FALL RIVER, MASS.
VOL. 49, NO. 26 • Friday, July 1, 2005
Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly • $14 Per Year
Catholic Charities Appeal tops record $4 million mark FALL RIVER - When the 64th annual Catholic Charities Appeal drew to a close it had realized a level of support never achieved before. The final total of $4,072,724.06 is the highest total ever reached in the annual endeavor by the 96 parishes of the Diocese of Fall River, and the first time the Appeal has ever eclipsed the $4 million dollar mark. This figure is an increase
BEFORE A magnificent painting of St. Thomas More, Msgr. John F. Moore poses in his office for a final portrait as executive editor of The Anchor. After more than 35 years with the diocesan publication, it's anchors aweigh for the pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in North Falmouth. (Anchor! Jolivet photo)
Msgr. Moore hoists his Mooring as he sets sail from The Anchor 4
But not before looking back and remembering. By DEACON JAMES
N.
DUNBAR
FALL RIVER - The office of the executive editor of The Anchor, newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River, located in the front room of an old mansion on Highland Avenue, offers a panoramic view of the Taunton River and its entrance to the east passage of Mount Hope Bay. There is a large, dark oak captain's desk with brass accoutrements that fronts two plain guest chairs in leather, between which is a table with various up-
to-date magazines having to do with tQeChurch, the. faith, and Catholicism. . Neatly arranged are the day's mail, copies of the U.S. Bishop's opinions in Origin and the Vatican newspaper L 'Osservatore Romano, as well as assorted texts and almanacs that include copies ofVatican II documents, the "Catechism of the Catholic Church," a study version of the Bible, and reference books on rites and rituals. St. Thomas More gazes solemnly from his portrait above the mantel on the quiet room done in dark gre'en with a velvety matching carpet. A place of candid seriousness, Turn to page 12 - Sail
of $125,727.07 (3.2 percent) over the 2004 figure. "This milestone is the culmination of a truly focused effort on the part of parish volunteers, pastors, and parish secretaries to get the word out once again about the wonderful work of Catholic Charities here in our diocese," stated Mike Donly, director of Development. "The phones never stopped ringing on
Bishop to ordain two men as diocesan priests July 9 FALL RIVER - Rev. Mr. Karl C. Bissinger of Fall River and Rev. Mr. Thomas E. Costa Jr., of Seekonk will be ordained priests for the Fall River diocese by Bishop George W. Coleman on July 9, at 11 a.m., in St. Mary's Cathedral. Rev. Mr. Bissinger will celebrate his first Mass on July 10 at 10 a.m., in St. '~.j! .-:iA Joseph's Church in Fall River. He will give the homily Rev. Mr. Costa will celebrate his first Mass on July 10, at 10 a.m., in St. 'Stanislaus Church in Fall REV. MR. KARL C. River. Father Bruce M. BISSINGER
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Neylon, pastor, will be the homilist. Rev. Mr. Bissinger, 34, a native of Fall River, is the son of Andrew Bissinger, a native of New Rochelle, N.Y., and Therese (Clement) Bissinger, a native of Fall River. His father is ,a retired Fall River fire fighter, and his mother works as a secretary in the Fall River Public School Department. Educated in Fall River public schools, he graduated from B.M.C. Durfee High School in 1989, where he was a ,member of the concert, REV. MR. THOMAS marching and stage bands. E. COSTA JR. Turn to page seven - Ordain
Stonehill College to host two-day Catholic Family Conference Gathering geared to bolster Catholic family life By DAVE JOLIVET, EDITOR
NORTH EASTON - The late Pope John Paul II knew it. Pope Benedict XVI knows it. Many parents across the diocese, the country and the world see it every day. The family unit is under constant attack from all sides, and in some instances family life crumbles under the pressure.
For these very reasons, Stonehill College here will host the first-ever Northeast Catholic Family Conference July 16- 17, with the sole purpose of providing families with the weapons necessary to combat the daily destructive forces they encounter. Themed "Making the Faith Visible," the twoTurn to page seven - Family
Somerset pastor readies to assume leadership of diocesan pastoral care SOMERSET - For Father Marek Tuptynski, the July 4 holiday sets offa whole new set round of responsibilities.' Beginning today, the busy pastor of St. Patrick's Parish in the north end ofSomerset - as well as the director ofSt. Patrick's Cemetery there - officially takes over the new dioceSan director ofPastoral Care ofthe Sick, succeeding Father Edward J. Healey. Asked how he felt about the new added
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the last day of the Appeal with parishes calling in large and small donations they had just received. Their desire to bring this to a successful conclusion was, as usual, truly inspiring," he said. Seventy-one percent of the parishes exceeded their previous year's total, with numerous parishes registering very significant Turn to page six - Appeal
duties, the 38-year-old native of Poland flashed a broad smile and said candidly, "It's definitely a challenge. But I'm ready and very willing to accept it. Like any assignment, there is a lot to leam. But new duties mean new growth; and in the process make for a better priest." It was only lastJuly 7 that FatherTuptynski took over the pastorate of St. Patrick's and the cemetery following four years as chap-
lain at Charlton Memorial Hospital. "But it was those years at Charlton that give me the experience of pastoral care for the sick, and I am grateful for having had those as I take on the neW-job; in reality one more of administration that anything else," he explained. While the full scope of his new assignment is being compiled, he said the outline Turn to page 10 - Pastoral