Priesthood ordination of Transitional Deacon Jay Mello is July 7 By
APOSTOLIC BLESSING - Father John J. Perry blesses a sign heralding the new parish of St. Jude the Apostle in Taunton. Father Perry, pastor of the newly-formed parish, led a procession on June 9, from Immaculate Conception Church to St. Jacques' Church, to celebrate the first Mass at the home of the new parish, and for the unveiling of the sign. (Photo by John E. Kearns Jr.)
Charities Appeal hits record amount FALL RIVER- The 2007 Catholic CharitiesAp- it had been worth it when the final total was anpeal has recorded the highest total in its 66-year his- nounced. tory, $4,306,352, eclipsing the previous high regis"What a testament to the living out of the Gospel tered in 2005. message by the tens of thousands of diocesan parishWhat is amazing is that it surpassed the 2006 to- ioners who looked beyond themselves to consider the tal by $369,774.37, needs of those less for a remarkable 9.4 "'--I-w-is-h-to-ex-p-r-es-s-m-y-sin-ce-r-e-gra-tt-'tu-d-e-t-o-al-l-w-h-o-s-u-p-p-ort-e-d-thi-'s'" fortunate ," stated percent increase. year's Catholic Charities Appeal. The all-time high amount raised Mike Donly, coorThe excitement by the Appeal this year is another sign of the tremendous generos- dinator of the Apfollowed a little ity of the good people of our diocese, as well as the dedicated peal for the diocese. "It also makes us more than six work of those who help to make the Appeal such a success. In weeks of hard work particular, I am grateful to the members of our chancery staff and feel that we are getin the 95 parishes of the volunteers in our parishes throughout the diocese who work ting the message out the Diocese of Fall during the Appeal for love of those who seek assistance from the that the Appeal River, and a fren- Church. As a result of the Appeal's success this year, we, as a funded agencies are zied couple of final diocese, will be able to continue the important work carried out doing. remarkable days in the Catholic by our apostolates and agencies to help those in need. work even though Charities Appeal their resources are With aeep appreciation and esteem, I am Office that could leSincerely yours in the Lord, being stretched to gitimately be dethe limit and bescribed as a "bee~ .,. / /J ~ yond. We are alhive" of activity. .,. I(If ~ ways attempting to Everyone inishop of Fall River Tum to page 13volved certainly felt Record
Choosing chastity Editor's note: This is the first in a two-part series.
By GAIL BESSE ANCHOR CoRRESPONDENT
Some have felt "invisible:' They struggled to' reconcile their samesex attraction and their faith. Some sought affirmation from support groups and clergy who con-
doned their being sexually active, but their hearts remained restless in the "gay" lifestyle. Finally their own consciences and years of experielJce led them to choose. When they understood the Catholic Church's teaching about human sexuality as a gift from God, they embraced the vir-
tue of chastity. A group that's helped many to develop that virtue is Courage International, a spiritual support system for Catholics with same-sex attraction who want to live chaste lives. There are three chapters in MasTum to page 18 - Courage
DEACON JAMES
N.
DUNBAR
FALL RIVER - With just a few weeks to go until !Ie realizes the priesthood he's long been an. . . an d stud路]1 拢 TranhClpatmg ymg Jor, sitional Deacon Jay Mfllo is also looking forward to the summer he'll spend hoping t6 influence other young men to t9ink about becoming a priest too~ "I'm the only one being ordained a priest in the Fall River Diocese this year ... and there were none last year, so if I can help bring someone to even beginning to discern a vocation to the priesthood by offering a positive perspective, it will be time well spent," Deacon Mello, 27, said last week. "While it isn't recruiting as such, the effort means laity and the parishes becoming actively involved, especially in prayer," he added. Following his pries,~ly ordination on July 7, at 11 a.m., by Bishop George W. Col~man in St.
Mary's Cathedral in Fall River, Deacon Mello will be living out of a suitcase for a few weeks as he blitzes parishes across the diocese weekends giving homilies on vocational discernment. "It will be much like what Father Karl C. Bissinger did after he was ordained," the deacon said. But before that the new priest will celebrate his first Mass - on Sunday, July 8, at 2 p.m., in SS. Peter Parish at Holy Cross Church - where he grew up and was an altar server, and where his parents, Robert and Natalie Mello, are parishioners. The homilist will be Father Roger J. Landry, executive editor of The Anchor, and pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in New Bedford. Assisting him in putting on the vestments of the priest will be Father William Callahan, OSM Conv., who has been the Tum to page 20 - Ordination
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IN GOOD COMPANY -Jay Mello, right, then a seminarian, greets Pope John Paul II with Bishop George W. Coleman at an audience at the Vatican in Augost 2004. .