t eanc 0 VOL. 42, NO. 29 •
Friday, July 31, 1998
FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly
FALL RIVER, MASS.
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Corpus Christi Parish takes giant step toward new church •
The growing Catholic parish of Sandwich and Sagamore blesses a program book as it advances toward groundbreaking for a new house of worship in the year 2000. By JAMES N.
IN ROME-Ann Hodkinson (left) of Holy Name Parish, Fall River, stands with her friend, Kendra Manseu, at the Palm Sunday papal Mass in St. Peter's Square, Rome. She was at the Vatican to present a paper for a student seminar. Below, people raise palms during the procession through the square.
Local woman's hope to submit paper at Vatican selninar realized •
Story in The Anchor moves an anonymous donor to provide transportation and housing costs that posed a major hurdle for trip. By
PAT MCGOWAN
FALL RIVER - Last February The Anchor carried a story about the submission to the Vatican by Ann Hodkinson of Holy Name Parish, of a paper and full-color collage depicting the development of a human fetus, for possible use at an international student conference on human rights issues scheduled for last April in Rome. Her entry was accepted and her success was reported. The' story noted that "the only cloud on her horizon was the cost of a ticket to Rome." That problem was solved by an Anchorreading member of St. Francis Xavier Parish, Hyannis, who provided funding for her travel and ./lousing expenses. Material for her to distribute at the conference of some 1,000
students was provided by Father Frank A. Pavone of Priests for Life, Massachusetts Citizens for Life, National Right to Life and Human Life International. Thus equipped, Ann, 24, set off for the Vatican, where she presented her paper, and was among students invited to attend papal Holy Week services at St. Peter's Basilica and a special audience with the Holy Father at which the students discussed abortio!1 and euthanasia and many, garbed in their native costumes, took part in a program of singing and dancing. "At the end of the Easter Vigil Mass," related Ann, "the Pope was walking down the center aisle of St. Peter's, when he spotted a young mother with six children. Despite the fact that he must have been very tired from the three-hour liturgy, he immediately walked over to the family and blessed the tiny baby the mother was holding in her arms." "As the Holy Father was leaving the young family, "continued Ann, "A group of American and Mexican students and I sang the faTum to page 13 - Vatican
DUNBAR
and wiIl be presented to the parishioners when completed. This will be the fourth church for the Corpus Christi community, the oldest parish in southeastern Massachusetts. The first church, dedicated in 1830, proved too small to handle its parishioners a quartercentury later. It was sold and moved a few lots away from where it still stands and is used as a gift shop. In 1854 a second church was dedicated, but was destroyed along with other Cape Cod landmarks during violent storms at the end of the 19th century. It was replaced by a third church, dedicated in 1901 on Jarvis Street. It too, was subsequently found too small for the ever-expanding parish in 1994 and is about to be sold by the Fall River Diocese. Since then, the parish center has served as home for the parish community. All three churches were remembered Wednesday night at a 7 p.m. candlelight prayer service that bade them goodby. The dramatic service was marked by ancient hymns, the solemn removal of the cornerstone, and a solemn procession around the outside of the church as the Litany of the Saints was chanted. It was in response to the completely understandable regret with which many recall the closing of the church, and in anticipation of the new church still in its drawing board stages. Father Bouchard said it was to express thanksgiving and anticipation, to allow the sadness of the community to find a religious meaning. . Earlier that day, there was an hour-long walking tour of the parish's three churches, all near Jarves Street and Route 6A.
EAST SANDWICH - As hundreds watched at a recent Sunday parish Mass, pastor Father Marcel H. Bouchard blessed and presented a program book embracing a vision statement for a new church to handle a growing congregation that comprises Corpus Christi Parish in this Cape Cod community. As the book was presented to architect Dennis Keefe of Keefe Associates, Inc., of Boston, who was also commissioned with the prayers of the assembly, the project reached a significant point, said Father Bouchard. After a year of planning by so many parishioners for the new church to be located adjacent to the current Parish Center on Quaker Meeting House Road in East Sandwich, the project now moves into a feasibility study, with a report due in the fall. Bishop Sean P. O'Malley has given permission to plan the ground-breaking in the year 2000 - hopefully on the June 25 feast of Corpus Christi - and the broad target date at the current time is for the house of God to be dedicated in the year 2001 or 2002. Reportedly, that date will depend on the weather. The carefully prepared program book contains a brief history of the Catholic Church in Sandwich, a vision statement, special sections on the Jubilee Year 2000, the Christian Life of Children, access for .all, and ordained leadership. It also includes a listing of all the possible liturgies to be celebrated in the church and details about each distinct area within and outside the building. Since last summer, several committees and then a chosen steering committee have been at work. G. Thomas Ryan of New York was chosen as a liturgical consultant and longrange capital fund campaign plans were begun and the architect chosen. Through inserts in the parish's weekly bulletin, everyone was offered the opportunity to offer ideas, suggestions and opinions. Throughout last winter and spring, the liturgy committee and other , groups have met with Ryan. The goal was to prepare a place of worship in accord with all the Church teaches and which would express the unique character of this particular parish. "The new church wiIl be able to seat approximately 1,500," Ryan told The Anchor this week. "It will be one COMMISSIONING - Pastor Father Marcel of the largest churches in the area." He reported that more than 25 per- H. Bouchard and parishioners of Corpus cent of the town's population attend Christi Parish bless and commission architect the parish, and that the current feasi- Dennis Keefe of Keefe Associates, Inc., of bility study wiIl produce exterior and Boston, to design a new church for them in interior drawings and a cost estimate
East Sandwich. (Photo by Margaret Dittami)