that subsequent court decisions invalidated Aguilar. In the June 23 ruling, the court agreed.

The president of the National Catholic Educational Association said the decision is "a victory for the nation."

FATHER LEO Joseph Melancon, shown here visiting "Giving children improved edu- . the Anchor office in 1992, is celebrating his 65th anniversary as cational opportunities results in a Maryknoll Father. A native of Fall River, he is one of 43 better students, better citizens," Maryknoll priests and brothers being h6nored this weekend at said· a statement from Leonard DeFiore, president of the group jubilee celebrations' at Maryknoll headquarters in Ossining, representing Catholic educators.

NY. (Anchor file photo) The National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, which 'represent public school teachers, agreed . . "Now, rather than millions of dollars being, spent on the senseless purchase of vans, teachers will , be able to go ,into classrooms to June 28 provide remedial services," said a 1947, Rev. Thomas C. Gunning, Assistant, St. Lawrence, New Bedford statement from Sandra Feldman, June 30 president of the American Federa1952, Rev. Simon Pease, SS .Cc., Administrator, Sacred Hearts, Fairhaven WASHINGTON (CNS) Across the country, church organizations, teachers' groups and government agencies have praised the Supreme Court's June 23 ruling that will allow tax-funded remedial programs in religious schools.

The court ruled 5-4 to reverse its 1985 Aguilar vs. Felton decision, which found it unconstitutional for teachers employed by public schools to hold Title I remedial classes for low-income students on the property of religious schools.

1961, Rev. Alphonse M. Reniere, D.P., Dominican Priory, Fall River

July 1 1993, Rev. Fernando A. Veiga, CM, Vincentian Mission House, Fall River

July 2 1967, Rev. Gerard A. Boisvert, Assistant, Notre Dame, Fall River 1996, Rev. Maurice H. Lamontagne, Founder, Our Lady of Grace, Westport

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July 3

1942, Rev. Thomas P. Doherty, Pastor, St. Kilian, New Bedford

July, 4 1955, Rev. James A. Coyle, S.T.L., Pastor, Holy Name, Fall River

July 5 1943, Rev. J. F. LaBonte, Pastor, Sacred Heart, New Bedford 1985, Rev. Edward P. Versailles, M.S., LitSalette Shrine, Attleboro

July 6 1963, Rev. Edmond Francis, SS.CC., Pastor, St. Mary, Fairhaven

July 7 1965, Rev. James E. Lynch, First Pastor, St. Joan of Arc, Orleans

July 10 ' 1938, 1972, 1987, 1987,

Rev. Rev. Rev. Rev.

Pie Marie Berard, D.P., Dominican Priory, Fall River Maurice E. Parent, Pastor, St. Michael, Fall River John E. Morris, M.M., Retired Maryknoll Missioner Theodore M. Morin, M.S., LaSalette Shrine

July 13 1979, Rev. Arthur P. Deneault, M.S., LaSalette Father

July 14 1938, Rev. Nicholas Fett, SS.Cc., Pastor, St. Boniface, Fall River 1949, Rev. Edmund J. Neenan, Assistant, Sacred Heart, Oak Bluffs

July 16 1937, Rev. Bernard Pereot, O,P., Founder, St. Dominic, Swansea

July 17 1960, Rev. William J. Smith, Pastor, St. James, Taunton 1981, Rev. Edmond Rego, Associate Pastor, Espirito Santo, Fall River

July 18

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1968, Rev. Adalbert Szklanny, St. Patrick, Fall River 1984, Rev. Lionel G. Doraisi, SSS, Native South Attleboro

In MassaChusetts, Steve Perla, executive director of Parents Allied for Catholic Education (PACE) for the four dioceses of the Commonwealth, said he was "very encouraged by the Supreme Court ruling."

When the Title I program was founded in 1965, he noted, it was meant to serve all children but in· 1985 the Supreme Court "broke the program apart," not permitting collaboration in its fullest sense.

"Now," said Perla, "the Court has remedied this mistake." , DeFiore said he expects Catholic schools will account for many of the .students who will be brought

S1. Mary's parish in Seekonk announces its newly installed Women's Guild officers: Claire Reetz, . president; Rosemary Lavoie, vicepresident; Doris Stepka, secretary; Ruth Hanlon, corresponding secretary; and Karen Bergeron, treasurer.

Correction Sawejko Enterprises of Somerset was inadvertently left out 'of the special gifts section of the Catholic Charities Appeal listing. The com. pany donated $610.00.

into Title I programs becausl: about 1,000 of the nation's 8,300 Catholic schools are' in urban and 'heavily minority areas.

Bishop James T. McH ugh of Camden, NJ, said the ruling "shows that church and state can c.ooperate without endangering fre:e exercise of religion and withot::t placing the state in a position of establishing or advancing :;pecifically religious interests."

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia said the ruling will affect 13,000 elementary and high school students who received Title I services in the 1996-97 term - 24 percent of the enrollment in Philadelphia County Catholic schools. Another 3,000 students in suburban archdiocesan schools also were in Title I classes.

NEW OFFICERS for the Taunton District Council of Catholic Women were installed June 5 by district moderator Rev. Thomas Morrissey at St. Joseph Church, Taunton:: from left, president, Lucille Couture; vice-president, Maureen Papineau; recording secretary, Helena Luxton; treasurer, Mildred Gil; and correspondence secretary, Anne Sienko.

New officers

July 8 1887, Rev. Edward J. Murphy, Pastor, St. Mary, Fall River 1995, Msgr. Patrick J. O'Neill, Retired Pastor, St. Julie Billiart, North Dartmouth

tion of Teachers. "It makes a lot more sense to teach in a classroom than in a truck."

Daily Readings June 30 Gn 18:16-33; Ps 103:1-4,8-11; Mt8:18-22 July 1

Gn 19:15-29; Ps 26:2-3,9-12; Mt 8:23-21

July2

Gn 21:5,8-20; Ps 34:7-8,10-13; Mt 8:28-34

July 3

Eph 2:19-22; Ps 117:1-2; In 20:24-29

July 4

Gn 23:1-4,19;24:1-8,62-67; Ps 106:1-5; Mt 9:9-13

July 5

Gn 27:1-5,15-29; Ps 135:1-6; Mt 9:14-17

July 6

Ez 2:2-5; Ps 123:1-4; 2 Cor 12:7-10; Mk 6:1-6

July 7

Gn 28:'10-22a; Ps 91:1-4,14-15; Mt 9:18-26

July 8

Gn 32:23-33; Ps 17:1-3,6-8,15; Mt 9:32-38

EDICTAL CITATION DIOCESAN TRIBUNAL FAll RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS

July 9

Gn 41:55-57;42:5-7a,17-24a; Ps 33:2-3,10-11,18-19; Mt 10:1-7

July 10

Gn44:18-21,23b-29;45:1-5; Ps 105:16-21; Mt 10:7-15

Since the actual place of residence of LYNNE (CONRADSON) DOUGLAS is unknown.

July 11

Gn 46:1-7,28-30; Ps 37:3-4,18-19; Mt 10:16-23

July 12

Gn 49:29-32;50:15-26a; Ps 105:1-4,6-7; Mt 10:24·33

July 13

Am 7:12-15; Ps 85:9-14; Eph 1:3-14 or 1:3-10; Mk 6:7-13

July 14

Ex 1:8-14,22; Ps 124:1-8; Mt 10:34-11:1

July 15

Ex 2:1-15a; Ps 69:3,14,30-31,33-34; Mt 11 :20-24

July 16

Ex 3:1-6,9-12; Ps 103:1-4,6-7; Mt 11:25-27

July 17

Ex 3:13-20; Ps 105:1,5,8-9,24-27; Mt 11:28-30

July 18

Ex 11:10-12:14; Ps 116:12-13,15-18; Mt 12:1-8

July 19

Ex 12:37-42; Ps 136:1,10-15,23~24; Mt 12:14-21

July 20

Jer 23:1-6; Ps 23:1-6; Eph 2:13-18; Mk 6:30-34

We cite LYNNE (CONRADSONj DOUGLAS to appear personally before the Tribunal of the Diocese of Fall River on Tuesday, July 8,1997 .at 2:30 p.m, at 887 Highland Avenue, Fall River, Massachusetts, to give testimony to establish: Whether the nullity of the marriage exists in the Grady· Conradson case?

Ordinaries of the place or other pastors having the knowledge of the residence of the above person, Lynne Conradson Douglas, must see to it that she is properly advised in regard to this edictal citation.

Paul F, Robinson, 0, Carm., H.D. Adjutant judicial Vicar Given at the Tribunal, Fall River, Massachusetts, on this the 23rd day of June. 1997.

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A CELTIC Cross rises.above rooftops neal: the Catholic Holy Spirit Study Center in Hong Kong. Church rep.n:s~ntatlves at a r.ecent conlerence in Hong Kong were urged to maintain overseas commuOlcatlOns when ChlOa takes charge of the territory July I. (CNS/ Lueders photo)

Hong Kong turnover, leaves questtions

By John Thavis

VATICAN CITY (C:~S) - The return of Hong Kong to Chinese rule July I leaves a host of unanswered questions about reI igio us freedom and the rights of the Catholic Church, a Vatican report said.

At issue are the functioning of church personnel, social services, church property, education and relations with Catholics in mainland China, said a 16-page dossier published June 13 by Fides, a Vatican evangelization news service.

While China has given vague assurances that religious persecution will not take plac,e in Hong Kong, many Catholics there are fearful that China's Marxist approach will find its WilY into Hong Kong policies and laws, it said.

The report drew a curt reaction June 18 from a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, who said that after July I Hong Kong issues will be considered an "internal question" for China.

The Fides report noted that Chinese sensitivity toward what it views as outside interference, and its insistence that religion is an internal affair, is at the root of'its problems with the Catholic Church and the Vatican. China's officially approved "patriotic" church does not recognize papal authority.

The report said one key to the church's future in Hong Kong will be how China interprets or modifies the island's "Basic Law," which protects religious freedom.

"The laws proposed by China could make life difficult for Catholic churches and organizations which receive funds from the Vatican or from sister churches and institutes. Priests, missionaries or groups daring to take an interest in politics could be seen as 'instruments of a foreign gov<:rnment,'" the report said.

"Everything seems to be in the arbitrary hands of Beijing, including the 178 foreign missionaries

present in the territory. For them Beijing would try to restrict their - as for all foreigners - proce- operations. dures for obtaining permanent For example, it said, many visas are still unclear," it said. school buildings offer hospitality The report suggested that Chi- to CathOlics for worship services nese authorities may want to "bar- on Sunday. ter" these permits in exchange for In education., the dossier said, silence on political or social issues. Chinese authorities have already The dossier noted that China indicated they want to change the has unofficially said: it will not tone of textbooks, and they may interfere with the appointments of decide to push a materialistic inter-' bishops in Hong Kong or obstruct pretation of religion to reflect textrelations between Hong Kong books used on the mainland.

Catholics and the Vatican.

The report said that no one in But a trickier issue i~ how Hong the church wants conflict in Hong Kong Catholics will be able to Kong, and that church leaders communicate with the faithful in there and their faithful have said China - both those oCthe govern- they want a cooperative relationment-approved church and the es- ship with the Chinese government. timated 4 million Catholics in the "Both the Catholics in H.ong underground church. ' Kong and those in China are well "For two years now, Beijing has aware that no one would benefit carried out a merciless campaign from a revolution in China, neither to eliminate the underground the Chinese people nor the rest of church. Some bishops 'are in pris- the world," it said. on or under house arrest; hunIt expressed the hope that with dreds of faithful were Arrested for time, China will discover positive Mass in places not authorized or facets about the church's social controlled by the police; national role in Hong Kong. shrines have been closed," it said, "In the struggle against poverty It said Hong Kong Catholics are and illiteracy, Beijing's best ally unlikely to remain silent about this would seem to be the Catholic persecution, and if they do speak Church," it said. out, "Will they be accused of'wantBishop disagrees ing to influence China?'''

Coadjutor Bishop Joseph Zeng The church's social 'services in of Hong KongsaidJune 19hedisHong Kong will also ~ome under . agreed with points raised in the government watch, and the Vati- report. can report questione~ whether Bishop Zeng said that a recent

Sallivan)s Est. 1962

Religious Articles Books • Gifts Church Supplies 428 Main St. • Hyannis. MA 02601

508-775-4180

Mon.-Sat. 9-5

Communicate: Health!

A Month Of Healthy Learning At Saint Anne's Hospital.

MOBILE MAMMOGRAPHY UNIT

As part of our community outreach program, the Mobile Mammography Unit will be at the following locations in Fall River: • Tuesday, July 1,8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m" at SSTAR, 400 Stanley Street • Wednesday, July 2, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., at Tru-Med I, 528 Newton Street • Thursday, July 24. 9:00 a.m. - 11 :30 a.m., at Health First, 102 County Street For additional information or to schedule a screening please contact Maria Cabrales, RN at Saint Anne's Hospital at (508) 675-5686.

CARETAKER SUPPORT GROUP FOR NON-OFFENDING PARENTS OF SEXUALLY ABUSED KIDS· • Wednesdays, JUly 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30

·5:30 p.m.

Therapy group for sexually abused children and adolescents are also offered.

Pre-registration for the caretaker support group is required by contacting Patricia Suprenant, L1CSW at (508) 674-5600, ext 2270.

DIABETES EDUCATION AND SUPPORT GROUp·

• Tuesday, July 8 ·6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

• Clemence Hall, Room 128 This month the presentation "What's Your Number?" will be presented by Sharon Jones, RN, MS. Meetings focus on an educational topic related to diabetes, as well as a sharing of individual experiences. Open to those with diabetes. their family and friends. For more information contact Sharon Jones at (508) 674-5600, ext. 2480. .

SUNDAY SENIOR LUNCHEON

• Sunday. July 27 ·12:00 p.m. -1:30 p.m.

• Nannery Conference Room Buffet lunch to be followed by an interesting and educational topic. There is a $4.00 fee for the lunch and the presentation. Pre-registration is required by contacting the Food & Nutrition Department at (508) 674-5600. ext. 2635.

NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING

1111111111111111111111111I111111111111111111 THE ANCHOR (USPS-545-020). Periodical Postage Paid lIt Fall River, Mass. Published weekly except for the first two weeks in July and the week after Christmas at 887 Highland Avenue, Fall River, Mass. 02720 by the Catholic Press of the Diocese of Fall River.

'Subscription price by mail, postpaid $14.00 per year. Postmasters send address changes to The Anchor, P.O. Box 7, Fa,1I River, MA 02722.

dialogue he and two other Hong Kong Catholic officials shared with leaders in Beijing has encouraged him to "hope for the best," reported UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand.

The three diocesan officials Bishop Zeng, Auxiliary Bishop John Tong Hon and vicar general Father Dominic Chan Chi-ming - met May 21-22 with three Chinese authorities: Ye Xiaowen, director of the Religious Affairs Bureau; Li Dezhu, deputy director of the United Front Work Department; and Liu Minggi, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office..

Both the Religious Affairs· Bureau and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office are under China's State Council, while the United Front Work Department is part of the Communist Party of China.

Though the bishops disclosed no details, Bishop Zeng later told the diocesan Chinese weekly, Kung Kao Po, that the meeting "strengthened their confidence."

Bishop Zeng said he considers the views expressed in the Fides document as more alarmist than the situation warrants.

Highlighting a number of issues, the report questioned whether China will allow church-run school premises to be used as places of worship. In response, Bishop Zeng

SISTER BETTY Ann Maheu (left) helps Rosa Chung in the library at the Catholic Holy Spirit Study center in Hong Kong in mid-May, Catholics are being asked to continue to live out the Gospel, be tJ;te conscience of society, speak out for justice and serve the poor when Hong Kong reverts to Chinese rule July I. (eNS/ tueders photo)

The Sympto-Thermal Method of Natural Family Planning is a four session course held at Saint Anne's Hospital. The first session is free and materials will cost $40.00. Classes are offered on Sunday afternoons and Tuesday evenings.

For more information contact the Education Department at (508) 674-5600, ext. 2480. *All support groups are

free and open to the public.

g SaintAnne's _Hospital c..~,rti~"j,r our f'l1mmullIiy

795 Middle Street Fall River. MA 02721 (508) 674-5741

Saint Anne's Hospital does not discriminate on tile basis oj race, color, sex. religion, disability, national origin, age or sexual preference in admission to, access 10, or treatment i,i its programs.

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THE ANG'I:lQR.7- Di.oc~se of-Fall River·~_Fri" June.~:;', '19,9?

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A Right Vision

This week world leaders will meet at the United Nations to take a long, hard look at Earth. Five years ago, the first Earth ~ummit was held in Rio de Janeiro to find ways to clean up planet Earth.

The New York gathering will assess the last five advances Of setbacks. Sad to say, the setbacks seem to have ruled the day. Tq.ere have been attempts to clean up the atmosphere, but it is obvious that they are token at best. The nations of the world have done little to contain carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, limit gas guzzling cars, curtail polluton fertilizers or purify our waterways.

Scientists in all areas of environmental studies continue to tell us that we are literally killing ourselves and our planet, yet battles among industry, farmers and developers continue, unchecked by any manifestations of concern. Our abuse of the environment can be seen close to home. The plumes of polluting generated by Otis Air Force Base on Cape Cod and the toxic condition of the waterways of New Bedford have had a -tremendous impact on our lifestyle. Many buy their drinking water and it is unsafe to fish or gather shellfish in many local areas.

Very little is being done to reverse these conditions by those in public office who have the responsibility of protecting our natural resources. Admittedly, their hands are too often tied by the politics oflobbyists and special interest groups; but as a result we are being buried in our own garbage and drowning in our own pollution.

It is very important that we not dismiss environmental issues as pet causes of fringe groups. Use of our mineral, vegetable and animal resources cannot and should not be divorced from respect for moral imperatives. The Catholic Church teaches that man's Godgranted dominion over inanimate and living beings is not absolute; it is limited, as the new CateChism of the Catholic Church states, "by concern for the quality of life of our neighbors, including generations to come; it requires a respect for the integrity of all creation." .

In our pt;esent social order, environmental decisions are very difficult to make. If money is your god, financial return is your chief concern. For too many capitalists environmental issues are seen simply as detrimental to. their profits. Others have a great concern for the animal world. Indeed, it is Church teaching that animals should not needlessly suffer or die, but there are those who direct to animals tht:: affection due only to persons. For example, some people will picket and lobby for seagulls, yet ignore the murder of hvman babies. Others will do everything to save the whale but could not care less about human life from womb to tomb.

To be honest,our concern for the environment reached analltiIile low when, forgetting that man is created in the image and likeness of God, we elected legislators who found it acceptable to kill unwanted infants. How can we solve environmental problems when human life itself is disposable? When ,we accede to ~bortion or euthanasia, we deny the dignity of the individual person. Our failure to respect human life has led us to a disrespect for air, water and earth. If we are truly determined to preserve our environment we must see all creation as a gift of God who, as the Book of Genesis tells us, looked at his work"and saw that it was good...very good." .

If we could communicate this mind-set to the United Nations meeting this week, perhaps we could start to reverse our environmental decline. However, one should be skeptical when delegates, . politicians and even some scientists fail to acknowledge dependence on a Creator as the source of all life. All the money in the world will not necessarily stop our march to self-destruction. The active concern of every man and woman motivated by a deep and abiding love for both heaven and Earth will provide the real answer to our present difticulties.

The Editor

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OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FAll RIVER Published weekly by The Catholic Press of the Diocese of Fall River PO. BOX 7 887 l:iighland Avenue Fall River, MA02722-0007 Fall River. MA 02720 Telephone 508-675~7151 FAX .(508) 675-7048 Send address changes to P.O, Box 7 or call telephone number above

EDITOR Rev. John F. Moore

GENERAL MANAGER Rosemary Dussault ~ L£~AV PRESS -

FALL RIVER

CNS.1.euders photo

THE HONG KONG CATHEDRAL: JULY 1 THE CHANGE IN SOVEREIGNTY FROM BRIT. AINTO CHINA TAKES PLACE. PLEASE PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE OF'HONG KONG DURING THIS TIME OF CHANGE.

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in distress." F's 46:2

Why are some Catholics so pro-death~~

By Carol Zimmermann

Most Americans voiced the same opinion, pointing to the heinousness of the crime and McVeigh's visible lack of remorse.

Father Jerry Lowney, a ':riminolo gist and chair of the sociology department at Carroll College in Heljury deciding Timothy McVeigh's ena, Mont., attributes it to the "cafsentence had been all Catholic, there's a pretty good chance he would But. among those opposing the eteria Catholic" mentality of picking still have been given the death pen- death penalty in this case were the and choosing church teaching and alty..

U.S. bishops. In television inter- also to a general lack of understand"Catholics are caught up in the cul- views, letters to their dioceses and ing about the church's pos:ition.

He said the church has been unture in general," said Daniel Misleh, columns in their diocesan newspapolicy adviser for criminal justice pers, they repeatedly defended the able to get across the basic principle issues for the U.S. Catholic Confer- sanctity of all human life and the that each human life has dignity, not ence. possibility of redemption even for just in its stance against abortion, but in providing for the poor, ensuring And the culture in general, as high- mass murderers.

Their statements reflected the health care, welfare legislation and lighted by the focus on the Denver courtroom in early June, 'is big on church's evolving position on the opposition to the death penalty. retribution. . death penalty.

The public in general n€:eds more McVeigh was found guilty June 2 The "Catechism of the Catholic understanding of the death penalty, in the April, 1995 bombing of the Church" says public authorities can. said law professors Fred Bennett of Oklahoma City federal building that impose. the death penalty "in cases The Catholic University of America killed 168 people and was called the of extreme gravity." But it adds that and Alan Raphael of Loyol.a Univerworst act of domestic terrorism in "if bloodless means are sufficiene' to sity of Chicago.

U.S. history. The next week, the same protect life and public order, they are Bot.h are convinced the: growing jury recommended that he should die "more in conformity to the dignity public approval of the dealh penalty of the human person." by lethal injection. will not diminish until cases are pubIn the days before the penalty Pope John Paul II's 1995 encycli- licized where innocent people were phase of his trial, McVeigh essen- cal "Evangelium Vitae" virtually wrongly sentenced to death. tially became the poster boy for the ruled out capital punishment, saying Today 38 states have [he death death penalty issue. National news cases meeting the necessary test to- penalty and there are more t~an 3,000 magazines ran his photo on their cov- day were "very rare if not practically death-row inmates. In the last 20 ers with the caption, "Should He nonexistent." years there have been 392 execuDie?" "If' Thus, future editions· of the cat- tions. you are gomg,to have a capital echism will be revised to refleCt the As the death sentence becomes punishment, .that's a perfect person to use that punishment against," said church's s_tronger reservations about more prevalent and courts do not inc tervene, Bennett told eNS that Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating, a the death penalty.

Catholic, about McVeigh shortly afSo why hasn't this message been peopie becOIne even more accepting of the policy and "say it',s :~llright." terthe verdict. . '-~cc~pted ~nth.e pe'Ys? .

WASHINGTON (CNS) - I f the

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Ad'vctcate 'for handica"r;ped' 'hori~[)red .. ,...

ERIE, Pa. (CNS) -- As founder of a community that nourishes the spiritual and material needs of the mentally disabled, ,]fean Vanier knows about people with handicaps.

But from his vantage point, you don't have to have physical or mental limitations to have a serious handicap.

"Maybe we don't really believe that we too have handicaps - and serious handicaps," Vanier told a recent gathering at the Cathedral Preparatory School auditorium in Erie.

"It's all our blockages, our incapacity to love," he said. "Our angers, our flight from reality, living in a dream world. refusing to live in the real world, pretending.

These are all very fundamental and very deep handicaps."

Vanier founded the international L'Arche movement in 1964 when he invited two previously institutionalized men to live with him at his home in France. Vanier was in Erie to help the L'Arche Erie community celebrate its 25th anniversary.

L'Arche, which in English is "the Ark," has more than 100 communities in 20 countries.

L'Arche helps people with mental handicaps lead productive and spiritual lives. In Erie alone, there are six L'Arche hom(:s and three apartments where about 50 workers share their daily IiVI~S with the , mentally disabled.

Vanier, who lives in TroslyBreuil, a small town outside Paris, told about how living with people with disabilities taught him how to love. He told the story of D.J., a mentally disabled man who shares his home in France.

D:J., whose condition causes him to be constantly in motion, went with Vanier and other community members to a weekend retreat at a monastery. He touched Vanier's heart with his simple faith.

"We did many things," Vanier explained. "Of course" we assisted at the liturgies of the monks and we had the Eucharislt....We did everything. The last day, I asked, 'What touched you on the weekend?' D.J. said, 'When the .priest was speaking, my heart was burning.'"

Vanier said D.J. may not have understood what the priest actually said, but he undoubtedly picked up the priest's presence and the music of his voice.

Vanier also told of a mentally handicapped boy of II who made his first Communion. The boy's uncle came up to his mother and remarked on the beautiful liturgy, adding that it was too bad the boy didn't understand any of it.

Hearing the remark, the boy tearfully looked at his mother and told her not to worry, saying Jesus loves him just as he is, Vanier said.

"That little boy knew about his handicaps," Vanier said. "Jesus loves me as I am. I don't have to be what Mommy and Daddy want me to be. I don't hav(: to be what society wants me to be. I don't even have to be what myself wants me to be. It's OK to be ourselves.

Jesus loves me."

At the Erie school, Vanier was presented with the Prophet of Peace award given by the Benedictine Sisters of Erie. In giving the award, the Benedictine commulnity recognized Vanier as "a prophet of nonviolence and reconcilialtion for our times."

The award was presented in memory of the late Elrie Benedic-

tine Sister Barbara Ann Karznia, who with Father <)eorge Strohmeyer, opened the first L'Arche Erie home 25 years ago. It was the first of 13 L'Arche communities in the United States. .

Father Strohmeyer is the spiritual director of the L'Arche Erie community.

Paplli honor Vanier received the pope's blessing in mid-June for his work and that of all his colleagues in the International L' Arche Federation.

Speaking in Italian and French, Pope John Paul II praised Vanier and the 120 L'Arche employees who came to the Vatican June 20 for the awarding of the Paul VI Prize.

Vanie'r represents. "the culture of solidarity and the 'civilization of love'" about which Pope Paul VI wrote and spok~, the pontiff said.

Pope John Paul stid that with-

out a doubt, Vanier's spirituality influenced L' Arche's philosophy.

"There is in that an eloquent message for our time, thirsting for solidarity, but above all for authentic and profound spirituality," he added.

The pope counted Vanier's efforts among the "concrete signs of hope that show how it is possible to realize daily, also in complex and difficult situations, the Beatitudes of the Gospel."

The Paul VI Prize is administered by the Paul VI Institute in the late pope's hometown of Brescia, Italy. Its three previous winners' were Catholi<: theologian Father Hans Urs von Balthasar in 1984, contemporary music, composer Olivier Messiaen in 1988 and Protestant theologian Oscar Cullman four years ago.

Pope John Paul noted that this year the award went to someone who does not work directly in the areas of art and culture.

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tHE ANCHOR-"-- DidceseoOf Fall

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River'~ Fri., June 27,1997

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Cecile Moniz, Cynthia Padula, Marie "Connie" Reis, and Pauline Teves.

Also presented was the Art of Caring Award, going to Joe Oliveira of the Environmental Services Department, who was chosen as Employee of the Year. Eligible' for the Employee of the Yearaward, were those chosen as Employees of the Quarter. Other Employees of the Quarter over the past year were Vivian Oullette, Mario DaCunha, and Ronald Rousseau.

At its recent annual Service Awards banquet, Saint Anne's Hospital, Fall River, recognized employees who have served the hospital five to 35 years. The a wards were presented by hospital president Joseph Wilczek, and board of directors chai rperson Sister Joanna Fernandes, O.P. Recognized for 35 years, Ellen Couto; for 30 years, Catherine Bonner, Lorraine Chaves, and Frances Krudys; for 25 years, Margie Bobola, Sharon Dahlstrom, Elaine Dupont,' Doris Fontaine,

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JEAN VANIER, founder of the international L'Arche movement, has been speaking on behalf of people with mental handicaps for more than 30 years. At a recent talk in Erie, Pa., he said the "very peep handicaps" are the incapacity to love and refusing to live in the real world. (CNS/ Wittman photo)

Weekly General Audience Message Pope J(Jhn Paul n VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Here is the Vatican text of Pope John Paul II's remarks in English at his weekly general audience June 25, Dear brothers and sisters, The church solemnly teaches that the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the end of her earthly existence, was assumed body and soul into heaven. Some theologians have maintained that Mary did not die, but was immediately raised to glory. Christian'tradition commonly affirms however th~t Mary, like her Son, experienced the human drama of death. Mary had been closely associated with Christ's redemptive work throughout her life, and so it was fitting that she should share the experience of death before partaking of the glory of the Resurrection.' If we consider her spiritual attitude in the face of death, we can assume that, like St. Paul, Mary must have longed "to depart and be w~th Christ" (cf. Phil 1:23). Now, having experienced death herself; she is an understanding spiritual mother to all those approaching the hour of their own departure from this earthly life.

I am pleased to welcome the professors and delegates of the Theological Seminary of the Reformed Church in America. I also thank the choirs for the praise of God in song. Upon all the English-speaking visitors, especially the pilgrims from Scotland, South Africa, Indonesia, Thailapd, Japan, the Philippines and the United States, I cordially invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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THE ANCHOR ~ Diocese of Fall River -

Fri., June 27, 1997

Peter's Pence: helping the needy WASHINGTON (CNS) The theme of the 1997 Peter's Pence Collection, :'Prodaiming Jesus Christ, the Same Yesterday, Today and Forever," reflects the motif of the first year of the Catholic Church's preparation for the Great Jubilee of .the Year 2000.

The annual appeal asks more than 960 million Catholics worldWIde to join the pope in his mission through prayers and donations. The collection will take place in· most U.S. dioceses June 29, although some dioceses might schedulE;! it for another time.

"This collection enables John Paul II to respond to victims of disaster, continue his pastoral care for the church, and spread the Gospel message throughout the world," said Archbishop James P. Keleher of Kansas City, Kan., chairman of

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the bishop's Ad Hoc Commit-· tee on Economic Concerns of the Holy See, in a letter about the collection.

"For nearly 20 years, he has proclaimed the message of God's love to millions of people in more than 100 countries, and as we approach the jubilee, he calls all of us to renew Our witness," said Archbishop Keleher. .

Each U.S. diocese received a packet of materials for promoting the colleCtion, inducting a sample envelope, fact sheet, clip art, editorial ideas, suggested pUlpit announcements and homily points, and posters in Spanish and English.

The Peter's Pence Collection w~s instituted by Pope Pius IX in the 1860s, though the name dates back to. ninth-century England, when King Alfred the Great collected a "pence" from English landowners as finan~ cial support for the pope. Since the 18605 the collection has been held annually to support papal spiritual and c.haritable works.

More than 98 cents of each dollar contributed to the collection goes directly to' Pope John Paul, who distributes the funds at his discretion.

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Consec'ratl"on to the D'I"vI"ne WI"II Oh adorable and Divine Will, behold me here before the immensity ofYour Light, that Your eternal goodness may open to me the doors and, make me enter into It to form my life all in You, Divine Will. Therefore, oh adorable Will, prostrate before Your Light, I, the least of all creatures, put myself into the little group of the sons and daughters of Your Supreme FIAT. Pros.' trate in my· nothingness, I invoke Your Light and beg that it clothe me and eclipse all that does not pertain to You, Divine .Will. It wilI .be my Life, the center of my intelligence, the enrapturer of my heart and of my whole being. I do not want the human will tohave life in this heart any longer, I will cast it away from me and thus form the new Eden of Peace, of happiness and of love. With It I shall be always happy. I shall have a . singular strength and a holiness that sanctifies all things and conducts them to God. .

Here prostrate, I invoke the help of the Most Holy Trinity that They permit me to live in the cloister of the Divine Will and thus return in me the first order of creation, just as the creature was created.

Heavenly Mother, Sov~reign and Queen of the Divine Fiat, take my hand and introduce me into the Light of the Divine Will. You will be my guide, my most tender Mother, and will· teach me to live in,and to maintain myself in the order and the bounds of the Divine Will. Heavenly Mother, I consecrate my whole being to Your Immaculate Heart. You will teach me the doctrine of the Divine Will and I will listen most attentively to Your lessons. You will cover me with Your mantle so that the infernal serpent dare not penetrate into this sacred Eden to entice me and make me fall into the maze of the human will.

Heal"! of my greatest: Good, Jesu.s, You will give me Your flames that they may bum me, consume me, and feed me to form in me the Life of the Divine Will. .

Saint Joseph, you will be my protector, the guardian of my heart, and will keep the keys of my will in your hands. You will keep my heart jealously and shall never'give itto me again, that I may be sure of never leaving the Will of God. .

My guardian Angel, guard me; defend me; help me in everything so that my Eden may flourish and be the instrument that draws all men into the Kingdom of the Divine Will. Amen.

An unforgettable Mass in Assisi Recently, for the first time in my life, I traveled to Italy, the land of my father's birth. .

Usually the story of someone's.travels is of interest only to the person who has done thetraveling, but I had one.experience so profound that I'd like to share it with everyone: the joy of be- . ing in Assisi, where the humble and holy St. Francis and St. Clare lived, two people who Tevolutionizedthe meaning of sanctity. .

Born to wealth, they chose to devote themselves to poverty and concern for the poor and the sick, while relishing the wonders of God's creation as revealed in nature.

Francis and Clare saw God in everything. So -the foundation of their mission was love for all God's creatures.

I arrived in Assisi in the late afternoon and went immediately to the church dedicated to St. · Clare, which holds her remains.

The story is told of how Francis, a rather pleasure-seeking, carefree youth, heard .a· message from aerucifix telling him, "Francis, repair my church." That cross is in St. Clare's church, as · are the robes of Clare and Fran£is, his prayer book and a container holding the blonde curls, still soft and silky today, that were cut from -cIare's head when she chose to dedicate her life to God as a nun, following the path of Francis.

I arrived early at St. Francis' Basilica the next morning and asked a monk where the 7 a.m. Mass would be celebrated. He told me "in the tomb."

That'swhen I discovered the lower church. There I saw a small altar, set before a stone arch. Placed high in that stone frame is the tomb of St. Francis.

It was May 24, in Italy a feast day initiating a month dedicated to Mary. So it took the monks about 40 minutes to get everything set up. .Finally a procession of priests - I counted

32 - came up the aisle, and the Mass beg,an with beautiful music, sung by the monks. To my surprise and joy, the Gregorian chant was the same I had been taught in elementary school back in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany, N. Y., many decades ago.

The Bottom Line

By Antoinette Bosco

. The Mass was in Italian, and I understood about half the readings and the sermon, enough to be inspired. The priest told us how privileged we all were to be here, with the great St. Francis. He said this church carries out all that the great saint stood for, especially compassion and love. for all. He ended his sermon by blessing us and asking us all to go out and be like St. Francis.

In our day we use words like aura, feeling, senses and "vibes." I can say, without exaggeration, that I felt infused with joy as I received holy communion that morning, as if from the hands of St. Francis himself. I asked myself, why shouldn't one believe that the aura of the saint leap:; out of the very stones of this holy place? _ It would be hard to find another saint who so captured the heart of people as did this gentle man of Assisi, who lived more than 750 years ago.

I know I was touched. I shall never forget the power of that morning Mass: the high point of my first trip to Italy.

,Readers question family meal advice Dear Mary: In regard to your article about · the family With three .children who complain about what's being served for c:linner, can't wait to leave the table for television or the phone, your response of reward, involvement and theme missed the point entirely.

These parents need to communicate with their kids. Some guidelines, some rules, need to be established. Who's in charge here?

Involvement is OK, but let's have some co~ operation too. Your solutions are unrealistic.

Consider the working mom trying to plan meals, around the alphabet. What happens when they run out of letters? .

Thank-you points: So now parents are supposed to thank their children for showing up at the table for dinner?

We raised seven children. They were taught to be grateful to God for their food and res))ectful to their parents for preparing it. And now they ate teaching their children the same values.

This obviously dysfunctional fainily consists of three children selfishly bent on going their own way and tw~ parents who are afraid to offend the little darlings by setting some Christian guidelines. .

What's wrong with: If you are not on time for dinner, you get to do the cleanup and dishes afterward. This w,ill assure promptness. If you don't like the food, leave the table, go to your room, no television, no phone, no dinner.

Teach the three children to cooperate together to prepare the main meal once a week or tWice a month or whatever. The keyword is Christian cooperation. And communication. - Iowa

important Christian events. ,While we both consider mealtimes important events, we disagree about the means and procedures in a family. Certain elements of life are not . controlled by fiat. Saying something does not make ' it so.

Family Talk With Dr. James & Mary Kenny

As becomes evident in the earliest years of life, neither parents nor others can control eating, sleeping, elimination and learning in another person.

These behaviors are within the control of the indi' vidual.

And from birth, feelings belong to the individual. No one can make another person respect the cook or like the dinner. Given any five people, one will find five different feelings toward the cook and the dinner.

Communication in a family is clearly desirable.

However, often parents wish to indoctrinate, not communicate. Communication is by defi·nition a two-waystree~. Handing down rules is not communication.

Given these realities, we suggest that the goal of pleasant family mealtimes requires more than rules and pronouncements. Reaching the goal is primarily up to the parents, who, we agree, are clearly in charge. Ethnic meals, alphabet meals, Thank you for caring enough to write your· winter picnics on the. floor and points to reward concerns. Perhaps we are not so far apart as you positive behavior: all are designed not to spoil chilindicate.. You support two approaches: the need dren, but to reach the goal of pleasant mealtimes.. for rules and the importance of Christian coopWe applaud parents who use strategie8 to eneration and communication. We wholly agree. hance communication, teamwork and a positive Mealtime is probably the main family ex- attitude toward mealtime. We Joast those who perience of togetherness. It might even be the struggle with varying degrees of success to reach main family liturgy for the Christian family.. that goal. A good question to ask, 'Would Jesus (In Honor of Lui~a Piccarreta 1865-1947 Child of the Divine Will) There is no doubt that Jesus enjoyed eating and enjoy eating a· meal with our fami Iy?' ~~~_~_~~......_~~~~~~~_~~~~ ...."" . drinking with his friends. Truly mealtimes are '. ~.\;~~~:~.:\,,::~~.,"\:~':J:· . (5'__t~-(I*~~;~~,_::-':'\<<"~~:l',t;:t:~{:~~ . . '}:';\/~~",; .. ~~'-;~'~~:.:~;\5;<'~~' ~

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Mary and our gifts of grace

THE ANCHOR - Diocese of Fall River - Fri., June 27, 1997

Q. Could you please discuss the Blessed Virgin Mary as Mediatrix of all grace?

I realize that graces come from Jesus through Mary to iUS. But doesn't grace come directly from Jesllls also? (Illinois)

ate the spiritual climate for our immediate encounter with Christ" (Our Lady's Digest, 1972; quoted in the American bishops' pastoral letter on the Blessed Virgin Mary, November 1973, No. 67).

I hope this responds to your questions and helps a little to understand why this subject al-

A. These titles for Mary (mediator, or dispenser, of all grace; co-redeemer, etc.) have a valid and orthodox meaning in Christian tradition.

As your question proves, however, they can be and often are confusing, and are sometimes interpreted in ways that contradict St. Paul's statement, "There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, himself hu. man"'(l Tm 2:5).

In addition, discussions of the subject often reflect questionable, quantified understandings of the meaning of grace in Catholic tradition.

For these reasons, Vatican Council II and recent popes from Pius XII on, handle the matter carefully, and use words most judiciously.

All of them, for example, avoid the term "coredeemer," a title once rather common for Mary.

In his 1987 encyclical, "Redemptoris Mater" (Mother of the Redeemer), John Paul II directly relates Mary's role of mediation to her role as . mother of Christ.

Because she was the mother who nourished the Redeemer, he says, Mary "cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the Savior's work of restoring supernatural life."

Thus, he continues, she has and will always have a "maternity in the order of grace" (No. 22, quoting Vatican II's "Lumen Gentium").

Like all creatures, notes the Holy Father, Mary shares in a subordinate way in the one mediation of Christ, though her sharing is specifically maternal, which distinguishes it from all others (No. 38).

Several years ago, an international theological commission was established during a Marian congress in Poland. Because the pope had received petitions from certain groups to publicly proclaim the Blessed Virgin Mediatrix of all graces and co-redeemer, the Vatican asked the

Questions and Answers

By Father John J. Dietzen theological commission: Is such a proclamation possible and opportune?

For several reasons, one of which was the theological and spiritual ambiguity of such titles, the commission responded no. Much more study from ecclesiastical, theological and anthropological perspectives is necessary, it said, before such a proclamation should be considered.

The question is well summarized by the American scholar of Marian theology, Dominican Father Frederick Jelly."Mary is not a bridge over the gap that separates us from a remote Christ," he explains. .

"Such an approach to Marian devotion and doctrine would minimize the deepest meaning of the incarnation, the fact that he has become a man like us and that his sacred humanity has made him the unique mediator between God and

us.

"Mary's greatness is that she brought him ~Iose to us, and her mediation continues to cre-

Fresh thc)ughts on renovating churches Lots of goofy things have happened in the name of church architectural and liturgical reform over the last quarter century or so. There's no reason we cannot continue this tradition.

We have seen tons of interesting things -like efforts to save gorgeous Communion rails and incorporate them into "renovation" designs. As a result, there are altars all over the world that look like a nasty fight between the people who crafted the Parthenon and the people who make Legos.

(Note: Young folks and converts who do not recognize the term "Communion rail" should consult older parishioners. Warning: They might rail for quite a while.)

Still, fresh thoughts seem due. As a matter of fact, several fresh thoughts were articulated during a recent men's crab feed at All Saints Parish at our table alone.

So, what could happen if these friends of mine had a larger role to play in renovating church buildings?

-First, and absolutely foremost, a scoreboard-sized clock would be mounted high in the altar area.

The clock could be a traditional classroom model with the big black-and-white hands, but an NBA digital time clock would be awesome.

And who wouldn 'tjust kill for a shot-clock timer (talk clock?) for homilies?

Actually, in my own church there is a great place for a clock on a bare wall high and to the left behind the altar (as seen from the pews).

A clock there would add an interesting accent to the wall- mounted statue of Jesus. The carving's raised right hand would then appear to be pointing directly at the clock.

Currently it looks like the statue is gesturing as if about to say something to those in front of it like, "Catholics who are late for Mass shall be

forced to parade before us the entire length of the aisles and sit in front of everyone. Hah!" -What if we could outfit at least a few pews ':Vith hydraulic jacks at the ends? Operating a foot pedal, you could raise the aisle-end of the pew.

Reaching the appropriate height, worshipers al-

;The offbeat world of Uncle Dan

By Dan Morris

ready seated could comfortably slide to the middle. No climbing over aisle huggers. No sharp lmees. No tightrope walking kneelers. Just one nice hydraulic "shsst" and - almost like magic ~ there's room at the end.

-If my tablemates were any indication, a special section of pews designed for people who want to hold hands during the Our Father could be a grass-roots hit. Maybe the entire section 90uld be just one mongo long pew that could serpentine back and forth and that would have only two ends. This way, many fewer people who formerly sat at the ends of many pews would risk back or rib injuries stretching to grab hands.

-Trap doors at entrances and exits. When leaving church after the liturgy, yak nerds repre$ent one of the traditional annoyances. Not the beasts, but the people who stop just inside doorways and yak.

It would be really pleasant to be able (in a kind and gentle way, naturally) to drop these knots of friendly folks through a trap door into the basement. They can continue to yak, and the rest of ~s can continue to track.

7

ways requires mature and careful spiritual reflection.

A free brochure outlining basic Catholic prayers, beliefs and moral precepts is available by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Father John Dietzen, Holy Trinity Church, 704 N. Main St., Bloomington, III. 61701.

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8 THE ANCHOR -

Diocese or-Fall River -

Fri., June 27, .1997.

Honduran girl's prayers are a<nswered

pearal)ce," Forte said. "I think take place when a priest reaches DETROIT(CNS)- When Ana the area.

Valesquez returned to Honduras she'll have a positive outlook."

Ana's mother said her daughter After the surgery Ana "was very in early June, it was with all her surprised," her mother said. "She was excited to return home to prayers answered. show her family her new look and looks very different."

Not only did Ana, 7, undergo Studiesexamining whether Catho': surgery at Providence Hospital to WASHINGTON(CNS)- More Father Felix Alsola, a hospital to take with her the presents she than three decades of research lic schools' success stems from chaplain, baptized Ana at the re- received from hospital staff and remove a disfiguring growth from have failed to turn up bad news on their tight disciplinary control have quest of her mother. Interpreter volunteers, but she was also sad to her face, she was baptized in the Catholic schools, says sociologist shown otherwise. Their success, he Kandow, and her husband, Tim, leave the United States. hospital chapel with her new friends said, is linked to the schools' greater by her side.

Father Andrew Greeley.

"She's going to miss the microserved as Ana's godparents.

"I'm not a Catholic educator. academic demands, one-on-one' Ana's two oldest siblings have wave oven, the light and the hotel Ana arrived at the Catholic hosI'm an outsider. If I report good attention to students and com- pital in suburban Southfield in been baptized, said Forman, who - but mostly her friends," her things about Catholic schools, it's munity support. added that mass baptisms often mother said: May with her mother, Maria. She Father Gredey said he is conbecause the data constrain me to," was born with·a facial deformity Father Greeley told Catholic edu- vinced, but cannot prove with data, that caused brain tissue to procators attending a recent confer- that the religious education at trude through a portion of her ence on the future of Catholic Catholic schools comes more from skull that had not developed proschools at the Catholic University the environment itself than from perly. 'of America. . classroom discussions. He said that The deformity was "not life Father Greeley, director of the students "come in contact with threatening, but terribly disfigurNational Opinion Research Cen- Catholic communalism and a lituring," said Dr. Robert Forte, a ter at the University of Chicago gical environment" that he feels member of the Institute for Craniand a professor at th~ University are more valuable than lectures. ofacial and Reconstructive Surgery, of Arizona, said Catholic .educaHe said studies show that the which is affiliated with Providence tors "can't pretend the good news religious effects of Catholic schools Hospital. doesn't exist. They should cele- are strongest on those who already Forte had met Ana during a brate and ask how can we move have a religious background. yearly visit to Honduras. Institute forward?"

Father Greeley, describing Catho- staff travel to underdeveloped Studies conducted since 1958 lic schools as "a capital investment countries regularly to look for have shown that Catholic schools for the Catholic Church" and children with various defects. are' not academically inferior to ~'bingo with a purpose," said that if Simpler surgeries, like cleft lips, public schools, but are equal to or only more Catholics realized this, are performed in the home counsuperior to their public school "the. future of Catholic schools try, but more difficult operations counterparts, he said. They are wouldn't be so bleak." must be done in the United States. particularly successful among disCurrently, Catholics give about One to two children, usually up advantaged students,. he added, 1.1 percent of their income to the to age 18, are flown to the United stemming from the schools' efforts church, he said, but if they gave States each month by the surgery throughout their history to "serve more, Catholic schools would not institute. poor immigrants. They kl)ow how have financial problems they now Institute' staff perform the operto do this and do it welL" experience and could pay teachers ations pro bono. Donations and better wages. _ money from fund-raisers cover the To those who say schools cost cost of airfare and hotel rooms, if the church too much money, he the family is not hosted by a local said, "close the Catholic schools family.

YOUNG ANA Valesquez, who underwent surgery to HEATING, INC. and the Sunday collection will go Ana's surgery was too difficult .remove a disfiguring growth from her face, poses with her down," because people don't mind Sales and Service to be performed in Honduras, said mother Marie before they returned to Honduras. (CNS/ Smith their money going to the parish, for Domestic and Industrial Eva Forman, a social worker for 'ibut they don't want it to go anyphoto) 011 Burners the institute whQ roams the world :where else. to find children'in need.

995-1631 Catholic schools come out on Ana was4 when Forman visited 2283 ACUSHNET AVENUE top in research studies but they the mountainous village of Santa NEW BEDFORD still can't get around needing money Rosa de Copan, situated in northto survive, he said. But "faced with west Honduras. declining funds, the answer is not Ana is one of nine children, and MARRIAGE to despair, but to use creativity - the family lives without running ALEXANDRIA, (CNS)- after the Bolshevik revohltion and ingenuity," he concluded.

PREPARATION water or electricity, according to Catholics iii St. Petersburg, Rus- the pastor was killed and in 1938 Forman. She added that the girl's sia, have begun construction of the church was closed.

AT ITS BEST! father is a migrant worker, and her In 1984 a fire nearly deJEFFREY E. SULLIVAN mother does laundry to increase - a shrine in honor of Our Lady Give A Gift stroyed the church, leaving only of Fatima, according to the dithe family's income.

FUNERAL HOME Certificate For A the shell.

In 1992, a year after rector of the Fatima Family 550 Locust Street Through interpreter Angelica Weekend Away the Soviet Union broke up, the Apostolate.

Fall River, Mass.

Kandow, Maria Valesquez told church was 'returned to the The Michigan Catholic, For Info Contact D~troit's Father Robert J. Fox, head of Rose E. Sullivan archdiocesan newspaper, that she the Alexandria-based apostolate Catholic Church under new freeTRACEY & KEITH William J. Sullivan and her daughter were happy with and also pastor of the Fatima doms for religion. The church Margaret·M. Sullivan LACY the surgery and thankful for an TEL. 223-1677 Shrine here, said donations from is currently undergoing re~itora­ 672';2391 operation they never thought would Catholics worldwide are needed tion. : be possible.

Father Fox will donate a four"This will change (Ana's) life in to help complete construction of foot statue of the Immaculate the St. Petersburg shrine.. a way," she said.

LIGHTHOUSE "I beg Catholics of America Heart of Mary as the main statue Valesquez said that herdaughCHRISTIAN BOOKSTORE . and elsewhere to join in this for the Fatima chapel. The cross ter attends school 'in their village but is a quiet and shy child because noble effort," said Father Fox in which is at the Fatima Shr:me in of people staring at her and child- a statement about the shrine.

Alexandria was to be sent to • Music ren teasing her. . His apostolate has been aid- Archbishop Kondrusiewicz at .

Write to: Forte said he expected Ana to • Rosaries UI ing the chapel project, and in the the end of June. have a full recovery from what he • Gifts last four years has raised about· The Russian chapel will also termed a successful surgery. Ifany TEL. (508) 997·1165 include plaques engraved with $125,000 for it.

Fr. Robert Lynch O.F.M. follow-up surgery is needed, he Open-Mon.• sat. 9:30 AM • 5:00 PM The priest reported that he the messages of the Blessed said, he would perform it during P.O. Box 23 88-A STATE HIGHWAY .has received a plea for aid from Mother when she appeared to his next visit to Honduras.

(Rt. 6)' NO. DARTMOUTH _ Boston, MA 02112-0023 ilCOss From Stlng H5. Next DOIY To ButIOfIHO(}o "(Now), she has a very good ap- Archbishop Tadeusz three children in Fatima, PortuKondrusiewicz, the Moscow- gal, in 1917.

The messages, which will be based apostolic administrator for European Russia. Father engraved in Russian, English, Fox estimates another $400,000 French and German, included to will be needed. her urging people to say the roSales And Service The shrine. will be within a sary and asking that the people five minute walk of the Winter of Russia be consecrated to her FOR CANCER VICTIMS AND Fall River's Largest Palace, which anti-monarchists under the title of her ImmacuTHEIR LOVED ONES Display of TVs stormed in 1917 when they late Heart. overthrew the czar.

Donations for the shrine Every Thursday • 9:30 A.M. RCA - ZENITH - SYLVANIA It wiil be attached to the west can be sent to Fatima Shrine ST. LOUIS CHURCH 1196 BEDFORD STREET end of the historic church of St. for Russia, P.O. Box 158, Al673-9721 -420 Bradford Avenue· Fall River Catherine of Alexandria exandria, SD 57311. founded in 1763. Seven years

Catholic schools:

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Gay people deserve respect, are called to chastity, says· Indiana bishop LAFAYETTE, Ind. (CNS) Morality for homosexuals is no different than for single heterosexuals, which is to lead chaste lives, said Bishop William L. Higi of Lafayette.

"Outside the sacred bond of matrimony - of its nature the union of male and female for life - all are called to live celibate lives," the bishop wrote in a pastoral letter in the June I issue of The Catholic Moment, his diocesan newspaper.

"Genital activity outside of marriage ... is objectively sinful behav-

ior. Be a person homosexual or heterosexual, this is not a popular message," he wrote.

The bishop noted that questions about the church's position regarding gay rights recently were raised by a debate over a Lalayette gay rights ordinance and bya Catholic student center's co-sponsorship of a "safe zone" sticker campaign to fight discrimination against gays.

He was referring to a failed attempt to remove wording about sexual orientation from a 1993 Lafayette City Council ordinance

THE ANCHOR -

Diocese of Fall River -

Such efforts cannot be supported if they promote living or acting out of a gay lifestyle, Bishop Higi s~id. protecting people from discrimina- "If their goal is to eliminate bigotion. try, harassment and/ or discrimiThe sticker campaign was initi- nation based on sexual orientaated by a Purdue University group tion, not the right to act out, they for gay students and supported by warrant support," he added. about 20 groups, including the St. But he said reconciling these Thomas Aquinas Newman Center two imperatives - separating at the university. support from approval - is not The campaign - intended to easy. supplement the university's anti"If a person denounces bigotry, discrimination policy - involves discrimination and harassment placing stickers in an area to de- aimed at homosexuals and lesbiscribe it as a "safe zone" where ans, does that mean the gay lifediscrimination against anyone for any style is approved?" he asked. "When reason, including for sexual orien- people come out of the closet - as tation, is prohibited. it's put - should they have the same right to 'act out' claimed by heterosexuals?"

The bishop noted that ;l recent series of 14 articles by 13 authors scanned onto a computer, printed that was published by the Vatican and sent to New York to be coated' newspaper, L'Osservatore Romawith lacquer for durability and no, illustrates the complexity of shine, and then glued onto puzzle the subject. The articles explored board. homosexuality from the historiIt was shipped to North Caro- cal, philosophical, theological and lina, where a special circular die pastorfll points of view. , had to be specially made to cut the While all the authors agreed puzzle. A copy of a booklet, "The that homosexual acts are wrong Faces of St. Therese," accompan- and that gay marriage is a bad ies each puzzle. idea, each had a different perspecThe booklet explains each pic- tive on such matters as the cause of ture of St. Therese and tells the homosexuality, the possibility of story of her life, Sister Mary Eli- changing homosexual inclination zabeth noted. Suggestions for and even the language one should further reading on St. Therese are use in discussing the topic. listed at the end of the booklet.

In his pastoral Bishop Higi wrote The Michigan 'Carmelites re- that the issue is not a person's sexceived an advance copy ofthe puz- ual orientation but rather "the zle and put it together on Pente- purpose and proper context for cost Sunday. ge,nital activity."

"The sisters t:njoyed seeing the "Genital activity is good. Its faces emerge one by one," Sister misuse is not," he said. Premarital Mary Elizabeth said. "It's a very lovely, fun puzzle to put together."

The puzzle box declares the game Montie Plumbing inspirational, educational and fun for all ages. But the sisters want & Heating Co. the jigsaw puzzle to be more than a Over 35 Years game. of Satisfied Services "This particular puzzle is much Reg. Master Plumber 7023 more than a pretty scene or still life JOSEPH RAPOSA, JR. - it's something parents can work 432 JEFFERSON STREET at together with their children, FALL RIVER 675-7496 identifying the different faces of Therese as they emerge and talking about their meaning," Sister Mary Elizabeth said.

To order a puzzle, call the Discalced Carmelite Nuns, Monastery of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, • Prompt 24 Hour Service tel. (810) 790-7255.

Life of Little Flower no puzzle to nuns DETROIT (CNS) - Discalced Carmelite nuns at a monastery in suburban Detroit have for sale 10,000 copies of a jigsa w puzzle they created to honor St. Therese of Lisieux.

Sister Mary Elizabeth said the II nuns at the Monastery of St. Therese of Child Jesus in Clinton Township made the puzzle to observe the 100th anniversary this year of the death of the French saint, also known as the Little Flower.

The 20-inch, 400-piece circular puzzle features 10 portraits of her at different stages in her life.

The community's prioress, Mother Mary of the Eucharist, said she hopes that by putting the puzzle together and learning about St. Therese's life, more young women will be inspired to consider religious life.

"And see what a beautiful vocation it is to be a Carmelite," she told The Michigan Catholic, newspaper of the Detroit arehdiocese.

The puzzle's design "is really a meditation in itself," Sister Mary Elizabeth said. "It is tht: whole life of Therese at a glance - not the Therese of plaster statues and holy cards, but the real young girl who grew and changed, struggled and suffered."

St. Therese, who was born in 1873, entered a Carmelite convent in Lisieux at age 15 and died of tuberculosis at 'age 24. She is usually portrayed with roses, as she

promised to spend her time in heaven doing good on earth -letting fall a shower of roses.

The nuns in Clinto~ Township wondered how they could honor this young woman. Other monasteries and groups throughout the United States had done special projects, such as books, songs, calendars and medals.

They hit on the jigsaw puzzle idea.

"I had myselfhandpainted ajigsaw puzzle years ago as a birthday gift and had long cherished the idea of doing something similar on a Carmelite theme," Sister Mary Elizabeth said.

Mother Mary of the Eucharist liked the idea and she called on Sister Therese Marie, an artisan, to come up with a design.

As it happened, since the beginning of 1996, faces of St. Therese had been surfacing in Sister Therese Marie's mind.

"Every once in a while, it'd show up and I'd push it back," she said, so when the puzzle idea presented itself she knew how it would look.

In about three weeks, Sister Therese Marie had finished the puzzle art, modeling her faces of St. Therese after actual photographs of the saint.

"I really felt that she was with me because it came so easily," Sister Therese said.

The finished drawing, which was round, was created with pastels and colored pencils. Then it was

0

Fri., June 27, 1997

sex and adultery among heterosexuals "are not less sinful" than homosexual relationships, he said.

"The Catholic Church's teaching on the human person insists that a person's identity cannot be red uced to his or her sexuality," and by that teaching the church "shows its care for the whole person," Bishop Higi said.

"Whether heterosexual or homosexual, all people are tempted by sin and all people are drawn to hope and to goodness," he said.

"Homosexuals, like other Christians, are called to chastity.

"The church is continuing its reflections on the moral situation of homosexual persons. It is not ignoring the debates about homosexuality taking place in society, politics and culture," the bishop said.

He added, however, that the church is also called to be "courageously prophetic" in denouncing the risks associated with acceptance of the gay culture.

"This is incomprehensible to those who do not understand chastity and/ or the purpose of human genital activity," Bishop Higi said.

However, whether one is heterosexual or homosexual, no one should be a target of bigotry, harassment or discrimination, he said, adding that everyone has the right to secure employment, to have shelter, and to have fellowship and friendships in a loving community. _ "It would be a heinous thing for a person to injure the person or good name of another because of that person's sexual orientation," he said.

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DISCALCED CARMELITE Sisters Mary Elizabeth (left), Mother Mary of the Eucharist and Therese Marie unpack a box of St. Therese of Lisieux puzzles at their suburban Detroit monastery in late May. The sisters created the puzzle to mark the IOOth anniversary of the saint's death. (eNS/ Smith photo)

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THE ANCHOR -

Diocese of Fall River -

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Fri., June 27, 1997

Sacred Heart Nursing Home, NB, recognizes volunteers and employees at awards cerern.ony Sister Blandine D' Amol,lrs, Souza, Julia A. Wilkinson.

15 years - Marie M. Bolger, administrator of Sacred Heart Nursing Home, New Bed- Ursula Wilkinson, Ronna ford, recently hosted its 16th Lima, Sara Kennedy.

10 years - Merilyn Perry, annual Service Recognition Patricia Pike, Paula Sullivan, Awards Ceremony.

In conjunction with Na- Linda Mello, Susan Aillery, tional Nursing Home Week, Janice L. Costa, Marisol Cothe home recognizes and lon, Marie F Pontes, Pamela praises its yolunteers and em- Avila, Sister Gilberte Masson, ployees who have reached Ann M. Alves, Hazel

Suicide cases are latest chapter in end-of-life debate WASHINGTON (CNS) - The assisted suicide cases considered by the U.S. Supreme Court this year opened a new phase in the national discussion of how dying people are treated.

The cases, Quill vs. Vacco and Washington vs. Gluck~erg, started only within the last four years. But before then, beginning in 1975, the Karen Ann Quinlan case raised the question of when life support equipment may be removed from a patient who is unable to speak for herself. . After the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled in .1976 in favor of letting Quinlan's parents turn off her respirator, she lived another nine years in a coma before dying in 1985.

In the mid-1980s, state courts grappled with the question of when hospitals and family members may decide to stop artificial feeding and hydration of patients who are in a persistent vegetative state.

The Supreme Court in 1990 upheld th'e state of Missouri's right to refuse to end nutrition and hydration for Nancy Cruzan as her parents requested. The ruling said such actions could not be compelled even by family members, in the absence of clear directives from the patient.

The Cruzan and Quinlan cases led to the growing popularity of advance medical directives or "living wills," in which people spell . out how they wish to be treated should they become incapacitated.

Recently, the right-to-die discussion has most conspicuously been identified with the activities of Dr. Jack Kevorkian.

Kevorkian has taken responsibility for the assisted suicide deaths of dozens of people, not all of whom were terminally ill. Several efforts by the state of Michigan to prosecute Kevorkian have failed.

The cases heard by the Supreme Court this term go far beyond Kevorkian's approach, addressing' laws about suicide which have legal roots extending back through human history.

In 1994, groups of doctors and their dying patients in Washington State and New York sued to challenge state laws making it a crime for physicians to intentionally provide patients with the means to end their own lives.

The patients, dying of cancer, AIDS and emphysema, argued that they should have the right to choose when and how they die, rather than suffer through the painful last stages of terminal illness.

That same year, Oregon voters made their state the first iii the nation to explicitly permit assisted suicide for patients who have. been diagnosed by at least two physicians to be within the final six months of terminal illness.

By the spring of 1996, the 2nd and 9th U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal had overturned, respectively, the New York and Washington laws. The two courts relied upon different sections of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which addresses individual rights.

Meanwhile, the Oregon law has never had the chance to take effect. An injunction blocked it in December 1994, pending court review of the constitutionality of the voter referendum.

The initial lawsuit over Oregon's law - brought by nursing home personnel- was on appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. In its most recent hearing, the 9th Circuit said in February that the plaintiffs in Lee vs. Harcleroad lacked the legal standing to bring such a suit because they had not yet been faced with a patient's case that .involved the new law.

The current Supreme Court cases have led the country to a broader look at end-of-Iife issues.

Debate in various forums has touched on adequate treatment of pain, cost-cutting in managed medical care, the training of doctors to deal compassionately with the dying, use of hospice programs, the role of the family as relatives' lives come to a close and the teachings of the church about the dignity of human life at all stages.

At Th~ Catholic University of America in March, an international conference brought together ethicists, physicians, clergy and lawyers to examine the subject.

Another forum in New York in April focused on the quality of end of life care. And a PBS program, "Before I Die," that took a roleplayin~ approac~ to th~ issu~ aired. a'round the ?ountry this spring IS available on Video With a diSCUSSion group gUide. .

AMONG THOSE recognized for 20 years of service to Sacred Heart Nursing Home, New Bedford, were, from left: Annette 1. Pires, Muriel Perry, Daniel Wilkinson and Julia A. Wilkinson.

certain milestones in their careers.

Sister Blandine explained that the theme for this year's N . .H W k urslOg orne ee was "Caring With a Special Touch." She likened the caring hands of staff performing their duties to a mother's lov-

Morrissequ, Joanne Correia, Zonia L. Raffa, Elaine Olifierko, Lynne Tavares, Sharon Young, Kathleen Morris.

Five years - Michelle Arsenault, Gail Lawrence,

Barnes, Antoinette Bertalotto, Kathryn Carter, Mary DaSilva, Ed Dupont & Ozzie, Solange Dupuis, Claire Faria, Beatriz Fernandes, Jeanne Fortin, Dorothy Freitas, Wanda Kennedy, Delia Lafrance, Ulianne McKay, Antone Matthews, Mary Mesquita, Connie Nobrega, Ludwina Pequita, Linda Piche, Lucille Pimental, Mary Pontes, Howard Ricketson, Alice Rocheleau, Joseph Sara iva, and Eileen Viera.

Scholarships aw;arded For a number of years, the home has distributed ~;cholar­ ships from funds raised during the annual "We Care Day" festivities.

Scholarships are available to employees, their children and grandchildren.

This year, sufficient funds were raised to award 12 scholarships. Sherrie Grimes, assistant director of nursing, presented the We Care Day Scholarships to the following: New Bedford - Leslie Aguiar, Jessica Femandes, Cheryl Hathaway, Katie Lynch, Sarah A. Maiato, Caitlin Reedy, Paula Sullivan, Jamie Valente and Kelly Marie Vultao.

Acushnet - Jennifer Ann

ing touch of a child.

Each year, Sacred Heart Home's administration sets .d f 1 aSl e an a ter,noon to ce ebrate and express appreciation for the devotion of staff . and volunteers.

Nursing Home Week is not only an opportunity to acknowledge volunteers and employees, but also to educate the community about services provided to residents and it's a time to encourage people to become a part ofthe quality of life of the residents by visiting and supporting them. .

SOME OF the recipients of the We Care Day Scholarshi ps from Paul Roy, the home's director of Human Resources and Sacred Heart Nursing Home, New Bedford, were, back row, from left: Matthew Brownell, Caitlin Reedy, Jessica Fernandes, Nancy A nnette Gallant, activity di- Medeiros, Cheryl Hathaway and Kelly Marie Vultao. Front row, rector and volunteer coordi- from left: Paula Sullivan, JenniferAnn Alves and Jamie Valente..1 · riator handed out the awards.

The following is a list of Deolinda Cunha, Christine Alves. award winners: Dartmouth - Matthew T Pedro, Donna Hale, Audrey 25 years - Patricia Gilmour D. Mello, MariaA. Medeiros, Brownell and Nancy J. Melissa Hendricks, Lucia Medeiros. and Claire Gadbois.

20 years Daniel Mota, Patricia R: Lafrance.

Sacred Heart Home is Wilkinson Annbeth Koska Volunteers receiving pleased to recognize the ac.' , complishments of its scaff and Information on "Before I Die" may be obtained from local Munel Perry, June Machado, awards were: .... ···William,Bancroft;.

Editha.~ .their.families.,d" '.. , of PBS affiliates'or on' the PBS web site:http://www.pbs.org:···---Annette.[, ·P.ires; ·Eunice

I

McVeigll family copes with death sentence . By J.J. Smith PENDLETON, NY (CNS) The parish priest for the family of convicted Oklahoma,City bomber

Timothy McVeigh said it is "a shame" that the jury sentenced McVeigh to death by lethal injection.

Texas bishop says you can't tiptoe into marriage SAN ANGELO, Texas (CNS) - Living togeth'er before marriage doesn't work because "there is no way to tiptoe into this kirid of reality," Bishop MichaellD. Pfeifer of San Angelo said.

He said that not only is the widespread practice of "trial marriages" a serious pastoral concern for the church, but studies indicate it contributes to later failures in marriage.

Pastoral leaders need to balance "respect and understanding for such couples" with "faithfulness to the sacred values and ideuls of Christian marriage and family life," he said.

He said living together is not in itself a cause for denying a couple the right to marry. But if the couple shows insufficient awareness of the essential obligations of marriage, "the marriage should be postponed until such an awareness has been developed," he said.

Bishop Pfeifer made his comments in an article titled" A Pastoral Reflection on Couples Living Together Before Marriage" in the June issue of his diocesan monthly newspaper, the West Texas Angelus.

"The rate of those who live together prior to marriage has risen from only about IO percent in 1960 to nearly 50 percent in 1996," he wrote.

But the hard reality, he said, is that several recent studies show higher divorce rates and poorer marital adjustment among those who lived together before they married than among. those who did not.

The reason, he suggested, lies in the very nature of marriage as a permanent commitme:nt.

"Commitment can never be 'safe' or'without risk,''' he said. "Like an electrical connection., it is either 'on' or 'off.' There is no middle ground. One is eithelr committed fully or one is not reully committed. And that is the heart of the matter."

Living together always means that one partner or the other can leave at some point, he said. "The only way to say'I am going to stick with you and with this relationship for a lifetime' is to stand before one's family and friends and the larger Christian community and profess the vows of Christian marriage."

Outlining a pastoral approach toward couples who are living together and decide to marry, Bishop Pfeifer said those involved in marriage preparation ministry need to address the issue but should not "confront the couple immediately" and risk alienating them from the start.

After a climate of "hospitality and trust" has been 1;>uilt, he said, in the context of de~ling with all the important issues of marriage, the minister needs to discuss with the couple "the critical concept of commitment." ' "In a tactful and pa~toral manner the church's reasons for not living together need to be explained to the couple. The minister should strongly encourage ~he couple to live apart in an appropriate way, stressing that living, apart would allow the space need~d to be more objective about their relationship," he said.

"If the couple's decision is to continue living together throughout the marriage preparation period," he wrote, "then it should be conveyed to thernthat from the perspective of society and the church, they are choosing to 'appear' as husband an.dwife to the community. Therefqre, generally their wedding should reflect this choice and be small,illld simple."

He said ministers should encourage all couples as part of their preparation for sacramental marriage to participate in: Mass, shared prayer and reflectioq on Scripture and the sacrament of reconciliation.

He asked "the entire faith community" to "reach out to couples who are currently living together and invite them into Ii closer union with God through the church."

"The clergy and others should do what they can to open the door for these couples to regularize their situation," he added. "Hopefully this will be in the direction of formarriage." mal and public Christian I He warned against a condemnatory approach, saying, "No one should presume to j4dge the inner spiritual state of these couples; such judgment belongs to God alone."

Msgr. Paul !Belzer, who has been offering McVeigh's father, William, and sister, Jennifer, prayers and comfort since their ordeal began, said he 'was disappoirited that the jury handed down a death sentence.

"So many people have said this is a time for mercy and putting a stop to violencl~," said Msgr. Belzer, pastor of Good Shepherd Church in the Buffalo suburb of Pendleton.

"People try to end violence by adding more violence ... it just doesn't make ~ense."

The monsignor, who has been a priest ofthe Buffalo Diocesefor43 years, has known the McVeighs, including Timothy, since they moved to Pendleton and joined his church 20 years ago.

He was with the family in their home when the verdict was announced in the bombing that destroyed the federal building in Oklahoma City and killed 168 people on April 19, 1995. But he did not travel with the family to Denver for announcement of the sentence.

"Some people have been out for vengeance and it's a shame that that side won," Msgr. Belzer said.

He has continually stressed that the family should not be blamed for Timothy's actions and has asked that prayers be said for the family.

Since William and Jennifer McVeigh returned to Pendleton from Denver, Msgr. Delzer said they have bel:n coping with the sentence as best they can, "and they seem to be managing."

"It's remarkable how Bill has stood up," he said, adding that he is pleased that other churches have held Masses for the McVeigh family.

He credits that to the fact that William McVeigh ilf-so well thought of in the community. "I was talking with people, and they commented on how he hasn't changed despite what's happened," he said.

"They like Bill a lot."

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Rosary jor life

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the killing of an unborn in its mother's womb, in the abortion mills of our nation.

It is well-known that our President has demanded that abortions be safe, legal and rare. One asks if 1.6 million abortions yearly in our country are something rare?

The old saying, "as safe as a child in its mother's womb," carries no weight with the current administration in Washington! As one veteran writer aptly states, "Abortion is wrong! If abortion is not wrong, nothing is!"

Dear Editor: I am a pro-life physician who has been practicing medicine for the past 38 years. Like many fighters for the unborn, I am increasingly appalled at the unrelenting murderous activity of the abortion industry. Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, "Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. This is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion."

Thomas A. Walsh The Blessed Mother has revealed Roslindale to privileged souls that she will bring abortion to an end in our land if there is enough prayer offered for this intention.

One beautiful unitive method of Dear Editor, prayer is the Living Rosary group Having moved here from the in which our main intention could Albany, NY, area I am thrilled that be for the end of abortion in our Antoinette Bosco now has a reguland. The only obligation of mem- lar column. bers is to recite one decade daily Her writing has a wonderful for the specific intentions of all quality that really touches people. members. The decade can be said She brings up pertinent issues that in one's home or wherever else need to be addressed. one chooses. For a IS-decade LivWe enjoy her message! ing Rosary all that is needed is a Ginger Burke leader, from 5 to 15 interested Harwich people and a rosary calendar.

Those interested can write me for detail's at 6711 Whittier Ave., McLean, VA 22101, enclosing a .' self-addressed stamped envelope.

BU DAPEST, Hungary (CNS) Joseph C. Evers. MD - The Hungarian government has McLean. VA become the first country in Eastern Europe to reach agreement with the Vatican on a program for funding Catholic activities. Under Dear Editor: the provisions of the agreement, Your readers must keep in mind most churches and sacred buildthat the President and his cohorts ings confiscated by the Commuproclaimed themselves as "chamnist regime in 1948 will be returned pions of human rights," while they by the year 20 II. "It signifies an don't respect the most important interesting change in attitudes, and of these rights, the right to life. broadly speaking, church leaders The Clinton administration are satisfied," said Piarist Father moans when a wild animal is Laszlo Lukacs, spokesman for the accidentally killed, but supports Hungarian bishops.

Loves Bosco

Attitude change

Right to life rules

Order

No~

PER]~ANENTDIACONATE

ORDINATION VIDEO

TWO-HOUR VIDEO CAPTURES ALL THE BEAUTY AND SPLENDOR OF THE MAY 24 ORDINATION TO DIACONATE LITURGY AT THE NEWLY-RESTORED ST. ANTHONY CHURCH IN NEW BEDFORD.

For information al;lout marriage preparation or family life, contact the Office of Family ministry, tel.

999·6420.

Prayer Box Sts. Peter and Paul, On Sunday, your feast day, keep us ever mindful oftha Church's humble beg~nnings.

Let us have the courage to persevere in the face of plersecution as you did.

As the fabric of our lives unfolds, help us to meet each new change, good ap.d bad, with the' SaIne trust in our Lord that you showed to the early Christians and to us.

When we 'stumble, keep us strong.

THEANCHOR-DioceseofFallRiver-Fri.,June27, 1997

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PU c terror or Just a urn rap.

WASHINGTON (CNS) - A three-month exhibit at the Library ~~~ of Congress in Washingtonchronicles the passionate and tragic tale of an English priest who translated the Bible into English in a most

By JOHN THAVTS unforgettable style, William Tyndale "worked to VATICAN CITY (CNS) ~ For Catholics and non-Catholics alike, the word "Inquisition" conjures up some of the worst chapters in ,preach the Gospel in English." said Sister Anne O'Donnell. a Sisnearly 2,000 years of church history.· The mental images are universal: Secret informers. The Grand ter of Notre Dame de Namur. who Inquisitor. Summary trials. The rack. And, for convicted heretics, a is an associate professor of English at The Catholic University of fiery death at the stake.

Not surprisingly, Pope John Paul IT pointed to the actions of the America in Washington, "His language is known for its Inquisition as one area where the church might make an examination of conscience in preparation for the year 2000. The Vatican is literary quality." Sister O'Donnell drawing up plans for a major symposium for theologicg,l and said. "For example. you hear the' historical experts on the theme in late 1998. . 'alliteration of the cured lame man But meanwhile, a few historians are suggesting that the role .of in Tyndale's translation of Acts the Inquisition was not as black as commonly painted. Despite 3:8 - 'leaping and lauding.: as' he obyious excesses, they argue, these tribunals were often supported loudly praised the Lord." by local populations and helped establish moral guidelines for the The exhibition. titled "Let There Be Light: William Tyndale and the faithful and hierarchy.

Could it be that the Inquisition has gotten a bad rap?

Making of the English Bible.... has "The Inquisition quickly bec;lme synonymous with a cruel court. attracted such notables as Prince But was it really?" asks Italian historian Adriano Prosperi in his Philip of England. who toured it in new book, "Tribunals of Conscience." early June when it opened, "lts death sentences were rare, and its judgments were justified The exhibit features about 40 WILLIAM TYNDALE, an English priest and Bible in a way that presented the tribunal's work as more inclined items. Its centerpiece is the British translator, was burned at the stake for heresy in 1536. Tyndale toward mildness than harshness," he writes.

Library's copy of Tyndale's 1526 And :the clerical judges, the inquisitors who wielded almost total New Testament. one of only three and the English Bible are the focus of a new exhibit at the power over those accused of heresy? ' surviving volumes.

Library of Congress..(CNS/ Library of ,Congress photo) "T~ey did~'t ~onsider themselves cruel. Their work was necesThe King James version of the heresy, found him guilty and con- encouraged Thomas More to transsar y , In dfac~ m~ItshPensahble. Idt was t~e l1;~blesDt.odf !asGks danhd. theY Bible published in 1611 preserved demned him to death, ' l f late the Bible. rather than engage, f per orme It WI out atre or, ammoslty. 1 n t 0 Imse a reat t f T ndal ' k On Oct. 16. 1536. Tyndale was in dry polemics with Tyndale .. begin their job when he interrogated Adam in, Paradise?" Prosperi. w~ch in~~~de~ hi~ coi:i~gws~ch strangled and burned to death More's longest book is "The ConsaY~h b k '. th I ' ." 'd' fit d': . ' common phrases as: "let there be near Brussels. of'Tyndale's Answer." futation f h °kob says e ndqUlsI~~o~ s. ,Isgrache u s ~~1 m& IS gettmg a light." "The powers that be," "be written in 1532-33.

"It's a pity the English bishops re~ 00 y some mo ern . I~ or~ans, w 0 see 1 s actIons.as more strong and do it," "signs of the were so afraid of translating the lement than those of local CIvIl tnbunals of the same penod. time" and" here two or th More sometimes refe:rred to ree are Bible," said Sister O·Donnell. who Tyndale by his alternate name, Prosperi go~s f~rther, s,uggest~ng that th.e Inquisitio~ .also had. a gath~red tog:ther." is one of the foremost experts on pastoral funchon m shapmg attitudes agamst superstition and m All th . h f Hutchins. perhaps because of its establishing clear moral guidelines for daily life. ' T d I ' ese p {a~es c~mhe B~obml Tyndale and has studied his works .similarity to the name of tile Swiss Inquisitors could even come to the rescue, as they did when an ,yn a e s dtrah~s at1?~ 0 .t e 1 e and related literature. reformer Huskins. also k:nown as · .

II b" In l52 6 an IS .reVISIOn. In l53 4. .'.

The English episcopacy feared Ita1Ian woman was bemg sexua y abused y a prIest and had Oecolampadius. In his "Confutanowhere else to turn. \, The lack of documentary evi- that translating the Bible into the tion of Ty'ndale," More groups A few years ago, Jesuit scholar Father Brian Van Howe,.in a dence surrounding Ty~dale's'birth vernacular could cause insurrec- Tyndale with "all the hell hounds provocative series of articles titled "Beyond the Myth of the Inqui- - in 1491 or 1494 - is lost among (ion among the lower classes. that the devil hath in his kennel." sition" argued that the vaunted severity of the Spanish tribunals the volumes of papers produced She wondered what Catholics' The Library of Congress exhibiwas overblown:. Less than 2 percent of those sentenced were put to by a panel of 17 lawyers and theol- heritage would be if the bishop of tion suggests that Tyndale was death, he said. , ogians who charged Tyndale of London. Cuthbert Junstall, had executed for translating the Bible He also said the supposed secret ne.twork of informers - spy into English without ,permission. rings of nuns and priests who fingered heresy suspects - was , but Sister O'Donnell said that it anti-church propaganda. The real Inquisition, in its various maniwas more complicated than that. festations from the 13th to the 19th centuries, was as inefficient as although everyone would agree' most large bureaucracies, he said. the punishment was excessive and , As for the belief that the Inquisition was the church's method of tragic. ,.' " ~Ut'te terrorizing local populations into obedience, Father Van Howe said Tyndale's struggles also origithat in Spain, at least, the Inquisition had a legitimate function of in his rejection of terminolnated maintaining public order and "was probably no more loved or 6~rff ([1,~.~)tCt~ o~y used by the famous theologihated than the police of our own day." , ans John Duns Scot us and St. When Pope John Paul proposed making "mea culpas" for past bc~t~'nU\'ligc Thomas Aquinas. church actions, some cardinals objected that it would be difficult, l'~.H; tIM t n..o 1t'l,: /' ~.i) thilt According to Sister O'Donnell. if not impossible, to judge moral behavior .outside the historical Tyndale preferred the use of the ()1\)nt',~H irH!? qf\v: .tnb eto~ and social context of prior centuries. " word "love." rather than "charThe- Inquisition had several incarnations. The first was a tribu.i$ dNH t'tH.HDt": t:hc f.itue ity," "favor," rather than "grace," nal established by Pope Gregory IX in the 1200s to combat heresy, J"H~ w th~ b nrng~ wrtf)l "elder." rather than "pries't," "conwhich could prescribe life imprisonment" or the death penalty. The (\v. ,~m Hrv u.'~n;fIM v\-: b1 gregation," rather than "ehurch," tribunal network spread through parts of Europe, and inquisitors iW\) lVlth ont t1/ tl~ifi~ nh'tbe "acknowledge." rather than "conwere recruited from Dominicans and Franciscans. fession." t!,)igc/d)ittn1i~V~~tl'+tIJ. 'jlt Not surprisingly, local bishops were less than enthusiastic about It was the time of Reformation these riew courts, which answered directly to the pope and which ttv;t'~~ h'f~ ,'.2fttv .I}·f~~ n~iUHt)e and a time of irony. as th~: exhibit were capable of stirring up accusations' against entire towns or 199tc."fml2hJDtbchql,ttb,,~ 'points out. parishes.' , ;f4~ Dm'c.rtKs cl)pzebt'tlltv tfrrct.

For'example. in 1521 England's This early form of the Inquisition is considered the most brutal, King Henry VIII ~rote a treatise nm~ rittU fn'.t1~ob:' wbotii lhltnC and its methodology has remainec;i an archetype for thought police against Martin Luther and sent a b¢f'i,?HtC (i; .H; n,"it'tUh'g / to b{'a:rc through the centuries. The inquisitor often arrived in a village copy to the pope, who in turn offering a grace period in which "heretics~' could gain leniency by ~1't/tl)itti~U m~"tbtougb l,im~~ rewarded the king by giving Henry confessing and naming other suspects. That set the mood; . ll;lftBt1\nrrl)m'hgbt :bUf to bcm:c the title of"Defender oftht: Faith." , The inquisitor could bring charges against anyone, based even '~ht.~h~t'lX"lgiltnh'hgt)t / 'lX'b' Later, after leaving his first 'wife. on public rumor, and the accused did not know who his accusers Queen Catherine of Aragon. Henry InC~~I)'1t't'!m~ito d)t! u'..,:l~~. were. Lawyers were not much help, because they, in turn, couldbe sepamted himselffrom the Catholic l~\t/+l~ti)t!n1o;t~~,b.bi "'48 accused of complicity in heresy. Testimony was allowed from crimiChurch when he married Anne . nals and anyone bearing a grudge. , '.~'IX'C~rtltt1<'lt.

Boleyn in 1533. ~ Those who persisted in .denying heresy could be imprisoned. r~~~,#j,i,~~'Iji'f'Qt." ftl .

Tyndale and Boleyn never met.

Torture was introduced by papal decree in 1252 as another stan.' . ~,I'~~\lrtobt!' but Boleyn's copy of Tyndale's dard method to extract confessions.

1534 translation of the JIi'ew Tes'eLtl.lftl~:' Even by the early 1300s, the abuses of the Inquisition prompted tament is one of the objects on a papal inquiry into the tribunals, which were curbed but contin'~:lt~dl~f display. ued to function in many places. The Spanish Inquisition was closely ~'f '.'

The pocket-size volume'is richly bound with the state and took special aim .at converted Jews and ornamented and identified with Muslims in the late 1400s; its excesses drew ineffective protests the words" Anna Regina Angliae," even from Rome. written in her hand. around the The Roman Inquisition enjoyed its own heyday. in the 1500s gilt edges. The queen's ~oat of under the heretic-hunting St. Pius V. Only during the last few A PAGE FROM HISTORY - This page is from the arms is on the title page. years have its archives ,been opened to qualified researchers on a Contributing to this story was case-by-case basis - an important but little-publicized step that Gospel of John in William Tyndale's 1526 translation of the could help the church make its 'examination of conscience. ' New'Testament. (CNS/ Library of Congress photo) Gerard Perseghin. , y

7

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THE ANCHOR-Diocese of Fall Rivet.::.....Fri:.June 27. 1997

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FIREWORKS EXPLODE above Washington landmarks July 4 last year. The nation's capital puts on a huge display of fireworks each year to celebrate Independence Day. (CNS/ Reuters) .

Salvadoran Congress opposes abortion

By Mike Lanchin SAN SALVADOR (CNS) Archbishop Fernando Saenz Lacalle of San Salvador expressed satisfaction over the decision by the Salvadoran Congress to outlaw practically all forms of abortion in the Central American nation.

Archbishop Lacalle said April 27 it was "a blessing from God that (Congress) has taken this step."

He thanked the Salvadoran population for being an "important protagonist" of the issue during the Catholic Church's fight against abortion in the country.

Following an intl:nse church campaign. 60 of the 84 members of Congress voted April 26 in favor of a new Penal Code t hat will outlaw all forms of induc;ed abortion in EI Salvador.

The new legislation, which will take effect in January. replaces an existing law under which a woman can abort a fetus in exceptional circumstances, including rape or when the mother's health is at risk.

Some 3.000 illegal a.bortions are carried out in El Salvador each year. according to human rights groups.

The church began its campaign

The debates· in Congress were last year. when the Salvadoran bishops' conference wrote to the frequently interrupted by the stupresident of Congress. Gloria Sal- ents. who spilled down into the guero, Gross, expr~ssing "great areas normally reserved for memconcern" over moves to maintain 'bers of the legislature and applauded those who spoke up against the current law on a~ortion.

"The adoption of, (these) mea- induced abortion andjeeered those sures ... will have the lamentable who did not.

The activiti{:8 were organized by effect of lowering 'the sense of morality in the population. with a a group called "Foundation Yes to resulting increase in~ violence. in- Life." one of a number of organizations campaigning for the outjustice. etc.•" said th~ document.

"If the right to life is not re- lawing of abortion.

Members of women's organizaspected, then no other right is sacred, a"'nd no other law has any tions that also lobbied on the issue meaning." the bishops said in their complained that the students had been "manipulated ... by religious Dec. 20 letter. .

In the weeks leading to the vote fanaticism."

Ana Francis Gongora. spokesin Co.ngress, Archbishop Saenz warned archdiocesan priests that woman for the "Melida Anaya "a great danger lo!>ms over El Montes" women's group. said that Congress' decision "takes the counSalvador." try ... back to the Middle Ages."

"It is time for the population ...

She accused the legislators of to make their views felt." Archbishop Saenz said in a circular dis- "acting more out of ignorance than tributed around the archdiocese in based on civilized norms." mid-April.

The emotional issue monopoThe vote in Congress followed lized the country's news media hours of emotional debates in the during most of the w~ek leading packed chamber. watched over by up' to the congressional vote. hundreds of students who had Major newspapers carried editorbeen mobilized from:religious colials and commentaries on the subleges around the capital. San ject. while prime time radio and Salvador. television talk. ·shows aired opinMany carried plac~rds denounc- ions from experts on the subject. as well as views of the population. ing legal a.bortiol}.

Bishops

me~t

Continued from Page One Committee on the Laity as "a blueprint for the continued development of effective ministry with young and older adolescents."

The Pastoral Plan on Church Communications seeks to address how the church's unchanging mission of spreading the Gospel can be carried out most effectively in a society more media-oriented than any in history and in an era of unprecedented advances in media technology.

The project of restructuring the NCCB-USCC, twin national conferences created 30 years ago after the Second Vatican Council, began more than five years ago under a committee headed by the late Cardinal Joseph L. Bernardin of Chicago. His death from cancer prevented him from attending the meeting last November at which he was supposed to have presented the first concrete proposals for restructuring.

Bishop Anthony M. Pilla of Cleveland. NCCB-USCC president. presented the bishops in Kansas City with four first-phase restructuring proposals.

They approved the first, merging the two conferences into one, to be called the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. or USCCB. .

They rejected the second. which would have continued the practic.e of permitting nonepiscopal voting members on the USCCB committees inherited from the USCC. where not all committee members are bishops. All current NCCB committees have only bishop members.

The bishops also approved a proposal to develop a protocol spelling out the role, selection process and other norms governing committee advisers and consultants who are not bishops. They agreed to start a process of identifying which committees can be suppressed or merged to simplify the conference without detracting from its effectiveness.

The home missions collection vote was inconclusive because it required a two-thirds vote of all

13

in Kansas

heads of dioceses and not all of them were at the meeting. In accord with long-standing conference procedure. absent bishops eligible to vote will be polled by mail and a final vote on the home missions collection should be released before the end of July.

The compromise text of a new English-language Lectionary was worked out this spring by a joint working group of Vatican officials and three U.S. archbishops, after a five-year impasse over Vatican objections to inclusive language in the Lectionary the U.S. bishops approved in 1992.

The compromise text, with some inclusive language but less than the 1992 text. drew sharp criticism from two bishops who are Scripture scholars because they regarded it as a major step backward in biblical scholarship.

The two - Bishop Donald W. Trautman of Erie. Pa., and Auxiliary Bishop Richard J. Skiba of Milwaukee - were joined by a number of other bishops who expressed dismay at the Vatican's reversal of some inclusive-language principles the U.S. bishops had adopted for Scripture translations intended for liturgical use.

Even among bishops who argued in favor of adopting the text. several expressed disappointment with the text they were voting on. and supported it only on the basis that it was a start in the right direction.

There was clear, widespread support for an amendment. introduced

by Archbishop Rembert G. Weakland of Milwaukee and modified

by Archbishop Justin F. Rigali of St. Louis. that told Rome the bishops regard the compromise Lectionary only as an interim text. in need of review and updating within a few years.

Despite the addition of the amendment, the vote was inconclusive. About 210 of the 260 active Latin-rite U.S. bishops were at the meeting. Vatican rules for votes on liturgical matters require approval by at least two-thirds of all such bishops in the country. not just those at the meeting. so a mail ballot will be taken to complete the vote.

THE U.S. Bishops agreed unanimously June 19 to support the sainthood cause of Father Michael McGivney. founder of the Knights of Columbus. He could become the first native-born U.S. diocesan priest to be declared a saint.

(CNS/ Knights of <::olu,ll).1;l!1~ phot9) .

"

Our Catholic Schools • Our Catholic Yout .

~Diocese

-

strives for youth involvement

WILMINGTON, Del. (CNS)New guidelines-for special eucharistic ministers in the Wilmington Diocese lower the age limit from 25 to 16 and turn the training over to parishes.

Teachers make the difference

By Bob Dylak NEWARK, N.J.(CNS)-Catho~ lic school teachers are the ones who make the difference in the learning process and in the formation of the student, Cardinal John J. O'Connor of NeW York told religious educators.

Catholic school teachers make every effort to '~actualizeeverybit of potential" from their pupils, the cardinal said. ' The cardinal was a speaker, along with Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick of Newark, at Seton.

Hall University during a June 14 conference on "Religion and Education at the Crossroads: The Catholic Perspective."

Cardinal O'Connor shared concerns raised at the conference about school funding, saying that teachers in Catholic schools are almost "totally dependent upon God's people" for support. He noted that. legislative actions and court rulings have failed to provide funds needed to pay for mandate,d services. , "We can't keep raising tuition and still meet the 'needs of the . poorest of the poor," he said, noting the dilemma of school funding isjust one of many concerns facing the bishops.

The cardinal pointed out that when central Harlem in its early days was wealthy, there were seven Catholic schools and seven CathoBISHOP STANG High School, No.. Dartmouth, has lic parishes. Harlem's fortunes may announced the list of newly elected officers for the Drama have changed, he said, "but there Club and the National Honor,Society. The Drama Cluboffic- are still seven Catholic schools ers are (top photo, from left): Bethany Lamoureux, Shannon there. We've never'left central .

Reynolds, Izabel Greenwood, and Lara-Beth Lavigne. The Harlem."

The respect and concern of Ca thoNHS officers are (bottom photo, from left): Shannon 'Rey- lic school teachers for their pupils nolds, Heidi Roy, Reagan Barrett and Adrienne Kuss. has led "more and more people of ·every religion to believe in the potential of. Catholic schools," Cardinal O'Connor said.

He said he hoped that every Bishop Stang High School, No. nolds, vice president; Izabel Greenchild - no matter what religious Dartmouth, has' announced the wood, secretary; and Lara-Beth background or economicstatusnames of the 1997-1998 elected Lavigne, treasurer. "who goes to Catholic schools will officers of the Sister Teresa TraySIlaoa McConnell, who just truly discover himself." , ers, SND Chapter ofthe National completed her freshman year at Archbishop McCarrick said CathHonor Society.

Stang, was recently selected as a olic schools are saving New Jersey Heidi Roy was elected president; winner in the Fall River Herald taxpayers about $500 million each Adrienne Kuss, vice president; News Scholastic Press All-Star year, but little is given back to Shaimon Reynolds, secretary; and Competition. She was recognized those schools.

Reagan Barrett treasurer. at a banquet breakfast held June 4 Demands of Catholic schools The Drama Club also held elec-" at White's Restaurant, Westport. are "minimal" and "a matter of tions recently. The newly elected McConnell earned the award as a justice," the archbishop said. president is Bethany Lamoureux. result of her outstanding creative' Much of the conference focused Other officers are Shannon Rey- writing. on why federal and state aid to parents who want to send their children to private schools would be constitutional and just.

Edward Gaffney, dean of Val- ' paraiso University School of Law, said government resources are monopolistic, "and access'to those resources is not available on an even-handed basis."

Gaffney said that the original purpose of the "wall between church and state" was to "promote free exercise of religion" and not to shut it out.

Bishop Stang High $chool,

Have a nice

and safe summer!

I

The guidelines, approved this spring, will allow older youths to take a larger part in liturgies, especially at Catholic high schools and in Catholic campus ministries at college.

In letter accompanying the guidelines, Bishop Michael A. Saltarelli wrote that in the 25 years since the diocese instituted special ministers of the Eucharist the life of the diocese has been "greatly enriched."

"We have been blessed with thousands of men and women who ha ve accepted the call of their pastors to share the bread of life and the cup of salvation with their fellow Christians," he added.

Father Charles Brown III, pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Salisbury, Md., and head of the' diocesan liturgical commission, which .developed the guidelines, said they provide a greate'r role for the priest in that he can now interview those who want to become eucharistic ministers.

a

Also, he said, when a parish decides it needs a training course, it can schedule one to fit its needs.

Previously, training was conducted at the diocesan level.

Those who want to se:rve as eucharistic ministers first approach their pastor. If the pastor agrees, the prospective minister mllst undergo one training session to serve in that capacity at Mass ali.d two sessions to be able to take Communion to the sick and to shut-ins.

Father John P. Hopkim, a liturgical commission membf:r who also heads the Office of Youth Ministry/ CYO, said the guidelines give youths a real opportunity.

He said that at a meetin,g with Bishop Saltarelli members of the diocesan youth board "expressed a concern for their own involvement and participation in thl: Mass and liturgy."

"Our concern is that anyone who is a eucharistic minister have a real love' for the Euchari!,t, and appreciation for it," the prie!it said.

NEHA SHROFF, a junior at Bishop Feehan· t1igh School, Attleboro, is the 1997 winner of the annual Bilusch and Lomb Science Award at the school. "'(he award recognizes the highest ranking junior science student at each of 65,000 schools in the US, Canada and other foreign natiom: that participate in the program; and it makes Ms. Shroff eligible to apply for. consideration as a University of Rochester Bausch and Lomb Scholar, a designation carrying with it a minimum of $24,000 in scholarship funds.

She is first in her class of 200 academically, a member of Feehan's Southern COjlference swim team and an officer in the school's Cultural and Racial Equality organization. Her goal ~s to become a biochemical engineer.

Feehan names officers for new school year National Honor Society and MOVE officers for the coming school year are, for the National Honor Society, Neha Shroff, president; Jeffrey Bears, vice president; Erin Thomas, secretary; for MOVE (Maintaining Our Vital Environment), Maura Nelson, president; Mike McManus, vice president; Allison Wanless, secretary; Amanda Poholek, treasurer.'

Heading support teams are, for baseball, Mike Cataldo and David

Grof, co-captains; for girl's track, Donna Flanagan, Carolyn Kraskouskas and Allison Wanle:is, cocaptains; for softball, Rachel Deschesnes and Lauren Lamey, cocaptains.

Engineering 2002 In other Feehan news, junior John McManus has been selected to attend Engineering 2002, a program to be held July 13 to 18 at the Catholic University of America.

Washington, DC.

...

. -~?ll Coming

Our Rock and Role

of

flger FOR YOUTtt •

Is this love a blessing?

By Charlie Martin

EverY' Time I Close My Eyes Girl it's been a long, Long time comin' But I, Ilmow It's been worth the wait It feels IIike Springtime in winter It feels llike Christmas in June It feels llike Heaven has opened up Its gates for me and you Refrain:: And eVI!ry time I close my eyes I thank the Lord That I've got you And you've got me too And eVI!ry time I think (If it I pinch myself 'cause I don't believe it's true That someone like you Loves me too Girl I think that You're truly somethin' And you're, You're E!Very bit of A dream come true With you baby, It never rains And it's no wonder The sun always shines When I'm near you It's just a blessing That I'vle found Somebc)dy like you (Repeal: refrain) To thin.t of all the nights I've cried myself to sleep You really ought to know How much you mean to me It's onl)' right that you be In my life Right here with me . . Oh baby, baby (Repeat refrain) , Written and sung by Babyface, (c) 1996 by Sony/ATV LLC, ECAT Music (BMI) . . "WIT~ ,YOU baby it never rams, and It s no wonder the sun always shines when I'm near you."

Do you think the person who said this is in love? Certainly sounds like it to me. These lyrics are from Babyface's new hit "Every Time I Close My Eyes." The guy in the s.ong goes on to suy: "And every tIme I close my eyes, I thank the Lord that I've got you and you've got me too."

Can all this good feeling last?

Probably not. Long-term relationships have their eventual ups and downs.

In God's plan, relationships are a way that we discover how we need to grow. Conflicts and problems help us recognize our weaknesses and reveal how we ~an change.

Much personal growth can occur through dealing with such challenges. . : There are some words of wisdom in the song. The guy suys, "It's just

15

THE ANCHOR -:- Diocese of Fall River ---:.Fri., June 27, 1997

. i

a blessing that I've found somebody like you." His words name a truth.

Keeping one's focus on what is good in a relationship is a positive ap. proach.

His key word is "blessing." It suggests that we need to find ways to expreSs gratitude and appreciation in a relationship that is important.

Admittedly, feeling blessed is easier when you are experiencing the type of emotions found in the song. When anger and resentment take root between you and the person you are dating, you need to refocus. Ask yourself: Even though I am hurting today, have I found that loving this person brings much that is truly good into my life and is good for us?

The song clearly describes a romance. However, it is good to recognize the blessings in any ongoing relationship.

Teens and their parents can especially face difficult challenges to their relationship. At times, both may be tempted to think that caring has been extinguished from their interaction. Yet, rarely is this true.

Sometimes problems cannot be solved immediately. During painful episodes I encourage both teens and parents to keep looking for the good in each other. Indeed, behaviors in either a teen or his or her parents may need to change. Yet, parents and teens are very signi ficant to each other. Set aside the problems long enough to remember the blessings that have been present in the past.

Do your best to recognize the blessings in your life.

Your comments are always welcome. Please address: Charlie Martin, 7125 W 200S, Rockport, Ind. 47635.

RBOUT YOUTtt

By Christopher Carstens Here's a formula for making yourself more popular - for about six minutes.

Pick out some kid who's really at the margins. You know the sort lonesome, having trouble fitting in.

This is easiest if there's a kid nearby with a handicap, or someone of another race, or perhaps a student who's mentally disabled.

Now, hang around with some kids who are a bit more popular than you and make fun of the kid who's already at a disadvantage. It works every ti me.

The popular kids laugh, and for a moment you can feel, well, almost cool.

The problem is, you're really pathetic.

This goes on all the time, and for every sad little thrill somebody gets out of one ofthose put-downs, there's a kid on the receiving end who simply dies inside, who goes home wondering why she should drag herself to school even one more day.

In my office I see the scars. One kid had big ears and slightly bucked teeth. As far as she could think back, the kids at school had called her Rat Girl. Over time, she'd stopped talking to them - in fact, she'd stopped talking to almost anybody.

Another guy, slightly built, with boyish freckles, the second shortest boy in his eighth-grade class, was tormented with the nick name "Porn Star."

Neither he, nor I, nor his parents could figure out where this name came from. Deeply religious, the name cut him so deeply that he begged his parents to let him do home study.

Making somebody else suffer just so you can feel cool is one of the lowest forms of human behavior. Sure, everybody does it. Still, none of that makes the behavior excusable.

Part of self-respect is based on holding yourself to standards for behavior and conduct. There ought to be some acts that are simply beneath ,you, and picking on the lonely certainly should be one of those.

There is absolutely no problem with trading good humored insults among friends - especially if they're willing to make it a two-way street.

The mutual put-down society is a common kind of teen friendship, and as long as the put-downs are meant in friendship, it's just fine.

But when it's one-sided, it's simply not fair. When the target of the insult has no choice but to crawl away, swallowing the pain, then participating in the put-downs makes you a creep. .

What do you do if your pals are into slamming outsiders? Three things come to mind: -First, simple silence can speak loudly. If you refuse to join in the "fun," if you say nothing at all, your example speaks for itself. Your silence can say: "This is beneath my dignity.

I will not lower myself to participate."

-If silence isn't enough, then you'll need to speak up. There's no need for long speeches, and a plainly spoken "Jack, I think you ought to leave him alone" places your weight on the side of fairness. You owe it to yourself to do at least that much.

-Finally, if your silence doesn't command attention and your honest words don't stop the put-downs, you are confronted with a new choice.

If the kids you are hanging around with are creeps who get their jollies making fun of defenseless people, maybe you need new friends.

Your comments are welcome.

Please address: Dr. Christopher Carstens, c/o Catholic News Service, 3211 Fourth St. N.E., Washington, D.C. 20017.

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STUDENTS FROM SS. Peter & Paul School, Fall River were recently invited to "take over" the kitchen at Applebee's Restaurant in that city. With guidance from Applebee's prep cook, Matt LaFlamme, sixth graders help prepare a dish. Pictured from left are Laura pacheco, Jennifer Medeiros, Brook Cateon, Kyle Stankiewicz and Clifford Gillette.

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Mail to: Fr. Bill Graham, OFM Cap.• P.O. Box 15009, Pittsburgh, PA 15237-0099

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16

1997 ordination candidates talented, ethnically divelrse

THE ANCHOR-Diocese of Fall River-Fri., June 27,1997

PASTORAL CARE EDUCATION PROGRAM . The Diocesan Dept. of Pastoral Care of the Sick will offer a pastoral care education program for lay persons, religious and deacons Sept. 10 through Oct. 8 at St. Paul's parish, Taunton, and Sept. 17 through Oct. 15 at St. Pius X parish, South Yarmouth. Participants will also attend a retreat day Oct. 18 at Cathedral Camp, East Freetown. Registration closes Aug. 15. Forfurther informa-. tion, 477-6170, Sister Shirley Agnew, RSM. PADRE PIO DAY . There will be a iecture and video presentation on Padre Pio July 16 at 7 p.m. at St. Julie Billiart Church, No. Dartmouth. Vera Calandra will be the guest speaker.

Prior to the lecture. there will be Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Mass af6 p.m.

LaSALETTE SHRINE, ATTLEBORO A pilgrimage day for·persons with disabilities and their families is planned for 2 p.m. Sunday, June 29.

The program will include an outdoorecumenical prayer service, music and refreshments and will be cond ucted by Fathers Manuel "Pereira, MS, and Richard Delisle, MS. Groups are asked to register for the event by calling (508) 222-5410. All are welcome.'

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O.L. VICTORY, CENTERVILLE O.L. HOPE, BARNST ABLE This weekend both the parish in .

Centerville and its'-chapel in Barnstable will accept personal care items such as soap, shampoo, lotions, razors, toothpaste and brushes and tissues for clients and their families assisted by the Cape AIDS Ministry conducted by the Sisters ofSt. Joseph from their office at 1080 Main St., Osterville.

The parish also announces that volunteers are needed to provide and serve paper bag lunches at the Salvation Army soup kitchen in Hyannis. If help is needed with the SINGER-COMPOSER cost of providing lunches, the parish 9ffice may be contacted at 775-5744. John Polce will be heard at SACRED HEART, NB New parish council members are Diane Forgus, Deborah Houle and Denise Worster.

The parish isjoining 22 Protestant and Catholic communities in Fall River and New Bedford as a member of United 'Interfaith Action, an organization seeking to take action on area problems affecting youth, families, jobs and neighborhoods.

MOTHER ANGELICA TV PROGRAM The Mother Angelica Live TV program will feature Father Peter Fehlner. FFI, of Our Lady's Chapel, New Bedford, at 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 9. His topic will be Mariology.

LEARY PRESS 234 SECOND STREET· FALL RIVER, MA

Celebrating 100 years of Service 1897- 1-997 TELEPHONE (508) 679-5262

FAX (508) 673-1545

7:30 tonight at La Salette Shrine, Attleboro, at a Bethany Nights program of music, wit-· ness and prayer to which all are welcome. The name Bethany refers to the village where Jesus relaxed with friends.

ST. WILLIAM, FR Parishioners will honor Rev. Jay T. Maddock, former pastor, at a testimonial dinner Friday. July 25, at Venus de Milo restaurant, Swansea.

Father Maddock was in residence at St. William's for )3 years and was pastor for nearly four years, also serving as Judicial Vicar of the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal and direc.tor of the Catholic Youth Organization.

Coochairmen for the testimonial are Ernest Benoitand Mrs. Matthew Burke. Ken Ford will be master of ceremonies. Further information: tel.

673-4959; 673,-7411.

ST. BERNARD, ASSONET On June 30 the parish will host the annual retreat of Lay Carmeli'tes, men and women dedicated to a spirituality of daily life under the patronage of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Its theme will be "Jesus of Nazareth, the Cosmic Christ." For further information call the re'ctory, tel. 644-5585.

Parish advocates for the disabled will hold their second annual Disability Awarenes~ Night, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 1 in the church hall.

ST. MARY, N. ATTLEBORO Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will take place for an hour following 7 a.m. Mass Friday, July 4.

All welcome.

Looking for Is your parish planning an event this Spring or Summer?

Get noticed in

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MINNEAPOLIS(CNS)-'- Two bishops leading workshops at a gathering of North American theologians asked them to help articulate a Catholic vision to lead the church into the next century. Both cited ~he phenomenon of religious illiteracy among' U.S. Cathoics today as an 0 bstacle to church life.

Bishop Donald W. Wuerl of Pittsburgh criticized the "silencing or at least muting of the voice of Catholic institu~ions of higher learning in the national debates dealing with significant moral issues." He and Archbishop Oscar H. Lipscomb of Mobile, Ala., were among leaders of group sessions during the June 5-8 convention of the Catholic Theological Society of America in Minneapolis.

WASHINGTON (CNS) Among the almost 500, including three in the Fall River diocese, men ordained in the United States this spring can be found "an immense ·amount of talent -and ethnic diversity," says the head of the U.S. bishops' Office for Vocations and Priestly Formation.

"There are men who entered the seminary after high school or college," said Father Timothy Reker in a statement.' "There also are men who enrolled in seminary studies after professional careers in fields such' as law and investments. A few have children and grandchildren."

The new priests include Anglos, Hispanics, Asians and AfricanAmericans, reflecting the racial and ethnic diversity of the U.S. Catholic Church in the 1990s.

Most of the men are native-born Americans but several were born in Mexico, Poland, Korea, China, the Philippines and Lebanon. In the Atlanta archdiocese the ordination class includes five men, each born in a different country: the United States, Haiti, Colortt_bia, Vietnam and Ireland.

Father Reker said he noted the broad background of the candidates after reviewing materials provided by dioceses on those ordained this spring.

Worldwide, the number of ordinations is up, according to statistics from the Vatican;·hut in the United States the number has re-' mained steady for five years.

To increase awareness of vocations, the U.S. bishops last year lau~ched"A'Future Full of Hope," a vocations-awareness program focused on parents, parishes and priests and their role in encouraging young people to think about becoming priests, brothers and sisters.

"Parents are urged to be open to having a vocation to the priesthood or religious life in their family." Such an openness seems especially important, he said, in light of recent statistics showing that many youths say they have thought

Happy problem Many parishes would be happy with the problem of Christ the King parish, Mashpee, where pastor Rev.' Ronald A. Tosti has asked churchgoers to consider attending other weekend Masses than the chronically overcrowded 8:30 and 10 a.m: Sunday liturgies.

Those wondedng about the hours of those other Masses can contact this up-to-date parish and can also register as new members on the web at http://www.capecodcatholic.org/ king.

Sister is praised Sister- of. Mercy Mary Roger Mills, former director of religious education at St. Dominic's parish, Swansea, who is still active in ministry to elderly and homebound parishioners, was recently the recipient of a tribute from George Carroll of Warren, RI, who was a pupil of hers in 1963 at a Catholic school in New York state.

Carroll praised Sister Mills' ability as a teacher, saying that her students' love and respect for her "has lasted a lifetime" and advising St. Dominic parishioners to "do yourself a favor and get to know her."

about becoming priests without encouragement from their parents.

"The parish role is also important, so the church is encouraging parishes to set up vocatic,n committees and even to suggest directly to some youth that they have the qualities to make good priests; sisters and brothers," said Father Reker.

He pointed out that of the 12 men to be ordained for the: Boston archdiocese, four com.e from Quincy, and three of them are from the same parish in that city.

"Priests themselves als() have a more important role than they realize," said Father Reker. "As the spiritual leader of the: parish, they should not be shy about personally inviting young men and women to consider becomili,g priests, brothers and sisters."

U.S. priests number more than 49,000. About 32,400 h~lve been ordained for dioceses and 16,600 for religious orders. Then: are also more than 89,000 women religious, 6,300 religious brothers and 11,500 permanent deacons in sl:rvice to the church.

Regarding age, Father Reker said some candidates for priesthood were as young as 25, but most were in their late 20s and early 30s. One man to be ordained as an Augustinian prie~it is 76year-old Augustinian Bro':her William Olivas. .

The class of '97 also 'includes two sets of brothers: Theodore and Brian Dudzinski in the diocese of Lafayette, Ind.; and identical twins Joseph and Thomas Trupkovich in the die'cese of Greensburg, Pa. Five men are converts to Catholicism. George Reynolds of the archdiocese of Los Angeles was a Jehovah's Witness, and Kyle Haden of the archdiocese: of Kansas City, Kan., was a me:mber of the Charismatic Evangelical Church.

Three others, Nelson Martin of the diocese of Beaumont, Texas, William Lipscomb of thl: diocese of Gaylord, Mich., and Walter Ray Williams of the diocese of Charlotte, N.C., were Episcopalians. , Several men studied fo r the priesthoodafter establishing careers in other fields.

Michael Manning, h~ing ordained for the diocese of Trenton, N.J., was an emergency room physician. John Currie of th,~ Boston archdiocese was a stockbroker.

Timothy O'Malley of the Chicago archdiocese was a lawyer who was also a certified public accountant.

Charles Herman of thl: diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind., was a teacher. John Fla:rtagan of the Philadelphia archdiocese was a basketball coach at Neuman College and Steve Werta~len of the Detroit archdiocese was art director of an advertising firm..

Student wins KofC aW3lrd -Todd Rixon, an eighth grader at St. John's School, Attleboro, received an honorable mention award 01'$50 from the St. John's Council of the Knights. of Columbus in a recent essay contest.

Eighth graders in Attleboro and Norton were asked to write about overcoming obstacles in lit~.

Rixon won first place in the seventh grade competition last year.