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VOL. 50, NO. 27 • Friday, July 7, 2006

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FALLRiVii~·

~ORSOUlHEAsT~ CAPECOD & THE lSLANtlS

FALL RIVER, MASS.

Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly • $14 Per Year I,

St. Anne's Church to celebrate centennial ofdl!dication July 9 By DEACON JAMES N.

DUNBAR

FALL RIVER - Standing before the awesome granite and marble church that is St. Anne's in this old mill city, one might easily imagine he or she were standing before one the great cathedral churches of Europe. . Its rounded arches, shallow exterior buttresses, carved wooden ceilings, domes, mini-domes and Corinthian columns contain elements of the Romanesque and Byzantine styles that continue to interest and draw pilgrims across the world. Visitors are literally welcomed by St. Aline, the mother of the Blessed VIrgin Mary, after whom the Church is named. Her statue at the top of the fa~ade over the main entrance is nine-and-a-half-feet tall and weighs 9,000 pounds. It is surrounded by the words "Ora pro nobis, " which in Latin means "pray for us." The letters D.O.M. also on the fa~ade stand for "Deo optimo maximo," which in Latin means 'To God, the greatest, the best." The words might well reflect the immense love and intrepid faith demonstrated by thousands ofpoor

immigrants from French Canada who literally poured into Fall River beginning in 1868 lured by the promise of "high wages" in the flourishing cotton mill industry. Their fascinating history and the vital and integral part they played not only in the religious, but cultural, domestic, industrial and political life and growth of the Fall River community from the 1860s to the present fills volumes. But how St. Anne's Parish, shepherded for most of its existence by Dominican priests and nuns, became the cradle of French Catholicism in the Diocese of Fall River, and how the beautiful house of worship designed by prominent Canadian architect Napoleon Bourassa, rose on the sacrifices of parishioners against all odds, constitute a story all its own. Drafts of two fme histories were offered with approval and good wishes by Father Marc R. Bergeron, pastor of St. Anne's, for which I am grateful. One is "A long History ofSaint Anne's Parish" writtenby Dominican Father Pierre E. Lachance in 1979. Tum to page 10 - Centennial -

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MASS. GOVERNpR Mitt Romney, left, held a press conference June 28, with tr?ditional marriage supporters including Fall River Bishop George;IW. Coleman, center, and Worcester Bishop Robert McManus. (~hoto by Albert B. L'Etoile Jr., The Pilo~

Ro"ney joins religious, civic leallersurging passage I . of Marriage Amendment

GOV.

BOSTON - AweJ.mg with a Amendment, which would allow the broad array of religiow!, civic and voters of the Commonwealth to depolitical leaders, Gov. ~tt Romney termine the definition ofmarriage in urged the legislature ancl its leaders Massachusetts, were Cardinal Sean to bring the Protection qf Marriage P. O'Malley, OFM Cap., of Boston; Amendment to a ''fair vote" during Bishop George W. Coleman, ofFall the Constitutional Con~ention on River; Bishop Robert McManus of Worcester; Dr. Roberto Miranda, July 12. "It is the constitutiopal duty of Chairman, VoteOnMarriage.org; every legislator to give the Amend- Kris Mineau, president, Massachument an up or down votd during this setts Family Institute; as well as a legislative session," he s1id June 28. bi-partisan group of other Amend'The people have a ri~t to decide . ment supporters from government this issue, but they can dnly do so if and the private sector. the Legislature does its job." Also present to show their supStanding with Romney in support port for the initiative were State of the Protection of I: Marriage Tum to page 12 - Marriage II

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Mass. bishops' statement on marriage -

page 12

Project R~chel helps heal those suffering the effects of abortion THE TWIN spires of St. Anne's Church have been reaching heavenward on the Fall River skyline for 100 years. This weekend the parish is celebrating the centennial of the dedication of the magnificent edifice. Celebration story on page 14. (Anchon'Gordon photo)

St. Anne's last Dominican priest recalls 'a monument to love' By DEACON JAMES N.

DUNBAR

FALL RIVER Confined to a bed at The Catholic Memorial Home, Dominican Father Pierre E. Lachance flashed a broad smile of recognition. "I'm not doing too well," he told me on a sunny day recently. "But then again, I turned 91 on

Dec. 30, 2005," he said, shrugging his shoulders and opening up the conversation. When I reminded hi~ that he was just nine years younger than St. Anne's Church building, in which he had spent much of his life, and which will mark its centennial on July 4, he managed

another grin. Anyone who had visited St. Anne's Shrine in her patron Church in the 44 years from 1958 until 2002 would still easily have recognized the tall, slim priest who heard confessions for hours on end, led the faithful at Tum to page 15 - Monument

By

GOR~ON STA~F

MIKE ANCHOR

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NORTH DARTMOUTH Project Rachel was e'ktabli~hed in the Fall River diotese in the mid 1990s as an oQtreach to tho s e . 1 suffering ---:--" from t h e ' ~n tragedy and pain of abortio~. It is one of many ministries funded by generous donations to the Catholic Charities Appeal. Diocesan IIPro-Life Apostolate Director Marian Desrosiers said thi~ Appeal makes the work of Project Rachel possi91e.· I

"I k h d·f:& t rna es a uge 1 lerence in the ministry and it allows us to reach out to those in need. We're grateful to all those who contribute and support the annual Appeal as well as Bishop George <It W . Coleman for his strong support of.Project Rachel," she said. Desrosiers has been involved with Project Rachel since its inception and feels it continues to have a significant impact. "It's a wonderful ministry in that it shows our faith and its Tum to page 18 - Project Rachel

- A clton


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