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t leanc 0 VOL. 37, NO . 27
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Friday, July 16, 1993
F ALL RIVER, MASS.
fAll RI"IE~~ DIOCESAN INEWSPA~ER FOR SOlUTliEAST MASSACIHUSETrS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly
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$11 Per Year
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Hi('kt) photo
HAVING A GOOD TIME. WISH YOU WERE HERE? ALT AR BOYS from around the diocese take enviable possession of Long Pond at Cathedral Camp, East Freetown, during the camp's annual Altar Boy Day.
Three retire; ten pastors named II
WOlmen's rights si; fleminism no VATICAN CITY (CNS) - The church must support the rights of women and seriously reflect on their role in the church. but without compromising with an "extreme" and ideological form of feminism. Pope John Paul II told a group of U.S. bishops. In dealing with the question. church leaders should be careful not to raise false hopes. particularly on the church's refusal to ordain women as priests. the pope said to some 30 bishops from Eastern and Southern states. in Rome for their consultative "ad limina" visits. His talk examined the many kinds of assistance lay people are able to provide pastors in the Uniled States. a situation which he called a "blessing." The role of women in the church needs to be addressl:d with "a keen sense of its importance" and with an eye toward the profound transformations that have affected women's place in society, he said.
"Respect for women's rights is without doubt an essential step toward a more just and mature society, and the church cannot fail to make her own this worthy objective," he said. He cited his own efforts and those of bishops to appreciate women's contributions to the church. The pope said he was concerned, however. that in some circles there is dissatisfaction with the church's position on women - especially. he said, among those who fail to distinguish between women's human and civil rights in society and their ministries and functions in the church. This can easily lead to "presenting false demands and raising false hopes," he said. "What is certain is that the question cannot be resolved through a compromise with a feminism which polarizes along bitter, ideological lines." he said. "It is not simply that some peoTurn to Page II
Bishop Sean O'Malley has announced retirements of three pastors; appointment of 10 pastors and two administrators; seven assignments to special ministries and new placements for six parochial vicars.
In 1968 he was incardinated in the Fall River diocese, and was for a year parochial vicar at St. Mary's parish, Mansfield. before being assigned to his present parish.
Msgr.Patrick J. O'Neill, has been pastor of St. Julie's Church. North Dartmouth, since 1986. He leaves Retiring Pastors the parish of over 2.000 families Rev. Clarence P. Murphy, since after overseeing a building project 1969 pastor of Our Lady of the which saw the size of the church Assumption parish, Osterville. was doubled and a new wing added to born on St. Patrick's Day, 1920, in the building to accommodate meetBoston, the son of the late William ing rooms, a kitchen and parish and Ellen (O'Keefe) Murphy. He offices. prepared for the priesthood at Montfort Seminary and at St. He was born in Fall River in John's Seminary, Ottawa, Ont.. 1931. the son of the late Patrick Canada. and Sarah (Coogan) O'Neill. His He was ordained as a Montfort brother. Father Cornelius O·Neill. Missionary March I, 1947. there- who shares his love of sailing. is after teaching in the Montfort pastor of Sacred Heart parish. Seminary at Bay Shore. N.Y .• " Taunton. serving as a parochial vicar in Ordained in 1957. he served as Ozone Park. N.Y .• and from 1957 parochial vicar at Immaculate Conto 1968 holding administrative ception Church. Fall River. and positions in the Montfort com- St. Thomas More parish. Somerset. munity. including the years from and was successively acting super1962 to 1966 as superior of the intendent and superintendent of former Montfort house in Taunton. diocesan schools as well as cha-
plain of Bishop Stang High School. North Darmouth. In 1973 Msgr. O'Neill was named diocesan director of education when the department was reorganized. In that capacity he was president of the Department of Chief Administrators of Catholic Education of the National Catholic Educational Assn .• and was also chairman of the Independent School Commission of the New England Assn. of Schools and Colleges. In 1974 he was named a domes~ tic prelate and in 1975 was named pastor of SS. Peter and Paul parish, Fall River, where he served until his appointment to St. Julie's. Msgr. O'Neill is noted for his mechanical accomplishments, enjoying repairing electrical fixtures, and he is remembered at SS. Peter and Paul's for his leadership in organizing the Niaga.ra Neighborhood Assn. in that area of Fall River. Rev. William J. Shovelton has Turn to Page: Three