e VOL. 46, NO. 27
• Friday, August 2, 2002
FALL RIVER, MASS.
Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly • $14 Per Year
Pope urges youths to love the Church ~
Hundreds of inspired local young people and chaperones who attended World Youth Day arrived home safe, but tired, on Monday night. By JOHN THAVIS CATHOUC NEWS SERVICE
TORONTO - Capping a week of prayer and celebration by more than 500,000 Catholic youths, Pope John Paul II urged the Church's younger generations to follow Christ and transform a
world tom by hatred and terrorism. . He also asked them to keep loving the Church and its ministers, despite the harm done to the young by a small minority of priests. The pope's words and his presence highlighted World Youth Day ceremonies July 23-28 in Toronto, where an army of young people in T-shirts and backpacks THE N~W·St. Mary's School, Mansfield will open it's doors to students September 4. A - including 355 locals from the .. d~iCatio.nceremony later this month will have Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, OFM Cap., bless Fall River, Mass., and Providence the fac!li.ties: (AnchortGordon photo) R.I. dioceses - spent the week . .. '. .
praYi;:~;::~~:~3hom:~and
SEMary's, Mansfield to dedicate $4.5 million Education Center ~
A new elementary school, the first for the parish, is part of the complex.
By DEACON JAMES N. DUNBAR
THE FLOCK - Teens and young adults from the Fall River diocese crowd around Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, OFM Cap., at one of the final meetings before leaving Toronto on Monday after a week celebrating World Youth Day 2002. (Photo courtesy of Penny Rinfret)
MANSFIELD - Witnessing a rapid increase of children in the parish family and the need for a school to teach them the faith is something pastors in many parts of the Fall Rivers diocese vaguely remember. But for Father George C. Bellenoit this millennium brings a renaissance in Catholic parochial school education. With a growing number of parishioners and their young families St.
lSum;;'e; s~cial on Cape boosts St. Mary's Education Fund I I
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NEW SEABURY - Hundreds from the Cape Cod area gathered for cocktails and dinner and enjoyed outstanding entertainment, very much aware that their gathering would also bring happiness to many students across the Fall River diocese. The "Summer Night" that hosted more than 200 people at the Country Club in New Seabury on July 26, was the fifth annual event to benefit the St. Mary's Education Fund, which provides need-based scholarships for children to attend Catholic schools. AqlOng the guests was Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, OFM Cap. While no dollar figure on what was
raised was yet available, the event last year raised approximately $300,000, reported Suzanne Downing, who for the fourth time chaired the event. "We had an exciting and wonderful night of entertainment," said Downing. She had high praise for a choral group from St. Francis Xavier Preparatory School in Hyannis that performed a medley of songs from "The Sound of Music" and "Sister Act." "The group performed at the beginning of the evening and set a fine tone for the remainder of an interesting night," said Downing. "They were fabulous." Ti_u_n_l_to_p_a_g_e_e_iglzt_ _D_in_ner
Mary's Parish moved quickly to expand its educational facilities - including building a schoolto meet the demands. "It's very exciting and its a big time for us," said Father Bellenoit, who has been pastor there for six years. After years of planning, fund raising and construction, St. Mary's Parish will be host on August 11 to dedication ceremonies of its new $4.5 million Education Center. Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, OFM Cap., will pe principal celebrant of a Mass at noon. The dedication will follow and there will be a reception in the parish hall.
Tours of the modem facility will also be given. In an interview with The Anchor, Father Bellenoit talked about his growing parish and the needed Center that will be in operation this fall. "They key point in our expansion - which comes about because of the wonderful generosity of our parishioners - is the Educational Center," Father Bellenoit said. "It will house the ongoing religious education program as well as our new parochial school we will be opening in September." It is a whole new, two-story building, added onto the existing Tum to page nine - School
VISITORS TO the benefit dinner at the Country Club in New Seabury were greeted by students from St. Francis Xavier Preparatory School, Hyannis. From left: Aubrey Hartnett, Nathan Walsh, Rachel Freitas and Alexi Bukuras. (Photo by John Kearns Jr.)