t eanc 0 VOL. 37, NO. 26
•
Friday, July 2,1993
F ALL RIVER, MASS.
FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NE'NSPAPER FOR SOUnlEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS Southeastern Massachusetts' I,argest Weekly
Diaconat:e marks quarter Icentury in U .8. church WASHINGTON (CNS) - The permanent diaconate, restored in the United States 25 years ago, is still growing in numbers and acceptance. Deacons have had a "struggle to define their role in the church and the world," said John Pistone, a deacon in Chicago and executive director of the National Association of Permanent Diaconate Directors. In 1972, Pistonl~ was among the first deacons to be ordained in the United States. "Back then there was little understanding of what the role of the permanent'deacon was all about," he: said. But the perception of deacons has "improved ·dlramatically" as the ministry has expanded, he added. In 1993- the deacons' jubilee year, highlighted by National Diaconate Day June 20 - there are about 10,000 deacons and nearly 4,000 candidates for ordination in the United States. Preparations for the diocesan permanent diaconate program began in 1976, when then Bishop Daniel A. Cronin asked Father John F. Moore to lay the gro~nd work for its introduction to the Fall River diocese. April 1977 was designated application month for the pioneer diaconate class. Information on the program was disseminated to parishes and through the Anchor and those interested were a.sked to contact their pastors and the diocesan diaconate office. The first class of deacons began study in September 1979 and members were ordainl~d June 7, 1980.. The fourth class was ordained May 22 of this year. Today 45 deacons are active in the Fall River diocese, 40 ordained in the diocese and five already ordained men who later moved into the diocesan area. All are attached to parishes and some also work in additional ministries. Deacons were identified in the New Testament ~IS early ministers in the church. But in the Western church, the ministry of a permanent diaconate, sf:parate from the priesthood, was dormant from the fifth century until 1967, when Pope Paul VI restored it. In 1968 the Holy See approved it for the United States. Today, deacons officiate at baptisms, marriages and funerals, distribute Communion and give homilies. They also volunteer in prison ministries, homeless shelters, pregnancy centers, nursing homes and on Indian reservations. And they work with Al DS patients and persons with disa bilities. Professions of those not retired or in fu!ltime ministry include those of doctor, machinist, teacher, carTurn to Page II
•
SI1 Per Year
Bishops voice concerns on state budget
AT BLESSING and dedication ofthe new Dighton chapel of the Dominican Sisters ofthe presentation, from left, Bishop Sean O'Malley; architect John Srygley holding daughter Mairin Ann, 2, while a shy Leland Patrick, 5, hides behind his mother, Maureen Srygley; Dominican provincial superior Sister Joanna Fernandes.
Chapel's architecture symbolizes Dominicans' faith, love By Pat McGowan Small pieces of fieldstone are treasured mementos in many diocesan homes today, reminders of last month's chapel blessing and altar dedication at the Dighton provincial house of the Dominican Sisters of the Presentation. The community serves at St. Anne's Hospital, Fall River, and Marie's Place, Fall River; and at Marian Manor and the office of Hospice Care of Greater Taunton. Among construction materials for the chapel were 176 tons of locally quarried fieldstone, some of it gathered by the sisters themselves. At last month's ceremonies, baskets of small stones were placed at the chapel entrance with signs
inviting worshipers to help themselves. Also on the signs was a quotation from the First Epistle of St. Peter: "Be you also as living stones built up. a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." The blessing and dedication were bittersweet. reminding the Dominican community and their friends of the terrible day in October, 1983. when a gas explosion almost completely destroyed their former chapel and adjoining offices. Sister Marie Therese Pelletier, 76, of Fall River, was killed in the blast and Sister Vimala Vadakumpadan. a native of India, then 28, was seriously injured. She was a
Prochoicers push killing agenda Reprinted from Life Insight, a publication of the U.S. bishops' Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities As the administration prepares to unveil its health care plan, more than 80 prominent pro-abortion feminist and health care groups have formed a coalition to guarantee that abortion is included as a basic service in any health care reform package. These groups among them NOW, Planned Parenthood, NARAL, the ACLU, the YWCA, the American Federation of Government Employees(AFGE) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFCS ME) - announced the formation of the "Health Care for All Campaign" at a May 27th press conference in Washington. NARAL president Kate Michelman said the campaign would be a
"sophisticated, broad-based, nationwide, state-by-state, old-fashioned grassroots 'shoe leather' effort," designed to generate millions of postcards, telegrams and phone calls to Capitol Hill, and featuring town hall meetings, "speak outs" and a full day of lobbying on the Hill, all for the cause of mandating taxpayer funding of abortion nationwide. Participants at the press conference claimed mandated abortion coverage was a matter of private choice vs. government dik tat. But the only choice they meant wa.s abortion; for those who pay taxes and are morally and religiously opposed to abortion, there would only be a government diktat that
they keep quiet and pay. Some said it was a question of "rich ·vs. poor." The rich can afford their abortions. Thus, the poor shou~d not be denied abortions, even if this means someone else, including those morally opposed to.abo:'tion, will be forced to pay the bi'\. Ignored here was the fact that lowincome women strongly oppo"e abortion funding. One speaker raised the specter of "the return of the back alley," arguing that WiClout government subsidies, the abortion industry will be forced out of the "mainstream" and into the "back alley." This argument was accompanied by the incredible and totally unsubstantiated claim that Turn to Page Two
The diocesan bishops of Massachusetts, Boston Cardinal Bernard Law, Springfield IJishop John A. Marshall, Fall River Bishop Sean O'Malley, OFM Cap., and Worcester Bishop Timothy J. Harrington, have signed an open letter to Massachusetts Senate President William Bulger and! House Speaker Charles Flaherty expressing concerns regarding the 1994 state budget. The letter follows: Dear President Bulger and Speaker Flaherty. As critical decisions of the State budget are considered by the Conference Committee chaired by Senator Birmingham and Representative Finneran, we share our concerns with you, and through you with your colleagues. Our interest as bishops is inspired by the Church's teaching on social responsibility and the experience of the Catholic Church in Massachusetts in being second only to the commonwealth as a provider of social services. Our first concern is for pregnant women on AFDC who may lose benefits in the first two trimesters of their pregnancy. Our society can ill afford to be callous to women in what can be a most difficult moment of their lives. We favor the inclusion of the $150 allowance per child for children's clothing. The Massachu.setts Catholic Conference has already expressed its reservations about workfare. As was stated by Gerald D' Avolio, in our name, "in our view, in order for welfare reform to be effective, a comprehensive overhaul is necessary. Included should be not only expectations of but also opportunities for welfare beneficiaries, so that there is a realistic chance for long-term change. Therefore, availability of child care, better educational opportunities, employment training and health benefits must be addressed in thl: welfare reform package." Regarding Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children, the larger budget figure of $105 million should be included so that psychologists may continue to be provided to verify mental disorders and the record-keeping Turn to Page Two
Notice There will be no Anchor on July 9, in keeping with our 50-week publishing poliq. Our next issue will be dated July 16. Happy Fourth ofJuly to all!