VOL. 49, NO. 28 • Friday, July 15, 2005
FALL RIVER, MASS.
Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly • $14 Per Year
Expertise ofdiocese's new Pastoral Planning director made him a shoo-in FALL RIVER - When the new Holy Trinity Parish was formed in June 2000 from the merger ofthe adjacent parishes of St. Jean Baptiste, St. William's, and St. Elizabeth's, in this city's Maplewood section, Father David M. Andrade was the guiding source of the very successful endeavor. "I'm sure that having that experience of being involved in the merger as well as subsequently becoming pastor in
NEWLY-ORDAINED FATHERS Thomas E. Costa Jr., left, and Karl C. Bissinger distribute holy Communion during their Mass of Ordination at S1. Mary's Cathedral, Fall River, last Saturday. (Anchor/Jolivet photo)
Men answer call to priesthood in' joyful or"dination Mass By DAVE JOLIVET, EDITOR
FALL RIVER - In a contrast marked only by time, four diocesan priests, Msgr. Edmond R. Levesque and Father John C. Martins, both celebrating 50 years of ordination, and Fathers Karl C. Bissinger and Thomas E. Costa Jr., both ordained a mere 50 minutes, expressed to The Anchor this week, thejoys ofpriesthood.
To a man, each shared joyful sentiments ofthe ministry and gratitude to God for the calling. Father Bissinger and Father Costa began their priestly ministries last Saturday when they were ordained by Bishop George W. Coleman at the Cathedral ofSt. Mary of the Assumption here. Family, friends, deacons and dozens of Turn to page three - Ordination
a merged parish, and which, no doubt, brought a greater sensitivity to the dynamics involved, played a part in my assignment as Pastoral Planner for the Fall River diocese," Father Andrade, said during a recent interview with The Anchor. As of July 1 he succeeds Msgr. Ronald A. Tosti, pastor of Christ the King Parish in Mashpee. Father Andrade, 44, was the
pastor at the former St. Jean Baptiste Parish on Stafford Road, when the three-parish merger began in 1999. The experience of seeing "so many positive things having happened at Holy Trinity, at least can be brought to a discussion of what may be someday" in the future of the diocese, he said. And while the merging of parishes is not a popular conTurn to page 12 - Planning
New director of Family Ministry also assumes his first pastorate By
DEACON JAMES
N.
DUNBAR
NORTH DARTMOUTHThe diocese's new director of Family Ministry doesn't have to travel far to that job, but it literally means climbing a stonewall to get there. "The Family Life Center is just a few yards from here," reported Father Gregory A. Mathias, from his office at St. Julie Billiart Parish where he is newly the administrator. "I
can't hop the wall yet, so I just climb over it, as I take the short cut," the 41 ~year-old priest ex. . plained. Fresh from two years of graduate studies at the John Paul II Institute For Marriage and Family in Washington, D.C., Father Mathias put on the multiple hats of parish administrator and director of the Family Ministry as well as the Family Life Center, on July 1.
In doing so, he succeeds former pastor Father Brian J. Harrington as shepherd of the parish that includes approximately 2,300 families; arid follows Father Thomas A. Frechette in the leadership of Family Ministry outreach. While he has met with both predecessors, "it is all new to me," the former parochial vicar and hospital chaplain said. Turn to page 13 - Family
FATHER DAVID M. ANDRADE
FATHER GREGORY A. MATHIAS
DEACON ROBERT D. LEMAY
Deacon director of RCIA brings special experience, skills to the job By DEACON
FATHERS KARL C. Bissinger, left, and Thomas E. Costa Jr., right, concelebrate Mass with Bishop George W. Coleman, center, at their ordination to the priesthood last Saturday at S1. Mary's Cathedral. (Anchor/Jolivet photo)
Three diocesan priests mark significant jubilees - Page nine
JAMES
N.
DUNBAR
FALL RIVER - "I hope you won't need oxygen," Deacon Robert D. Lemay quipped as he led the charge up the twoplus flights of stairs to an office in the Catholic Education Center building on Highland Avenue. As the first deacon to lead the diocesan office of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, it is a second "first" for
Lemay, who, as the full-time pastoral assistant at Christ the King Parish in Mashpee starting in 1993, was the first fulltime pastoral assistant in the diocese. One might say that charting a new course is something the 68-year-old Lowell native is used to after a 27-year military career in the U. S. Coast guard as a Chief Warrant Officer following six years duty in the
U.S. Marine Corps. And while he agrees that being diocesan director of one of the most important programs or processes of evangelization in the worldwide Church today, "is certainly going to be a challenge," Lemay is confident that the 12 years of experience directing the RCIA at the Mashpee parish is a foundation he can confidently work from. Turn to page 13 - Deacon
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