diocese' of fall river VOL. 23, NO. 30
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FALL RIVER, MASS.; THURSDAY, JlJLY 26, 1979
Pontiff Will Visit U.S.A. .
Father Romeo Panciroli, the By Jerry FUteau Vatican's press spokesman. ROME (NC)--..Pope John Paul The announcement did not II will visit Ireland and the say what cities in either Ireland, United States this fall as he con- or the United States would be tinues the most intensive travels included on the papal itinerary. ever undertaken by a pontiff - ' Father Panciroli said Pope travels making him a leading John Pa~l will remain in the figure on the world scene. I The pope will go to Ireland United States "for several days," on Sept. 29 and remain until but that the entire trip' will last Oct. I, then fly that day to New less than 10 days. The visits to both Ir,eland and York and deliver a major adthe United Nations the United States were described' dress by Panciroli as "pastoral." General Assembly on Oct. 2. In addition to the UN speech, In Washington, Bishop Thamthe pope is expected to meet as Kelly, general secretary of with President Jimmy Carter the National Conference of and visit some U.S. cities be- Catholic Bishops and the U.S. sides New York. Catholic Conference, told a Basic information about the路 news conference that details of pop~'s trip was announced by the pope's U.S. itinerary proba-
to
bly wouldn't be announced until early August. He said he and two other church officials were leaving for 'Rome shortfy after the news conference to discuss those details with Vatican authorities. He said a great number of invitations from around the U.S. had been extended to the pope - far more than it would be possible' for him to accept. "Our working figure (for the visit) is six days," Bishop KelJy said. Flying' to Rome with Bishop Kelly were Russell Shaw, the. U.S. Catholic Conference secretary for public affairs, and Father Robert Lynch of Miami, called to Washington to serve
'as planning coordinator for the papal visit. Bishop Kelly said the conference will serve as a central coordinator on behalf of Archbishop Jean Jadot, apostolic delegate in the United St~tes, with details of the pope's local activities under control of each particular locality. Bishop Kelly declined to speculate on which cities will be on the papal itinerary, but he did say he expected Washington to be inCluded.' That opens the likelihood of a first-ever visit by a pope to the White House. The bishop also said "it is expected" that all the bishops of the United States will meet with the pope in some city, but which
one hasn't been determined. ( ,Pope John Paul's visit "will not be a political trip," Bishop Kelly said, but "it certainly will have an effect on world affairs." The trip will be a continuation of the pope's effort to bring "a .spiritual and moral dimension" to the world, the bishop said. "Clearly, John Paul II has made an enormous positive impact on people since his election , as pope." Bishop Kelly said in a prepared statement. "The word charisma is often u~ed in reference to him, and it fits. . ~ "Still, in the last analysis it is not so much the pope's charisma or status as a' media superstar that matter, as it is his role as .-/ Turn to Page Thirteen
Dominican Nuns Have New Head
Church Respond's In Nicaragua
ROME (NC) - Sister Ines Mercedes Mejia has been' elected the 16th superior general of the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua (NC) Archbishop Miguel Obando Bravo of Managua appealed to the world for help in "healing the wounds, feeding the people:Jand rebuilding their cities and more important, reconstructing the confidence of the Nicaraguans."
The community has its American provincial house in Dightori and staffs St. Anne's Hospital, Fall River, Madonna Manor, North Attleboro, and Marian Manor, Taunton. Elsewhere in the United States, it has a house of studies in Washington, D.C., and staffs catechism and health care centers in Brownsville, Texas. Members of the U.S. province also serve at missions in India and many young Indian women have come to Dighton to complete their preparation for .the religious life. Sister Ines Mercedes was named last week at the congregation's general chapter in Rome. She was provincial superior in Manizales, Colombia, until her election. She was in the Fall River diocese in 1977 when she attended an extraordinary general council, hel!! between official chapter meetings, at the Dighton provincial house of the community; At that time she was the Manizales superior. There are more than 4,200 of the Dominican Sisters of the Presentation - also called the Sisters of Charity in 469 'communities throughout the world.
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As he spoke, Catholic parishes, schools and relief centers continued to bring emergency aid from Hmited stocks to thousands of people displaced by the sevenweek Sandanista guerrilla offensive that toppled the 45-year-old Somoza dynasty in mid-July.' The archbishop and other church ST. VINCENT'S HOME Foster Grandm':ls, from left,Martha Lambert, Nellie Casilli,' leaders, and many U.S. mission, Mary Miozza, Sister Lourdette, RSM, progra.n coordinator, Mary Pimental, Jane Keezer, aries, were iQ.strumental in denouncing abuses of the dynasty , Mary Lord. (Torchia.Photo) against peasants, students and ./ workers.
. Today's A Day To Hono,. Grandmas
Today, the feast of St. Anne, the grandmother of Jesus, might be called Grandmothers' Day. It's an appropriate time to hon~r not only the grandmothers people 'acquire by birth but a very special group of women who shower TLC, grandma style, on youngsters at Fall River's St. Vincent's Home. Let Father Thomas L. Rita, director of, the home, explain what they do in a letter he wrote to them for their annual recognition ceremony, held earlier this month: ' Dear Grandmas, "As you know, I am unable to be with you today at your annual ,recognition day. Allow me ,to state in writing, therefore,
wnat I would normally say in residing here some of our chilperson. Thank you so very much dren are deprived of that gift, for what you do, but most of all for they are separated from their for being the Home's Grandmas. own parents. "Your parents and mine gave "Still ,others here at the Home us' our first' lessons about love might never come to know that when we were children. Many gift of love without help from of our children at the Home us. Because of a caring staff of have not had that privileged les- . good Sisters an4 dedicated layson. For a period of 'time while men and laywomen, our youngsters learn a lesson of love, God's love for them and their love for God. That is what St. THE BEST CHURCH Vincent's Home is all about and, please God, will continue to be. ,IN FALL RIVER "Here at St. Vincent's the . Grandmas underscore. highlight, PROBABLY and give noble testimony to the love which is present here and See page 7 which is extended to each and Turn to Page Five'
The new 路government, pledging itself to national reconstruction, came to power July 18 and is counting on church help to meet the many needs of the Nicaraguan people. Two years of civil strife' left from 12,000 to 15,000 .dead, 20,000 wounded, and over 250,000 displaced persons, of them close to 80,000 in exile. ' Observers say it wHl take $8 billion to replace material losses. The government asked the church along with the Organization of American States to oversee the transition in regard to the human rights of foliowers of overthrown President Anasta!'iio Somoza and members of thenow dissolved National Guard, the only security force under Somoza.