Diocese of Fall River
The Anchor
F riday , June 29, 2012
Rallying cry for Fortnight: ‘Defend religious freedom or lose it forever’
By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff
Archbishop Chaput states that the threats against religious freedom in our country are not imaginary; they’re happening right now; they’re immediate, serious and real — that unless we work hard to keep our religious liberty,
we’ll lose it. The archbishop’s final declaration stated that politics and the courts are important, but our religious NEW BEDFORD — Despite an intense heat outside, freedom ultimately depends on the vividness of our own dozens of faithful souls filled the pews of St. Anthony Christian faith — in other words, how deeply we believe of Padua Parish in New Bedford to it, and how honestly we live it. listen to Father Roger J. Landry cel“There is a great deal of complaebrate the first day of the Fortnight cency,” said Father Landry of the for Freedom with a Eucharistic holy current sentiments of Catholics as hour followed by a talk on the threats he looked around the church. “Jesus to religious liberty and freedom of began with 12; we begin with 60.” conscience. Those 60 in attendance then made Leading off with the “Prayer their way downstairs to convene in a for the Defense of Religious room to listen to Father Landry presLiberty,” the Rosary was recited ent his talk on the threats to religious and then Father Landry offered up freedom, opening with the words: the five points made in a speech “Back in January, in a meetby Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, ing with American bishops, Pope OFM, Cap., to a group of Catholic Benedict expressed his alarm at the journalists on the eve of the attempts being made to limit what Fortnight (for a full transcript of he called ‘the most cherished of Archbishop Chaput’s speech, visit American freedoms,’ the freedom of h t t p : / / w w w. f i r s t t h i n g s . c o m / religion; the first one named in the onthesquare/2012/06/launching-theBill of Rights, the reason why the fortnight-for-freedom). Puritans risked the dangers of the Archbishop Chaput stressed that Atlantic Ocean to come, the most religious freedom is the cornerstone RALLYING TOGETHER — Father Roger J. Landry, pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Fall River, cherished of American freedoms — of the American experience, said launched the Fortnight for Freedom initiative at his then-parish of St. Anthony of Padua in New the freedom of religion.” Bedford on June 21 by opening with a Eucharistic holy hour , then presenting a talk on the threats Father Landry, and that freedom of Father Landry continued, “The to religious freedom and freedom of conscience. Sixty people from different parishes across the religion is more than freedom of Fall River Diocese were in attendance. (Photo by Becky Aubut) pope said that he was distressed at worship. Turn to page 18
Negative outcomes greater for children of same-sex parents, study says By Christine M. Williams Anchor Correspondent
BOSTON — Those pushing for the legal recognition of same-sex relationships have argued that such affirmation would assist those same-sex couples raising children together. They have said that two parents of the same sex are equal to — or better than — a mother and father. The district court judge who struck down California’s Proposition 8, which defined marriage as the union between one man and one woman, stated there are no differences between same-sex and opposite-sex parents. In his 2010 decision, Judge Vaughn Walker listed in his “findings of fact” that “children raised by gay or lesbian parents are as likely as children raised by heterosexual parents to be healthy, successful and well-adjusted.” What’s more, he said the research supporting that conclusion is “accepted beyond serious deTurn to page 18
Father Wilson eager to preach the Good News via The Anchor By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff
the priesthood he said one of his other potential callings was a career in journalism. NEW BEDFORD — When he was initially called in “I had worked as a reporter for newspapers in junior to meet with Bishop George W. Coleman back around high and high school and at Georgetown University I was Palm Sunday, Father Richard D. Wilson, longtime pas- a reporter for The Hoya, which was the biweekly student tor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at newspaper there,” Father Wilson said. St. James Church in New Bedford, said “From elementary school on, I had alhis foremost concern was taking over as ways a sense of my vocation (to the pastor of three parishes in Attleboro: St. priesthood), but my parents wanted me John the Evangelist, Holy Ghost, and to go to college and work a year or two St. Joseph. before I entered the seminary. It would “Then Bishop Coleman said ‘I have have been the same if I had wanted to another job for you,’” Father Wilson get married.” said. “I was surprised when he asked As he was preparing for his college me to take over as executive editor of graduation, Father Wilson wrote to The Anchor, but given my journalism newspapers to see if he could be hired background, I understood why.” as a reporter. After being turned down Noting that Father Roger J. Landry, by The Pilot and The Quincy Sun, The who had served as the diocesan newsPatriot Ledger offered him a position as paper’s executive editor for the past a stringer (a freelance reporter). Since seven years, would be taking on the he had worked for the City of Quincy newly-merged St. Bernadette’s Parish (and would be hired again by it a month Father Richard D. Wilson in Fall River and wanted to devote more later), he could not cover stories about time to preaching and writing books, the its city government, but would cover bishop felt that Father Wilson would be a good man for events in other South Shore towns. “At the same time a the job. job opened up for a van driver for the Quincy Council on “I was not expecting it and yet it wasn’t the hardest Aging, so I worked there during the day,” he said. “I took thing the bishop has asked me to do,” Father Wilson said. senior citizens from Quincy to doctors’ appointments in Turn to page 14 In fact, before Father Wilson discerned his vocation to