08.08.08

Diocese of Fall River

The Anchor

F riday , August 8, 2008

Cape Cod abortion doctor indicted on manslaughter charges

By Gail Besse Anchor Correspondent HYANNIS — Eileen Smith was jubilant at news that the abortionist at whose hands her daughter and grandchild died now faces manslaughter charges.

Former gynecologist Rapin Osathanondh was indicted by a Barnstable County Grand Jury on July 16 for involuntary manslaughter in the death of Laura Hope Smith. Laura, 22, of Sandwich, and her unborn baby died during an alleged botched legal abortion in his Hyannis office

Laura Hope Smith September 13, 2007.

Since then, her adoptive mother has worked tirelessly pursuing the case, which resulted in an investigation by state and local police and the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine.

In February the medical board suspended Osathanondh’s license after finding that the abortionist and his only staff person did not have proper resuscitation equipment or CPR training to deal with Laura’s cardiac arrest while under anesthesia. He subsequently gave up his license and closed his Women Health Center, Cape Cod’s only abortion office.

Osathanondh, 65, of Wellesley,

pleaded innocent July 24 at his arraignment and was released on his own recognizance without bail. He will return to court September 19 to face either a judge or a jury trial.

A research associate at the Harvard School of Public Health, the ex-doctor’s primary practice was in Brookline.

Smith said of the indictment: “I’m ecstatic to hear such great news. Nothing will bring my daughter back — our family feels Laura’s absence every day — but it’s comforting to know that justice is being brought for her death.”

Cape & Island’s District Attorney Michael O’Keefe called Osathanondh’s actions “willful, wanton and reckless.” He said the abortionist had failed to properly monitor Laura while she was under anesthesia, that he delayed resuscitation efforts and then lied about his actions.

The grand jury probe eventually exposed attempts to cover up the details of Laura’s death. Osathanondh and his staff were uncertified in CPR at the time, Smith said.

However, a Bristol County sheriff’s deputy subsequently gave them training but reportedly backdated the session to a date prior to Laura’s death. Smith said she filed a complaint with that office.

Since the tragedy, she has been speaking out publicly about the need for Christians to get involved in ending legalized abortion. “I hope this will make other abortionists take notice. I pray that I’m an example to other mothers.

“As I travel around the country speaking about Laura’s story, I’m encouraged that word is getting out and people are being helped and lives are being saved. My goal is to also be a catalyst in the laws changing in Massachusetts and maybe even beyond,” she said.

Turn to page 18

YOUTH GROUP — Pilgrims wave national flags at the closing Mass of World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, July 20. Police estimated that 350,000 people attended the service with Pope Benedict XVI. A Fall River woman performed at WYD. Full story on page 11. (CNS photo/courtesy of World Youth Day 2008)

Massachusetts Legislature votes in favor of gay marriages

By Gail Besse Anchor Correspondent

BOSTON — The need to elect candidates who support marriage and religious freedom is urgent following two moves by Massachusetts politicians aimed at toppling the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA.) That’s the conclusion of leading lay activists after the Massachusetts Legislature and Gov. Deval Patrick extended Medicaid benefits to same-sex “married” couples and repealed a law that had protected other states’ marriage statutes. Patrick signed both bills into law July 31.

The MassHealth Equality law requires state taxpayers to subsidize medical benefits to same-sex “married” couples through MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program. The federal government does not recognize such unions.

Patrick called the bill “the first piece of legislation in the nation to reject discrimination in the federal Defense of Marriage Act.” And Sen. Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee for whom Patrick is campaigning, has stated he would abolish DOMA. How much the new special interest law will cost the state is un-

known. It passed the House and Senate on voice votes.

And on a unanimous voice vote July 15, the Senate repealed a 1913 law that stopped out-of-state couples from marrying here if their home states don’t recognize such unions.

On a roll call vote July 29, the House also went for repeal, despite opposition from all four Massachusetts Catholic bishops on grounds of state sovereignty.

Nationwide reaction was swift.

“Although 46 states outlaw counterfeit marriage in some form, the 23 without constitutional amendments will be most vulnerable to the legal Turn to page 18

The Pauline Year: A call to conversion

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

FALL RIVER — In observing the Pauline year, Paul’s repentance and conversion on the road to Damascus remains a source of great inspiration to Catholics as they meditate on living their own absolved life in Christ. As St. Paul wrote to the Galatians, “the Gospel preached by me is not of human origin. For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal 1:11-12).

While most won’t experience St. Paul’s radical change from a man on a mission to persecute Christ and his Church to becoming one of his most

ardent and effective disciples, they may experience their own minor conversions simply by avoiding sin and, in Christ’s own words to Saul, “open their eyes and turn … from darkness to light and from Satan’s control to God’s. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and a share among God’s people who are made holy by believing in me” (Acts 26:18).

“Certainly (St. Paul’s) personal experience with the Lord was very dramatic,” said Father Marc H. Bergeron, director of St. Anne’s Shrine in Fall River. “His metanoia, as it is called in Greek, was more than just repentance.”

Turn to page 12

News From the Vatican

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August 8, 2008

Papal spokesman calls Catholics for Choice ad ‘paid propaganda’

VATICAN CITY — Responding to an open letter from dissident groups asking Pope Benedict XVI to change Church teaching on birth control, the pope’s spokesman said the letter was “paid propaganda in favor of the use of contraceptives.”

The letter, sponsored by the U.S.-based Catholics for Choice and signed by dozens of its national chapters, sections of We Are Church and groups promoting women’s ordination, was published July 25 in the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

On the 40th anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s encyclical “Humanae Vitae” (“Of Human Life”), the advertisement asked Pope Benedict “to use this anniversary as an occasion to begin a process of reform, remaining faithful to the positive aspects of Catholic doctrine on sexuality and abrogating the prohibition on contraception to allow Catholics to plan their family life in a safe way and in good conscience.”

The ad said Catholic teaching against the use of artificial contraception had had “catastrophic effects on the poor and the weak throughout the world, placing in danger the lives of women and

exposing millions of people to the risk of contracting HIV.” Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the papal spokesman, told Vatican Radio that the ad was “nothing new” from a collection of small groups already known for their opposition to Church teaching on a variety of topics.

“In addition, the harshest accusation — that the Catholic position is the cause of the spread of AIDS and, therefore, of suffering and death, blocking enlightened policies of public health — is demonstrably unfounded,” he said.

The spread of AIDS has nothing to do with someone’s religion, he said, and policies responding to AIDS that rely chiefly on the distribution of condoms “have largely failed.”

“Responding to AIDS requires interventions that are much deeper and detailed,” he said, and Catholic agencies and religious orders are actively involved in those projects.

Father Lombardi said the letter does not “express a theological or moral position,” but seemed to be “paid propaganda in favor of the use of contraceptives. One also could ask who paid for it and why.”

Our Lady’s Monthly Message From Medjugorje July 25, 2008

Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina “Dear children! At this time when you are thinking of physical rest, I call you to conversion. Pray and work so that your heart yearns for God the Creator who is the true rest of your soul and your body. May He reveal His face to you and may He give you His peace. I am with you and intercede before God for each of you.

“Thank you for having responded to my call.”

Spiritual Life Center of Marian Community 154 Summer Street Medway, MA 02053 • Tel. 508-533-5377

The Anchor

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 52, No. 17

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PUBLISHER - Most Reverend George W. Coleman EXECUTIVE EDITOR Father Roger J. Landry fatherrogerlandry@anchornews.org EDITOR David B. Jolivet davejolivet@anchornews.org NEWS EDITOR Deacon James N. Dunbar jimdunbar@anchornews.org OFFICE MANAGER Mary Chase marychase@anchornews.org ADVERTISING Wayne Powers waynepowers@anchornews.org REPORTER Michael Pare michaelpare@anchornews.org REPORTER Kenneth J. Souza k ensouza@anchornews.org Send Letters to the Editor to: fatherrogerlandry@anchornews.org POSTMASTERS send address changes to The Anchor, P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA 02722.

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ALL DRESSED UP — Pope Benedict XVI watches a performance of local residents as he arrives for his summer vacation in Bressanone, Italy recently. (CNS photo/Alessandro Garofalo, Reuters)

Neurologist calls withholding hydration from patient ‘euthanasia by omission’

VATICAN CITY — Withholding artificial nutrition and hydration from a patient in a persistent vegetative state amounts to “euthanasia by omission,” said the former president of the World Federation of Catholic Medical Associations.

Dr. Gianluigi Gigli, a professor of neurology at the University of Udine, Italy, spoke to the Vatican newspaper in late July about the case of an Italian woman who has been in a vegetative state for 16 years.

Eluana Englaro, 37, was injured in a car accident in 1992. She was on a

respirator for three months, but since then has been breathing on her own.

She opens her eyes in the morning and closes them at night, but shows no other signs of awareness.

Her father, Beppino Englaro, has been waging a legal battle for more than eight years trying to convince a court to allow him to stop providing his daughter with food and water and let her die.

He said that when a friend of Eluana’s was in a similar condition after a car accident, his daughter clearly expressed a desire not to be kept

alive artificially if the same thing would happen to her.

Milan’s civil Court of Appeals ruled July 9 that the father could withhold nutrition and hydration because of the “extraordinary duration” of her vegetative state and her own wishes for her life, which were “irreconcilable with the total and irreversible loss of her mental faculties.”

However, July 22 the Milan procurator general announced he was taking the court’s ruling to the Supreme Court, which could block removal of the feeding tubes for up to one year.

Gigli told Vatican Radio in early July that Englaro was “Italy’s Terri Schiavo,” referring to the case of Terri Schindler Schiavo, a severely brain-damaged Florida woman who died in March 2005 after a court ordered that her husband could make her medical decisions for her.

She had been in what was described as a persistent vegetative state for more than 15 years.

Michael Schiavo, the husband and legal guardian, said she would have wanted her feeding tube removed, while her parents said she would have wanted to remain alive based on her Catholic faith.

Dr. Gigli told the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, that it was logical to assume that the longer a patient was in a vegetative state, the less likely it was that the person would regain consciousness.

But, he said, patients in that condition “are not terminally ill. In fact, it is true that if they are cared for, they can live for many years.”

If Englaro is not given food and water, he said, hers would be “the first patient in Italy put to death” by the withholding of hydration and nutrition.

On July 22 the Italian Senate voted to discuss the case after several senators introduced a motion questioning the Milan court’s right to intervene when no Italian law provides for the withholding of basic medical care.

New formation class for permanent deacons for diocese to open in fall “Preach the Gospel always, when necessary use words” — St. Francis of Assisi, deacon.

By Deacon James N. Dunbar

NORTH DARTMOUTH — As the restored permanent diaconate marks its 40th anniversary in the United States, the Diocese of Fall River readies to open a new formation class of men seeking to become ordained in the service of the altar, of the Gospel, and works of charity.

“Bishop George W. Coleman has granted permission for the formation of a new class of candidates seeking to be ordained as permanent deacons, and we are currently receiving applications,” reported Msgr. John J. Oliveira, diocesan director of the permanent diaconate.

“We’ve been pretty regular in getting a new class underway after the class before it has been ordained,” Msgr. Oliveira told The Anchor.

Thirteen men were ordained

by Bishop Coleman as permanent deacons for service in the diocese on Oct. 8, 2007 in Corpus Christ Church in East Sandwich.

The United States bishops received permission from Rome to ordain permanent deacons in 1968, with the first ordinations in the Diocese of Buffalo, N.Y. in 1971.

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The Anchor

August 8, 2008

In the Fall River Diocese the first class of permanent deacons was ordained on June 7, 1980.

The formation class now being formed will be the diocese’s eighth class, with ordination approximately five years from now.

“And we have been most fortunate to have so many qualified priests to teach and instruct and guide the deacons during their four to five years of formation,” Msgr.

Oliveira added.

Unlike some dioceses, which send the candidates to college for from three to five years, and require a formal degree, the study and practical courses in theology, Scripture, homiletics and sacraments “have proven to be successful in the formation of each deacon,” he added.

Classes are held two nights a week from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

And while there is usually a mortality rate for those who begin the studies but drop out for many and various reasons prior to ordination, “we are not looking for large number or quantity, but rather quality,” Msgr. Oliveira pointed out.

“It means making a commit-

ment which includes approximately four hours of study a week. So it would be unfair to keep advancing anyone who is not truly suited as they move through the stages of ministry that include admission to candidacy, reader or lector, and acolyte,” he said.

Those applying should be single or in a valid Church marriage for at least five years, be between the ages of 35 and 60, and have given evidence of Church interest and support. They are to be fulltime residents of the Fall River Diocese.

“Men in all areas of our diocese and of various ethnic groups are encouraged to pray and consider a vocation to the diaconate,” he said.

“We’re looking for qualified men, who love the Church, who find the great support they need in prayer and who are willing and able to make a commitment to the Church, to God and to ministering to his people.”

“Each letter of interest to me must be accompanied by a letter of reference and support from the candidate’s pastor,” he explained.

“We’ll accept applications until the fall when interviews will be scheduled.”

And while candidates usually

have discerned or begun discernment to being called in their own parish, “No candidate should apply with the hope or understanding that he will be assigned to his own parish,” Msgr. Oliveira said.

“With the changing demographics of our diocese, some service in other areas is envisioned, some of it in the inner city,” he stated.

Currently there are 68 active permanent deacons in the diocese, and 17 retired deacons who still perform some type of ministry in their parishes. In the deaneries, Attleboro area has 16, New Bedford 18, Fall River seven, and Taunton 11.

“But almost half of the deacons in our diocese — 39 — are in the Cape Cod Deanery,” the director noted, “and because their scheduled diaconate service is usually weekends, we will be looking to have deacons serve in other areas and deaneries in their three-fold

services at altar, in proclaiming the Gospel and their ministry of charity.”

Today’s deacons come from many ethnic backgrounds and occupations. They are ordained to assist bishops and priests; assist at Mass, proclaim the Gospel and preach its message; to be ministers of holy Communion, especially the precious blood; to preside at baptism, marriages, funerals, wake services and at solemn Benediction; lead prayers and Communion services; carry viaticum to the dying; confer blessings on people and bless sacramentals, homes, cars and pets. Deacons serve in hospitals and nursing homes, and minister to the homeless and the blind, to the deaf and lame, and to all in need.

Traditionally, the beginning of the order of deacons is traced back Turn to page 20

The Church in the U.S.

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August 8, 2008

Supreme knight says social justice, family, are complementary causes

CHERRY HILL, N.J. — In a “broken landscape” in which longheld cultural norms have been abandoned, family life and social justice concerns must go hand in hand, the supreme knight of the Knights of Columbus told a national conference.

“Not only do social justice efforts draw strength from the love of family life, but the family, through participating in works of social justice, can deepen its love and guard against the danger of turning in on itself,” said Carl A. Anderson in the final keynote talk at the conference on “Life, Justice & Family: Partners in the New Evangelization,” held July 25-27 in Cherry Hill.

“Those who work in family life and social justice should work together to discover how the fruitfulness of the family can benefit society, and how serving society can enrich the family,” he said. “We must also be mindful of the unprecedented need for social services that has followed in the wake of the unprecedented number of dysfunctional and disintegrating families.”

Anderson said the family also is “the foundation in which respect for life is fostered, where it takes root and grows in human hearts.”

“In the fight to save the victims of the culture of death, many of you have been creative and energetic in finding new ways to protect life,” he told the gathering of more than 200 workers in Pro-Life, family life

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and social justice offices in dioceses around the country.

“You are also creative in finding new ways to persuade advocates of a culture of death that their stance, often unwittingly, is destructive of true happiness and freedom,” Anderson added. “Your energy and passion for life inspires us all to be more courageous in defense of life.”

Much of Anderson’s talk focused on the need to build “a civilization of love,” a call of the late Pope John Paul II that is also the topic of the supreme knight’s recent book.

“Within our own cultural context, the civilization of love can also combat relativism and materialism by showing men and women the true alternative,” he said. “It does not begin with a confrontation of doctrine, but proposes first a common ground born from a common experience — that the vocation to love reaches to the desires of every man and woman.”

Those whose lives are based on relativism and materialism find themselves “standing on treacherous ground,” Anderson said.

“Not only is this so with those who have no faith, who have accepted materialism, power or success in place of religion,” he said. “It even permeates within the Church, so that care of the faithful often means confronting ideas of relativism and materialism and affirming the most basic truths upon which our faith rests.”

1420 Fall River Avenue (Route 6) Seekonk, MA 02771

EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY — A physician administers an ultrasound in a doctor’s office in Montour Falls, N.Y., in this file photo. In 2008, four states — Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina and South Dakota — have passed legislation or strengthened earlier laws requiring abortion providers to offer women considering an abortion an opportunity to view the ultrasound image of their unborn child. In all, 13 states have such laws. (CNS file photo/ Mike Crupi, Catholic Courier)

Picture worth a thousand words?

Ultrasound before abortions

By Nancy Frazier O’Brien Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON — State by state, Catholics and others in the Pro-Life community are accomplishing a mission that they hope will give pregnant women considering an abortion the clearest proof yet that their action would still an unborn child’s beating heart.

So far in 2008, four states — Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina and South Dakota — have passed legislation or strengthened earlier laws requiring abortion providers to offer women considering an abortion an opportunity to view the ultrasound image of their unborn child.

The latest is Oklahoma, where both houses of the Legislature overrode a veto by Gov. Brad Henry, who said he considered it “unconscionable” that the legislation did not include an exception for

women who were victims of rape and incest.

“What is truly unconscionable,” said Janet Morana, a co-founder of Silent No More Awareness Campaign, “is Gov. Henry’s abandoning these women to people whose only interest is making money off of their suffering.”

Silent No More, a coalition of more than 4,000 women and men who witness to the negative aftereffects of abortion, is a joint project of Priests for Life and Anglicans for Life.

In all, 13 states have laws giving women the right to view an ultrasound before an abortion is performed. Some require that they be told of that right, while others merely give women the right to see the ultrasound if they request it.

In addition to the four added or expanded in 2008, states with ultrasound laws include Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Utah and Wisconsin. Louisiana requires an ultrasound if a pregnancy has reached 20 weeks and says the woman must be offered an opportunity to view it.

Florida and Arizona laws compel the use of ultrasound for any abortion after 12 weeks, but the woman has to ask to see the images.

At the federal level, the Ultrasound Informed Consent Act was introduced in both the House and Senate in the 110th Congress but neither bill made it out of committee.

Oklahoma’s law is the strongest in the nation, requiring that at least one hour before an abortion an ultrasound be performed and displayed, allowing a woman to view it if she chooses. It beefed up an earlier law mandating that women be told where they could obtain a free ultrasound and fetal heart-tone service before an abortion.

Mary Spaulding Balch, state legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee, praised Oklahoma legislators after the override vote for “doing everything possible to ensure that a mother is given the opportunity to see her unborn child in real time and learn all the facts before making the life and death decision of abortion.”

“Simply put, the abortion decision cannot be undone,” Balch added. “Women deserve all the facts.”

The ultrasound has a storied past in the Pro-Life movement, going back to Dr. Bernard Nathanson’s 1984 documentary, “The Silent Scream,” which used ultrasound images to show the horrors of abortion in graphic detail. Nathanson, a founding member of what has now become NARAL Pro-Choice America, later became a staunch Pro-Life advocate and converted to Catholicism in 1996.

In the years since “The Silent Scream,” ultrasound machines have become much more sophisticated and, at the same time, much less costly, finding a place in many crisis pregnancy centers across the country.

Dr. Eric J. Keroack, then medical director of five centers run by A Woman’s Concern in Massachusetts, studied the cases of 436 women considering abortion between October 2000 and April 2002 at a center in Revere and whose outcomes could be traced.

Of those who were considered “abortion-vulnerable” — that is, facing obstacles that they may feel incapable of or unwilling to handle but who had not yet decided to abort — 75.5 percent decided not to have an abortion after viewing the ultrasound of her unborn baby, while 24.5 percent went ahead with an abortion.

August 8, 2008

The Church in the U.S.

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Vatican approves new English translations for parts of Mass

B y C atholic News Service

WASHINGTON — The Vatican has given its approval to a new English-language translation of the main constant parts of the Mass, but Catholics in the pew are unlikely to see any of the approved changes at Masses for awhile to allow for catechesis on the reasons for the revisions.

The approved text, sent to the Vatican for “recognitio,” or confirmation, after a June 2006 vote by the U.S. bishops in Los Angeles, involves translation of the penitential rite, Gloria, creed, eucharistic prayers, eucharistic acclamations, Our Father and other prayers and responses used daily.

But it is only the first of 12 units into which the third edition of the Roman Missal has been divided for translation purposes. It includes most of the texts used in every celebration of Mass including responses to the celebrant by people participating in a liturgy.

“In terms of the people’s part, it’s not gong to require too much adjustment,” Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli of Paterson, N.J., chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Divine Worship, told Catholic News Service. “It’s a refinement of the language, a clearer theological language.

“Not much of the people’s

part is changed, and I think once or twice after they use it, they will hardly notice the change,” he said.

While the changes have been approved, Bishop Serratelli said it will be awhile before they become part of regular worship at Mass.

“I’m hoping for two years,” he said. “I’m an optimist.”

The lead time is needed to allow musicians to work with the text and to prepare music for various liturgical settings and seasons and to allow for the necessary catechesis explaining the reasons for the revisions to parishioners, the bishop explained.

The most significant changes approved by Rome include: — whenever the priest says, “The Lord be with you,” the people will respond, “And with your spirit.” The current response is “And also with you”; — in the first form of the penitential rite, the people will confess that “I have greatly sinned ... through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault.” In the current version, that part is much shorter: “I have sinned through my own fault”; — the Gloria has been translated differently and the structure of the prayer will have changes from the current text; — the opening of the Nicene Creed changes from “We be-

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lieve ... “ to “I believe ... “; other changes in the prayer also have been made; — before the preface, when the priest says, “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God,” instead of saying, “It is right to give him thanks and praise,” the people will respond, “It is right and just”; — the Sanctus will start “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.” The current versions says “Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might”; and — the new response at the “Ecce Agnus Dei” (“Behold the Lamb of God”) is: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be

healed.”

In 2001 the Vatican issued new rules requiring liturgical translations to follow the original Latin more strictly and completely — a more literal translation approach called formal equivalence. The resulting new translation adheres far more closely to the normative Latin text issued by the Vatican.

Two other sections of the Roman Missal have come before the bishops. In November 2007 they approved a revision of all the Sunday and weekday Lectionary readings for Lent, but at their June meeting in Orlando, Fla., and in subsequent mail balloting they rejected a 700-page translation of the proper prayers

for Sundays and feast days during the liturgical year.

The rejected section is to come before the full body of bishops again at their November general assembly in Baltimore, along with two other sections totaling about 500 pages.

According to the current schedule, the earliest that the Vatican could receive the final sections of the translation project would be November 2010.

A two-thirds majority of the nation’s Latin-rite bishops must approve each unit of the missal translation. After each section is approved, it is sent to the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments for confirmation.

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The Anchor Valid ordination

On July 20, a group calling itself Roman Catholic Womenpriests conducted the simulation of the Catholic presbyteral ordination rite for three women at a Protestant Church in Boston. Boston was the latest stop in a series of such events that the group has staged in St. Louis, Pittsburgh, on the St. Lawrence Seaway and on the Danube River.

In each of the events, as in Boston, the pseudo-ordination ceremony is preceded by a wellcalculated public relations blitz. Many of the members of the secular media cover the ceremony according to the categories provided them by the organization’s propaganda: there will be a valid Catholic ordination rite by a validly-ordained female Catholic bishop resulting in validlyordained Catholic women priests, and though mysoginist control-freaks in the Vatican consider the ceremony illicit and those participating in it insolent, there’s nothing that they can do to stop the ceremony and the inexorable march of equality and progress it signifies.

One wonders how the same newsrooms would respond to a press release indicating that later on that afternoon one of the same three ordinandae would be crowned Queen of England by a woman claiming to be a validly-ordained Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury. In the unlikely occurrence that the media would give such a story any press at all, they would presumably treat it in the way they cover all wacky stories, without seriousness or professional credibility. Yet the possibility that one of these woman would be validly anointed queen is only infinitesimal, not strictly speaking impossible; their chance of being ordained Catholic priests is precisely zero.

Yet whether through gullibility, ignorance or perhaps complicity with Womenpriests’ agenda to change what the Church teaches it cannot, many in the secular media presented the July 20 event as if we were dealing with something real and consequential.

It’s not only secular journalists, however, who fail to grasp why it is impossible for women to be validly ordained priests. Many fellow Christians — like those in the Anglican Communion, who have recently approved even female “bishops” — not only fail to understand but to follow the example of Christ and the teaching of tradition. And it is obvious that some Catholics — not just the radicals in groups like Roman Catholic Womenpriests but ordinary Catholics in the pews — can be at a loss to understand the Church’s teaching, too. That’s why the recent pseudoordination ceremony in Boston is a good opportunity for all Catholics to look at the question anew through the eyes of faith.

To believe in Jesus Christ as the Son-of-God-made-man means, minimally, to trust in what Jesus said and did. It is not possible for a true disciple to think that Jesus could have made a mistake with regard to something essential to the Church and to our salvation. To do so would be to place oneself above God, as if a creature could know better than God what God should have done. Such would be the arrogance of a Lucifer, not the humility of a disciple.

When Jesus chose the Twelve Apostles, and when, later, during the first Mass, he ordained them priests to “do this in memory of me,” he didn’t explain to us why he was choosing only men. But a believer trusts that Jesus did what he did for a reason, even if he didn’t tell us that reason.

We know that the reason couldn’t have been because Jesus shared the ancient cultural discrimination against women. He showed time and again, on the contrary, how to treat women in accordance with the dignity he gave them from the beginning (see “Mulieris Dignitatem,” 13).

We know that it couldn’t have been because Jesus was afraid to “rock the boat” of misogynist culture. He wasn’t afraid of anyone, even when they were threatening to kill him.

We know that it couldn’t have been because he just wasn’t thinking through the consequences of his actions. When we review how great a preparation he had taken for the celebration of that first Mass, we see — from the disciples’ finding the man with the water jug onward (Lk 22:10) — that Jesus didn’t leave any detail to chance.

If Jesus chose to ordain only men, then a believer trusts that he did so deliberately, and that, because he is God, he did the unmistakably right thing.

Moreover, if the Church he founded and to which he promised the Holy Spirit to guide her into all truth (Jn 16:13), has never ordained women, then the reason must be that that is what the Holy Spirit wants. The only alternatives are that the Holy Spirit has either been asleep for 2,000 years or just hasn’t considered the issue of priestly ordination important enough to intervene until now.

The reason why the ordination of women is invalid is because we, who are not God, do not have the ability to change the substance of the sacraments established by God. If a priest — even Pope Benedict XVI — preferred to celebrate Mass with filet mignon and brandy instead of bread and wine, after the consecration he would still have only steak and liquor. If someone tried to baptize a baby with milk rather than water, the only change that would ensue would be that the child would get wet and sticky. It’s the same thing with the “matter” of the sacrament of Holy Orders. The Church believes, and has always believed, that, because of Christ’s choice to ordain only men at that first Eucharist, the proper matter for the sacrament of Holy Orders is an unimpeded baptized Catholic male (Code of Canon Law, 1024).

Even if a validly ordained Catholic bishop, out of mental illness, disobedience or lack of faith, were to impose hands on a woman following the rite of Catholic ordination, nothing would occur, because ordination is more than a game of holy tag. Matter matters. Just as the validity of the sacrament of baptism or the sacrament of the Eucharist depends on proper matter — and the saving and sanctifying effects of these sacraments are contingent on their valid celebration — so, too, the validity of the sacrament of Holy Orders and all the effects that flow from it depend on proper matter. A lay woman who participates in an pseudo-ordination rite finishes the rite as a lay woman, deeply loved by God but by her own choice sadly excommunicated from the Church and in serious and perilous error.

There’s one last noteworthy detail about the July 20 simulated ordination ceremony in Boston.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests decided to excise two of the priestly promises Catholic priests make during the rite of priestly ordination: the promises of obedience and celibacy. These extractions are highly symbolic, because they point, respectively, to the misunderstandings about power and sexuality that seem to be driving Womenpriests’ push for priestly ordination. The sacrament of Holy Orders is not meant to establish a hierarchy of male domination, as Womenpriests alleges, but of loving service, in imitation of and in the person of Christ the Bridegroom who came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for his bride’s (Mk 10:42-45).

August 8, 2008

A spokesman not just for the president

E

ight years ago, during my last year of About a year ago, in an article entitled “Canstudies in Rome, I received an email cer’s Unexpected Blessings” for Christianity from a friend with whom I used to work in Today Magazine, he showed all Christians how to respond with faith to the vocation to Washington, D.C. “Hi, Father Roger,” Peter wrote, “I just suffering when God gives it. In his sufferings, wanted to let you know that I met Tony he was not a spokesman for the president, but Snow at a banquet this evening. He asked a prophet of the King of Kings.

“Blessings arrive in unexpected packages, me if I knew anyone that might be a good resource/teacher to help him become more in my case, cancer,” he wrote. “Those of us solidly based in Catholicism. I told him that with potentially fatal diseases — and there without question, you would be my first are millions in America today — find ourchoice. He asked for your contact informa- selves in the odd position of coping with our tion and I gave him your email. It seems to mortality while trying to fathom God’s will.” me that with your background and his, you After admitting that it would be presumptuous to pretend to comprehend fully the mystwo could have a great friendship.”

Since I had been out of the country for tery of suffering, he then describes four imfive years, I had no idea who Tony Snow portant principles.

First, “We shouldn’t spend too much time was, but thanks to the Internet I soon found out. I was impressed that he wanted to know trying to answer the ‘why’ questions: Why more about the Catholic faith. I was moved me? Why must people suffer? Why can’t that his desire was so strong that it would someone else get sick? We can’t answer such lead him to bring it up at a Beltway dinner things…. I don’t know why I have cancer, party with a committed Catholic whom he and I don’t much care. It is what it is, a plain and indisputable fact.… Our maladies define had just met.

As God would have it, before he sent a central feature of our existence: We are fallme an email, he ended up walking into the en. We are imperfect. Our bodies give out. But Catholic Information Center in D.C., where despite this — or because of it — God offers the possibility he befriended a of salvation and great “resource/ grace.… teacher,” Father “Second, we C. John McCloneed to get past skey, who over the anxiety.… the years has Remember that quietly helped we were born to guide many

By Father not into death, non-Catholics but into life, Roger J. Landry into the Church and that the and many Cathojourney continlics into a deeper relationship with Christ. There, at the CIC, ues after we have finished our days on this Tony would purchase hundreds of dollars of earth.… Those who have been stricken enjoy books at a time and proceed to devour them. the special privilege of being able to fight He would read St. Thomas Aquinas, Joseph with their might and faith to live fully, richly, Pieper, books on philosophy, theology, apol- exuberantly — no matter how their days may ogetics and more. He had a voracious hun- be numbered.

“Third, we can open our eyes and hearts.… ger to grow in faith.

Tony had converted to Catholicism two We want lives of simple, predictable ease, decades earlier, while at Davidson College smooth, even trails as far as the eye can see, in North Carolina and practiced the faith but God likes to go off-road. He provokes us with the zeal with which many converts are with twists and turns. He places us in preaccustomed. A conflict came up in the mid- dicaments that seem to defy our endurance 80s, though, when he fell in love with a de- and comprehension — and yet don’t. By his vout evangelical woman, Jill Walker. Tony love and grace, we persevere. The challenges wanted a Catholic wedding; Jill an evangeli- that make our hearts leap and stomachs churn cal one. This is a conflict that many young invariably strengthen our faith and grant people, and their families, face. In Tony’s measures of wisdom and joy we would not case, the bride won: the wedding took place experience otherwise.…

“Finally, we can let love change everyin Jill’s church. For the sake of marital and familial unity, Tony also went to worship thing. When Jesus was faced with the prospect with Jill at her church. Despite his not at- of crucifixion, he grieved not for himself, but tending the Catholic Church each Sunday, for us.… From the cross, he took on the cumuTony still considered himself a Catholic, lative burden of human sin and weakness, and loved the Catholic faith and tried, in his begged for forgiveness on our behalf. We get particular circumstances, to grow in deeper repeated chances to learn that life is not about us, that we acquire purpose and satisfaction by knowledge of it.

After his first bout with cancer in 2005, sharing in God’s love for others. Sickness gets Tony began to address the conflict with us part way there. It reminds us of our limitagreater urgency. His mother had died of tions and dependence. But it also gives us a colon cancer as a young woman and Tony chance to serve the healthy.…

“Even though God doesn’t promise us toknew that, even though his cancer had gone into remission, it could always return. While morrow, he does promise us eternity, filled putting in grueling hours as President Bush’s with life and love we cannot comprehend, and press secretary, he also began working with that one can in the throes of sickness point the a priest in the Diocese of Arlington to get his rest of us toward timeless truths that will help marriage regularized so that he could return us weather future storms. Through such trials, to the practice of the Catholic faith. After God bids us to choose: Do we believe, or do the validation of his marriage, for the last 15 we not? Will we be bold enough to love, darmonths of his life, he attended Mass with joy ing enough to serve, humble enough to submit, and strong enough to acknowledge our limitaeach Sunday.

For me, Tony is a sign of hope for all those tions? Can we surrender our concern in things Catholics who struggle to align the love of that don’t matter so that we might devote our God and of the Church he founded with love remaining days to things that do?”

Tony chose to believe, to love, to submit, of family members. He persevered. He never thought that the solution was in loving God to serve, and to put out into the deep all the less or loving his family less, but in loving way until his death on July 12. He became both more, praying that God would provide an eloquent herald and witness that nothing, a solution. God did. And throughout it all, neither suffering, death or anything else in all although by an unconventional route, Tony creation can separate us from the love of God was becoming “more solidly based in Ca- (Rom 8:38-39). He went off-road with Christ and followed his footsteps all the way home tholicism.”

That deep foundation showed itself in an to the Father’s house.

Father Landry is pastor of St. Anthony’s unforgettable way by the manner in which he embraced and praised God in his sufferings. Parish in New Bedford.

Putting Into the Deep

Sex and little pills: Viagra and birth control

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prominent politician was be used to make a strained analogy recently pressed by report- between men and women — these ers to comment on the “unfair powerful drugs serve two differsituation” of health insurers reiment purposes, and each one has its bursing for Viagra but not for birth own unique ethical considerations. control. The politician declined to Viagra, at a minimum, treats an reply, and the ensuing fire storm actual dysfunction, while birth led to accusations of gender bias control does not. In fact, one might (and even misogyny) on his part. say that Viagra fixes a broken Other commentators took the argument and ran with it: Why should men be able to get drugs so they can have sex, but women cannot be given the same access to

By Father Tad needed drugs so they can Pacholczyk have sex safely and without the risk of becoming pregnant? Do men somehow have more of a right to system, while birth control breaks sex than women, as implied by the a perfectly working system. unequal coverage of these drugs?

Whenever the pill is used as Behind these questions are birth control (its major use in some misguided views about sex, America today), rather than as a pregnancy, and morality, as well as treatment for irregular cycles or some basic confusion over the rebleeding, it tosses a wrench into spective actions of these two drugs. a healthy, properly-functioning Viagra and birth control should not biological system, and enables a

Making Sense Out of Bioethics

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married couple to act against their own natural fruitfulness. A grave moral violation occurs whenever we turn marital sexuality into a radically lifeless transaction through the use of contraception.

In our society, pregnancy and fertility are too often seen as if they were some kind of health anomaly.

Fertility, clearly, is not a disease at all, and does not need to be treated as if it were a pathological state. Pregnancy is the normal, healthy physiological process by which human beings enter the world, and every person’s life-journey includes a good stretch in the womb. In our society, however, the over-brimming desire for sex, and especially for sex separated from its consequences, has pushed millions to act against the proper order of their own marriages by adverting to birth control.

Meanwhile, in the case of erectile dysfunction, a normal bio-

The Gospel of St. Paul

e all know of St. Paul as spreading the Gospel, St. Paul was the greatest Christian mis- proclaiming the Good News about sionary of the ancient Church. Paul Jesus, and not primarily relating sailed around the eastern Mediterthe story of Christ’s life. In other ranean on three long, separate words, Paul was making known journeys, between 46 and 58 A.D. the consequences of the dying and In his travels, he was spreading the rising of the Son of God, the impact Gospel. We must remember that at of the crucifixion and resurrection this time the Gospels — as we hear for people on earth for all time. He them at Mass, the accounts of Matwas relaying to others the message thew, Mark, Luke, and John — did of salvation in Jesus Christ. His not yet exist in written form. Mark, conviction that our Lord’s life and the earliest to compose his work, did death mattered impelled him to get not do so until probably 67 to 70 A.D. The English word Gospel simply means “good news.” We use it to translate the Greek word euangelion, an ancestor of the English

By Father word “evangelist,” one who Karl C. Bissinger preaches the Gospel. This word either derives from the Greco-Roman world or from transthe word out. lating a Jewish concept. In the first The Gospel of St. Paul came case, it would mean an announcefrom divine revelation. Paul received ment of salvation brought about unauthority to preach from the special der the rule of a particular emperor. revelation he received on the road to If this is the case, then “Gospel” Damascus (cf. Acts 9:1ff). The risen would represent a way of saying Christ appeared to him in a vision, that God has supremely reclaimed commissioned him, and made him his throne over the universe and that an Apostle, equal to the original Christ is King. In the second (and group of 12. Paul felt this gave him more likely) case, it would come so strong an obligation that he would from an announcement of victory declare in an outpouring of emotion, and peace after the hostilities of war “Woe to me if I do not preach the had ended. Up and down the front, Gospel!” (1Cor 9:16). along the battle lines, a herald would Since, therefore, St. Paul is the gallop on his horse shouting out the messenger of the Good News, of the good news: “Cease fire; the battle is Gospel of God, what is the nature of over; we have won; peace reigns!” his Gospel?

Thus, in a Biblical context: “The First, he announces we are living enmity between God and humanin the fullness of time and the Meskind exists no more; the forces of life siah (Christ) has come (cf. Gal 4:4). have triumphed over those of death; Second, he proclaims reconciliagoodness has conquered evil.” tion and salvation through the cross So, when he was going around and resurrection of Jesus the Christ.

Living the Pauline Year

So, the Gospel contains a call to belong to God (cf. Rom 1:3-6.)

Next, God offers salvation and righteousness in Christ no longer only to those of the Hebrew faith, but also to Gentiles as well, to the entire world (Cf. Rom 1:16).

Finally, the Gospel transmits the power to bring about faith, hope, and love in all who accept it (cf. 1Th 1:3-5).

So we see a link between St. Paul’s Gospel and God’s plan of loving kindness for all humanity. The Apostle drew on what the Hebrew Scriptures already foretold and prefigured. Thus, Paul would point out that the history of salvation begins with the patriarch Abraham, through whom God promised to bless all nations (cf.

Gen 12:3, Gal 3:8).

Furthermore, not only does the Gospel work in the lives of believers today, but it also extends our vision into the future, acquainting us with the possibility of deliverance from God’s judgment and giving us hope for a destiny of glory.

In conclusion, St. Paul would insist that the Gospel cannot rest on deaf ears. It demands an answer on our part. The only adequate response to the Apostle’s proclamation of good news is faith in Jesus Christ.

Just as we must do again and again over the course of our lifetimes, we must recommit ourselves once more to the Gospel, to our baptismal faith.

The Pauline Year invites us to hear the Gospel anew and to do just that.

Father Bissinger is vocation director of the Diocese of Fall River and secretary to Bishop George W. Coleman.

logical process may have become impaired due to age or injury, and through the use of Viagra, this impairment can sometimes be remedied. Viagra does not aim to disrupt normal function, but rather to restore it. Within marriage, the medical use of Viagra for such restorative functions does not generally raise moral problems.

Some might still argue that it is natural and normal for a male to lose erectile function by a certain age. Should we assume that a male is entitled to keep having sex beyond the age of erectile impotence, when we wouldn’t try to force a woman to remain fertile beyond the age of menopause? If a man is too old to continue doing what “nature” used to allow him to do, the argument goes, then it would seem to be improper for him to utilize Viagra, and he should simply accept his limitations with grace.

But this parallelism between men and women is not a compelling one, as women have a rather strict and well-defined natural age limit on their fertility, while men do not, with many remaining quite capable of fathering children even when they are elderly, often without any assistance from drugs like Viagra.

The use of these drugs, then, even by older married men, should not be construed as “against nature.”

Viagra has other uses, though, which do raise significant moral concerns. Studies have shown evidence of Viagra use among men who have sex with men, sometimes for the purpose of overcoming the erection-inhibiting effects of alcohol or street drugs such as ecstasy and crystal methamphetamine. Even in the absence of erectile dysfunction, Viagra is coming to be seen by some as a lifestyle, recreational, or even a “party” drug. Serious moral objections exist, of course, to virtually any use of this drug for erectile purposes outside of marriage.

Coming full circle, then,

we can ask whether insurance reimbursement for Viagra, but not birth control, makes sense. It is worth mentioning that, in fact, most insurance companies do not yet cover Viagra for erectile dysfunction, notwithstanding the opening question directed to the politician. The use of Viagra does seem to involve a lifestyle choice more than a health issue per se, so perhaps health insurance should not be expected to cover it. Although Viagra fixes a broken system, it is not, strictly speaking, an essential system for physical health or personal survival.

The question about birth control coverage is even more clear.

Considering that birth control pertains to a lifestyle choice and disrupts a healthy bodily system (and even carries significant health risks like blood clots, strokes, and heart disease), health insurance coverage ought not reasonably be expected. It is also worth mentioning that male birth control (the condom) — which is really the more obvious analog to female birth control — is also not typically covered by health insurance. However, it is clear that various medical uses for birth control pills (to address gynecological problems like irregular cycles or bleeding) and certain medical uses for Viagra (like treating pulmonary hypertension) would constitute legitimate health treatments where insurance coverage could reasonably be expected.

Each little pill, in sum, is unique in its properties and uses, with significant ethical distinctions between them as well.

Father Pacholczyk earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-doctoral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, and serves as the director of Education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia.

See www.ncbcenter.org

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here is God, anyway?”

This past month I have heard people ask me the question more and more. With all that we are exposed to everyday, the world seems to be spinning out of control. We see wars, murders — 11 in New Bedford alone — and a global culture in which the powerful use and even deplete the resources of weaker countries in the name of capitalism. We are faced with the dissolution of marriages and the breakdown of the family. We watch the sacred being destroyed by scandal and observe an ethical way of life becoming more and more subjective. So I am not surprised at this question. I have to ask myself the same question to be able to share my faith values and help find God’s plan in our modern day.

We often wonder where we can find God. But the truth is God is always looking for us. The readings for the 19th

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August 8, 2008

Jesus said, ‘Come’

Sunday point to a mountain, a 26). In his confusion, Peter has storm, and a gentle breeze as the audacity to ask for proof — ways God reveals himself. The “Lord, if it is you, command me Gospel of Matthew gives us to come to you on the water.” quite a contrast between Jesus Peter does not know that there is praying alone on a mountain, the no proof for faith in the presence traditional place to find God, and the disciples sailing across the lake in Homily of the Week a storm at night. “By this Nineteenth Sunday time the boat was being of Ordinary Time driven by the waves far from shore, for the wind

By Father Thomas was against them” (v.

McElroy, SS.CC. 24). The expression of the wind and its force symbolize the insecurity and of God without our commitment fear the disciples had. All of this and ability to risk for the Lord. shows us how difficult it is to The plan of Jesus’ presence have a peaceful meeting with the is not to remove the difficulLord. Turmoil keeps us focused. ties of life and the darkness of All of a sudden, during the situations, but it is to offer us night, the disciples see Jesus strength, courage and to trust in walking toward them on the sea him to overcome any obstacle (v. 25). The disciples are caught to reach him. “Take heart, it is totally off guard. There were I; do not be afraid” (v. 27). How terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” deeply do we recognize Jesus as Like all of us when we become our savior who comes to rescue fearful, they cried out in fear (v. us? How afraid am I in the tur-

moil of the world around me?

Jesus speaks to us through St. Peter, when he says to him, “You of little faith; why did you doubt?” (v. 31). Jesus is giving us a chance to open up to the full recognition of the Lord’s presence in our lives.

Even for the disciples, faith is a process open to move us into intimate times with the Lord.

We should never try to pigeonhole how God will come into our lives.

The first reading refers to what God told Elijah, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord for the Lord is about to pass by.” However, God is neither in the great wind nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire. All of these elements are ways the Bible has told us of the power of God. God is in a tiny whispering sound (1Kgs 19:11-12). There is only one thing we must do to discover God near us. We must open ourselves to finding God

everywhere and in everyone. He comes to us in the people and the events of the reality of our lives. In the second reading (Rom 9:1-5) Paul is very upset with his community. These were people who observed so many signs of God’s presence — such as being adopted by God, seeing the glory Jesus brought, knowing the covenants, the law, the worship, but they did not recognize Christ.

All salvation history was pointing to God’s passing in history. This is what we strive to do when we gather as a community to examine the events of our lives in the light of faith to discover the footprints of the Lord in order to follow him more closely.

Never let the chaos of life make you sink into the waters of darkness. Jesus Christ has overcome darkness and brought us into his marvelous life. Take heart — it is the Lord!

Father McElroy is pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish in Fairhaven.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. August 9, Hb 1:12-2:4; Ps 9:8-13; Mt 17:14-20; Sun. August 10, Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, 1 Kgs 19: 9a,11-13a; Ps 85:9-14; Rom 9:1-5; Mt 14:22-33; Mon. August 11, Ez 1:2-5,24-28c; Ps 148:1-2, 11-14; Mt 17:22-27; Tues. August 12, Ez 2:8-3:4; Ps 119:14,24,72,103,111,131; Mt 18:1-5,10,12-14; Wed. August 13, Ez 9:1-7;10:18-22; Ps 113:1-6; Mt 18:15-20; Thu. August 14, Ez 12:1-12; Ps 78:56-59,61,62; Mt 18:21-19:1; Fri. August 15, The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Rv 11:19a;12:1-6a,10ab; Ps 45:10-12,16; 1 Cor 15:20-27; Lk 1:39-56.

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t’s hard to imagine a less auspicious time for the reception of a papal encyclical on the morally appropriate means of family planning than the summer of 1968. Now, 40 years after it was issued, Pope Paul VI’s letter, “Humanae Vitae,” may finally be getting the hearing it deserves.

Why? Because the developed world is in demographic crisis from decades of plummeting birth rates. Because younger women have figured out a truth that eluded their mothers in the Sixties: the sexual revolution — made possible in part by easily available contraception — is great for predatory men, and not-so-great for women. And

‘Humanae Vitae’ at 40

has done a poor job of explainbecause John Paul II’s “theoling it. Leadership on this front ogy of the body” has set the has come primarily from lay Church’s classic teaching in an scholars and activists — the forengaging, humanistic framework. The Catholic Lite Brigade midable Janet Smith, prima inter will doubtless make this anniversary year the occasion to celebrate two generations of theological dissent; wiser souls will ponder the human wreckage

By George Weigel caused by the sexual revolution, especially to women, and think again. pares; Richard Doerflinger of There still remains a lot of the U.S. Conference of Catholic confusion about the Church’s Bishops; now a successor genteaching on marital chastity, eration, including Christopher in part because most of the West, Helen Alvare, Colleen Church’s ordained leadership Carroll Campbell, Pia de Solenni, and Mary Eberstadt whose brilliant article on “Humanae Vitae” in the August-September First Things is required reading.

Thanks to the brave souls in the natural family planning and new Catholic feminist movements, what Paul VI was trying to say has a chance of being heard — in part, because it’s being said in a vocabulary familiar to 21st century young adults.

It bears repeating yet again, because the mainstream media consistently get it wrong: the Catholic Church does not teach an ideology of fertilityat-all-costs. To the contrary: the

The Catholic Difference

Catholic Church teaches that every couple has a moral responsibility to welcome new life as a gift from God, to consider the number of children they can rear and educate, and to order marital life in concert with those two responsibilities. Where the Church is boldly countercultural is in teaching that the morally appropriate means to regulate fertility is through biology rather than technology.

Natural family planning according to the rhythms of biology, the Church proposes, honors the integrity of women and the special nature of the marital bond; natural family planning honors, if you will, the iconography of marital sexual love and its dual nature as both love-sharing and life-giving. Technological means of family planning impede that.

No one imagines that this is easy. But then no one should imagine that marriage is easy, either. The testimony of Catholics who faithfully live the truth about marital love and responsibility is that the rhythms of sexual love and sexual abstinence involved in natural family planning enhance relationships, deepen conversations, and enrich marriages humanly and spiritually.

The contempt in which

“Humanae Vitae” and natural family planning are held in some quarters may have less to do with a serious moral appraisal of different methods of family planning than it does with different appraisals of the sexual revolution itself. “Natural,” after all, is one of the sacred words of the secular world. So why the tsunami of vitriol thrown at Paul VI and his proposal that natural family planning is the more humane and humanistic approach?

I think it has something to do with the fact that “Humanae Vitae” laid down a cultural marker: the Catholic Church was not going to cave to the spirit of the age as so many other religious bodies had done. The Catholic Church was not going to declare that sex is just another contact sport: not because the Church is prudish or repressed or misogynist, but because the Church takes men and women seriously, and because the Church imagines the love of Christ for the Church as spousal love. It’s a pleasure to discover how many young women get this, today.

Maybe men — and the theological establishment — will catch up in due course.

George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

Four down and two to go

things, as set forth by the DiocSunday 3 August 2008 — esan Office of Pastoral Planning, Lion’s Club Pavilion, Dighton — there are six Parish Founding Task Our first parish picnic once met a man from Wash- Force meetings in the process of ington, D.C. The mysterious consolidation. We have now held stranger told me he worked for the federal government.

What exactly he did, he didn’t say. Perhaps he was a secret agent, although he Reflections of a didn’t seem the type — no Parish Priest tuxedo. He did tell me he

By Father Tim collected church-sponsored cookbooks as he traveled Goldrick the country on government business. The Federal four of these meetings — four Bureau of Pot Luck Suppers, down and two to go. We have beperhaps? Back in Washington, gun the last lap to consolidation. he and his wife would choose a Amy Vaz brought a cake recipe from his latest cookbook with her to the fourth meeting acquisition and prepare a new of the Task Force. The cake was taste experience for dinner. It struck me as a fine way to spend a inscribed with the frosted message: “We’re almost there!” So, Sunday afternoon. contrary to popular wisdom, that In the current schema of

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The Ship’s Log

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night we had our cake and ate it too.

The most immediate item on the agenda was sponsoring a two-parish social event so that the future parishioners of the new parish might meet and mingle.

The Task Force decided to have a family-oriented chicken barbecue. We discovered a surprising number of parishioners who have expertise in these matters. There’s Faye Perry of The Kitchen Krew.

When it comes to preparing large meals, she knows how to stir things up. “It’s easier for me to prepare a meal for 200 than for two,” she announces matter-offactly. Then there’s Tony Rosario, Dighton’s “Master of the Chicken BBQ.” He is the desig-

The multiplicity of love

n the August 3 Sunday Gospel, we heard the familiar story of the miracle of the loaves and fish. It is a story in the life of Jesus that we have heard many times, reflected upon many times. It is a story that we may have seen in different movies where baskets of fish and bread are poured out for the people to whom Jesus was speaking when he fed the 5,000.

This Gospel is one that teaches us about the power that Jesus had to perform this miracle. It teaches us about Jesus’ love and compassion that inspired him to care for By the people in this way.

It may offer a reflection to us about the importance of feeding and caring for those without food. Ultimately, it was a foreshadowing of the gift of the Eucharist which was to come, that would also “feed” many people in a powerful way, with only a small amount of food.

If we had five loaves and two fish and we put them in our refrigerator, and we prayed everyday that their number would increase so that we could feed others, chances are, nothing would happen. Day after day if we peeked into the refrigerator, the same five loaves and two fish would be there with nothing to show for our efforts.

Jesus does not expect us to perform a miracle in the same way that he did, but this does not mean that we are not capable of multiplicity, where

our loving actions can indeed affect many people. When Jesus fed the 5,000, he was teaching us to also find our own ways to “feed” many people. For it wasn’t only about the food, the loaves and fish, but also about the power of love. What is most important is that we are able to love as Jesus did, in whatever we are called to do. Then our actions too can have the quality of multiplicity, affecting the

Our Journey of Faith Greta MacKoul

lives of many people.

For parents, if we are able to raise one or two, three or four, five or six good children, children who are loving, who are taught to be the light of Christ, then our good actions and commitment to our children will have affected many people. In small and large ways we find this to be true.

And very often when someone reaches greatness, becomes a leader or great contributor to society, the story always begins with how this person was raised.

For teachers, the multiplicity of their actions is seen in the many students that they have taught, nurtured and inspired.

Again, we may often hear someone say, ”It was this one particular teacher who changed my life, who inspired me, who

made me believe that I could reach my dreams.”

For those working in particular ministries, multiplicity is seen not only by the singular actions carried out in the day-to-day work, but also by the many people that may be inspired by these actions, for love inspires love.

For those called to religious life; priests, deacons, and religious, there are countless ways that these men and women touch the lives of those they serve, by their presence, their actions and by the love of Christ that touches and inspires many.

And of course, there are the saints who have led the way and shown the power of love and the multiplicity of loving action. Mother Teresa is often spoken of as a great example of one person who touched so many people and inspired so many. Other great saints who put their love into action are St. Francis of Assisi, St. Benedict and St. Dominic whose feast day we celebrate today. All of these saints inspired others to follow in their footsteps.

We may never be able to multiply loaves and fish, but in many other ways our loving actions and the love we share with others can touch many people, inspire countless others and multiply the love of God in his kingdom here and now.

Greta and her husband George, with their children are members of Christ the King Parish in Mashpee.

nated guardian of the top secret sauce recipe. All parishes have these kinds of human resources.

The trick is to find them and bring them together.

Joined by several others, the event group met twice to finalize plans. The grilled half-chicken entrée, they decided, would be free of charge. Each family would be asked to bring a side dish for sharing. This would be our new Catholic parish family’s first-ever social event. It would be held at a neutral location and not on either church property.

Scores of parishioners made reservations in advance and offered to bring their own food specialty: everything from potato salad to “mud cake” presented in a flower bucket and with a garden trowel as a spoon (and gummy worms peeking out.)

Whoever invented church pot luck suppers should be awarded a gold medal. I’ve never been at one that wasn’t successful. I’m always amazed at the wide variety of tasty dishes. I try everything.

We ended up evaluating the entire parish foundation process thus far. Evaluation may be of some use to other parishes that might one day find themselves in the process of consolidation.

The Name Discernment Committee gave their final report. The process had exceeded expectations.

In the Grieving and Remembering Committee, plans are afoot to hold “A Week to Remember.”

During six days, both churches will be open for private prayer, thereby allowing parishioners the opportunity to “say our final good-byes” to the respective parishes. Public prayer will also be held during those days: The Prayer of Christians, the rosary, inspirational speakers, etc. The bare sanctuary will be simply decorated with two photographic wall

hangings with the words “I am with you always.” The full-color cloth hangings feature a sunset, or is that a sunrise? The Week to Remember will kick-off with a “Night to Remember” at which parishioners from both parishes will be invited to share their own memories and our local Catholic history. Committee member Bob Harrison is interested not only in living memory, but also in the very earliest evidence of a Catholic presence in what is now the Town of Dighton. “So, who can remember what we Catholics did here back in the year 1511?” he teases.

The Liturgy Committee is contemplating holding a candlelight vigil, during the evening darkness, as we wait for the exact moment of the birth of a new parish (precisely one minute past midnight.) Our new Faith Formation Director, Greg Bettencourt, has offered to serve as liturgical consultant to the committee.

The inaugural Mass of the new parish will be celebrated a few hours later — a solemn and joyous occasion. “Rejoice!” the eight ceiling-mounted banners will proclaim. Now we know: that’s not a sunset; that’s a sunrise.

The Government Agent of Church Pot Luck Suppers was unable to attend our picnic. He would never have been able to obtain the secret sauce recipe even if he had.

Dighton’s new Catholic Parish Family Chicken BBQ was just my kind of event: good food, good fun, good weather, and good people. “Let’s do this again,” many parishioners suggested to me. “Let’s,” I agreed.

Father Goldrick is pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish in North Dighton and St. Peter’s Parish in Dighton.

10

The Anchor

Gulls just want to have fun

W

ithout a doubt, it’s not just August that holds the “dog days” for our pooch Igor.

She has it made in the shade 365 days a year.

While she may be spoiled, there is a method to our madness. We figure that since she ages seven times faster than we do, life’s simple pleasures should multiply accordingly.

She indulges on the occasional pizza crust or cheese doodle.

And then there are those special “dog days” when she chills with a Frosty Paws treat, the canine version of a Hoodsie Cup. Iggy may carry an extra pound or two, but she seems to have a perpetual grin on her face.

Compared with other pets we know, Igor may be a bit spoiled, but there is a member of God’s animal kingdom that makes Iggy

My View From the Stands

By Dave Jolivet look like a health guru.

While on vacation recently, I got the chance to study this ravenous creature up close. Living where we do in southeastern Mass., the Cape and the Islands, we all know them well — seagulls or herring gulls.

Since these flying eating machines are so common, I think folks loose sight of just how beautiful a bird the gull is. But it’s beauty is easily overshadowed by its appetite. No where is this more obvious than at Horseneck State Beach in Westport.

Horseneck is our family’s favorite fun place north of Disneyworld.

Some people prefer a more remote stretch of beach, but we like the crowds — otherwise we wouldn’t be Disney fans would we?

We’re not the only ones who like the crowds — harken back to our winged food processors.

The gulls at Horseneck are by far the most spoiled animals on the planet.

The birds always know when someone has cracked open a picnic lunch, and their radars instantly pick up the signal of a

fresh order of french fries making its way to a nearby blanket.

To the gulls’ credit, their sorties around the beach don’t include aerial attacks on food items secured in beach-goers’ hands.

But don’t, ever, leave food unattended for a second. The plastic bag held shut with a clothes pin is no match for the drill-like beak of seagull. Once a human steps away from a food item not protected by a fall-out shelter, such as a cooler, he or she can kiss that snack good-bye.

First one gull scurries to the blanket and escapes with the prize. Soon it is joined by several peers and the food-fest is on.

Occasionally folks will toss these birds a morsel, but I think the thrill of the chase is the preferred method of thievery for the gulls.

I tried to reason with one last week. As I munched on a bag of mini Nutter-Butters, a gull befriended me, parking a mere three feet away.

I took the opportunity to explain to it that a potpourri of seafood delicacies stood a few wing flaps away in the ocean. I told him of other less domesticated gulls that actually fly over the sea, spy a catch and dive-bomb in for the kill. Instant seafood.

I tried to explain that a shellfish feast was within its reach.

“Just pluck out a quahaug, fly over some rocks, let it drop, and voila — your own raw bar.”

The bird looked at me like I had two heads. So did Denise for that matter. As I schooled the bird on hunting methods, neither Denise nor my student blinked.

I don’t think gulls can blink, and my wife was monitoring whether I was suffering from heat stroke.

My fine feathered pupil quickly grew tired of the lecture and hopped off to find a scrumptious, buttery, hot dog roll remnant.

It was a great day of sand, sun, waves and seagulls. And when I got home, I had a greater appreciation of what a good dog Igor really is. davejolivet@anchornews.org

August 8, 2008

Young author teaches valuable life lessons Lowe promised that she would take care of Larsen.

That’s the part of this story that sets Larsen apart NEW BEDFORD — In many ways, Elizabeth from other recent high school graduates. Her road to Larsen is your typical recent high school graduate. success has not been an easy one.

You discover this when you read the jacket of She enjoys going to movies with friends. She likes “Buster Hardings.” After the publisher decided to to play miniature golf. And as August unfolds, she publish the book, they contacted Larsen and asked her is beginning to notice these lazy days of summer are to provide some personal information so they could slipping away.

Like so many high school graduates, Larsen is describe her to readers. Larsen and Lowe considered anxious to begin the next chapter in her life. For her, the request carefully. And in the request, they saw an that means life as a freshman at Bristol Community opportunity to help others.

And so there it is on the back of her book, a few College in Fall River. short sentences that represent a selfless and kind act But in other ways, the 2008 graduate of Greater on Larsen’s part.

New Bedford Vocational-Technical High School isn’t It describes Larsen this way: “She was diagnosed at at all typical. After all, how many high school graduan early age with Asperger’s autism, and this book is ates become published authors just weeks after rea great accomplishment and dream of hers. She hopes ceiving their diploma? that it will inspire others with this disability to follow But that’s Elizabeth Larsen.

Family and friends who know her well are not sur- their dreams and that anything is possible if you work prised that her first children’s book, “Buster Hardings: hard enough.”

Lowe explains that Asperger’s makes social situBuster Hardings Makes New Friends” is getting great ations difficult for Larsen. She doesn’t always grasp reviews and is now available at several bookstores the intricacies of daily life. in the area, as well as at She never says a bad thing Amazon.com. about anyone, and doesn’t After all, Larsen, 19, quite understand why anyhas been reading and one would. Talk to her writing for years. She reand her focus might shift members getting hooked quickly from one subject on the “Baby-Sitter’s to another.

Club” series years ago.

Asperger’s has impactThe writing has come ed her at school. There have naturally too, the desire been tutors and hours upon to tell stories. Mornings, hours of work after school. afternoons, evenings …

But Larsen never repeated when ever the urge hits, a grade. She worked hard. she writes.

She persevered.

This summer, she That’s why Lowe is in realized a dream when some ways amazed at all Maryland-based Pubof this.

Amazed, but at the lishAmerica published same time, not entirely surwhat she expects to be prised. After all, she can’t the first in a series of picture her granddaughter “Buster Hardings” adwithout picturing her writventures. ing.

The book has cre“Buster Hardings” just ated a buzz around town. “popped into her head,” ANCHOR PERSON OF THE WEEK — ElizaRelatives, friends, teachsaid Larsen.

The book takes beth Larsen.

(Photo by Michael Pare) ers …they are all talking place in Delaware, where about “Buster Hardings” Buster has moved with his family from New Jersey. and the young woman who created him.

Larsen has also made an impression at her parish, Buster’s father is a diplomat.

Lowe smiles as Larsen describes this “Buster St. Kilian’s in New Bedford. Whenever she can, she Hardings.”

She didn’t realize the depth of the writing helps with youth group activities. Edwin Aldarondo in all of those notebooks. She thinks of the many famis the youth coordinator at St. Kilian’s. His wife, Ana, ily car trips through the years. All the while, Larsen serves as director of Religious Education. was writing.

Lowe said Larsen has a photographic Aldarondo is not surprised that Larsen is using her book as a vehicle for helping others. She takes memory. She remembers the exits along Route 95, for the same approach with the young people in the par- example.

“She would argue that we were taking the wrong ish.

“I don’t even have to ask,” said Aldarondo. “She exit … and sure enough, she was right,” said Lowe.

Lowe is taking all of her success in stride. There is just throws herself into it … when you turn around, much multi-tasking to be done. There is a book signing she is already doing something. She is a very comto plan at Greater New Bedford Vocational-Technical mitted person. The other kids learn from her. She is a High School in the fall. Border’s at Providence Place great example.”

Larsen’s grandmother, Diane Lowe, who has Mall has also been in touch. It’s going to be a busy fall raised her since she was 18 months old, has gladly for Larsen, who’ll also begin taking classes at Bristol accepted the role as Larsen’s unofficial publicist. A Community College.

“I want to learn more about writing,” she said. switchboard supervisor at the Greater New Bedford Lowe pauses. There is pride in her eyes.

Health Center, Lowe is keeping busy making contacts “If she doesn’t go any further with this, it’s already with local bookstores and helping to fill requests for a big achievement,” she said. copies of the book.

Lowe is right. But you get the sense that this is in Everybody is buying it at my workplace,” said Lowe. “My feet haven’t hit the ground. I’m just fact just the beginning for “Buster Hardings.” Larsen has already written parts of upcoming installthrilled to pieces.”

“Thrilled” is accurate, but it is also an understate- ments.

She has big plans. ment. Sit down and visit with Lowe and it becomes “I’d like to see it as a television show,” she said. clear that words do not describe how proud she is of “That’s my next goal.” her granddaughter. She raised Larsen along with her To nominate a Person of the Week, send an email husband, Larsen’s grandfather, until he succumbed to message to FatherRogerLandry@AnchorNews.org. lung cancer eight years ago. And when he was dying,

By Michael Pare Anchor Staff

11

The Anchor

August 8, 2008

Area woman delivers Mother Teresa’s message on world stage

By Michael Pare Anchor Staff

SYDNEY, Australia — You would understand if Christin Jezak had been nervous, having traveled across the globe to perform a onewoman show she has authored, “Person-to-Person: A Mother Teresa Project.”

And so when she arrived in Sydney, Australia last month for World Youth Day, she was anxious to see where she would perform as part of a festival. She found the performance space and was immediately put at ease.

Much to Jezak’s delight, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997), found a way to comfort her.

“When I arrived at the performance space that first day, I was amazed to find a display of Mother Teresa in the balcony above me,” said Jezak. “There were tons of pictures, Mother Teresa’s actual sari, sandals, sweater, handbag, and letters with her handwriting. I performed under her relics. It was such a great sign. I was not a bit nervous with her presence over me.”

And perform, she did.

The 25-year-old Jezak, a parishioner at Good Shepherd Parish in Fall River, delivered a terrific series of performances that by all ac-

counts garnered enthusiastic praise from her audiences.

A 2001 Durfee High graduate, Jezak went on to study theater at Bridgewater State College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in 2005. She then entered a two-year master’s in theater program at Villanova University, outside of Philadelphia.

“A Mother Teresa Project” was a part of her master’s project and was inspired by a prayer composed by Mother Teresa.

That prayer starts with the question: “Who is Jesus to me?” In creating her own work, Jezak said she prayed with Mother Teresa and discovered that her life was not about her, but about those she loved and those in whom she witnessed Christ.

The project also became her way of melding modern theater and her Catholicism. At Villanova, the approach took hold. By her final semester, several students came out to her as Christians and together with some theater professionals, formed a Christian fellowship.

The play begins with a soliloquy

by Mother Teresa, and then oneby-one becomes five characters with serious problems, including a homeless man battling drug addiction, a prostitute, and an 81-year-

old woman in a nursing home. The audience meets each character and discovers Christ in all of them, explains Jezak.

Making the trip to Sydney even more meaningful was that Jezak was accompanied by her parents, Tom and Deb, and her brother, Nate.

An accomplished singer and guitarist, Nate, 22, a 2004 graduate of Bishop Stang High School, composed the music for his sister’s play and handled all of the sound work for the performances in Sydney.

Nate also sings in the choir at Good Shepherd and teaches Religious Education.

He came away from World Youth Day with a new-found confidence in the praise and worship music he has been composing and performing. During the conference, he was able to perform his original work and the reaction he received was extremely positive.

“It was neat having people from all over the world singing along with you in worshipping God,” he said. “It was really wild.”

Tom and Deb Jezak certainly qualify as proud parents. A youth minister at Good Shepherd, Deb Jezak said she too was moved by the visit to Sydney.

“The whole experience was

ACTING UP DOWN UNDER — Delighting audiences at World Youth Day in Australia is Christin Jezak, a parishioner of Good Shepherd Parish in Fall River, who performed the one-woman show she authored, “Person-to-Person: A Mother Teresa Project.” Her brother, Nate Jezak, composed the music for the show and handled the sound work for the Sydney performances.

(Photos by Beth Paret)

thrilling,” she said.

Christin Jezak came away from her experience at World Youth Day empowered. Midway through the week, she said, she realized God was calling her to not only learn from the event, but to live it.

“Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God was calling me to use my gifts to be a witness to my fel-

low pilgrims who were journeying with me,” said Jezak. “World Youth Day strengthened me and reminded me not to be afraid. With thousands of others from all over … I encountered the universality of the Church, remembering that I am not alone. I am working together with the Holy Spirit and the Body of Christ. I do not need to be afraid.”

Take out 401-272-3618 or 401-621-3618 or 401-621-9190

12

The Anchor

National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette

947 Park Street - Attleboro, MA 02703

August 8, 2008

A call to conversion Continued from page one

Indeed, while the loose translation of metanoia would be repentance, the more literal definition is derived from the notion of “changing one’s mind” or “embracing thoughts beyond present limitations,” according to “Webster’s New Millennium Dictionary of English.”

“Prior to his metanoia, Saul had been a Pharisaical Jew and believed that holiness came through one’s own actions in rigorous adherence to the letter of the Mosaic Law,” noted Father Roger J. Landry in his recent editorial, “Imitating St. Paul as he imitated Christ.”

“After the road to Damascus, he recognized that holiness is mostly God’s work, not ours,” Father Landry wrote. “Holiness means allowing Christ to live and reign within.”

“There’s no doubt there is a need for people to return to the faith,” agreed Father Andre ‘Father Pat’ Patenaude, director of the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette. “We’re losing a lot of young people across-the-board.

There’s a need for them to return to a deeper faith. There seems to be things today that are far more important than our faith.”

Like St. Paul, who reached out to others and taught by example, Father Pat feels all Catholics should be vigilant about keeping others on the right path. “I would hope we’d be

able to invite people to come back to the faith,” he said. “Those of us who try to be faithful should be on the lookout for those who are not.”

The lasting effect of St. Paul’s conversion can still be felt today, according to Father Bergeron, even though his original teachings were directed to a very specific audience during a very different time. “While his letters and teachings were addressed to particular churches in particular situations, we’re still reading them all these years later,” he said. “They’re very contemporary but they still have meaning to us even today.”

The most outward act of contrition for Catholics remains the sacrament of reconciliation, and Father Bergeron noted there continues to be a steady stream of the faithful taking advantage of their regular confessional schedule. “At St. Anne’s we have confessions everyday,” Father Bergeron said. “We’re hearing them from 11 to 11:30 a.m. daily and then for an hour on Saturday afternoon from 3 to 4. We have lots of people coming everyday … it’s usually quite full.”

“I just finished hearing 33 confessions on a (weekday) afternoon and I had to call in another priest who heard 22,” Father Pat said.

“I was hoping to add more hours for confessions, as well.” Right now at the National Shrine for Our

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, August 10 at 11:00 a.m.

Scheduled celebrant is Father Ronnie P. Floyd, a parochial vicar at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in New Bedford

Lady of La Salette, confessions are heard every weekday from 2 to 3 p.m., on Wednesday evenings from 5 to 6 p.m., and on weekends from 1 to 4 p.m.

Father Pat also suggested that just as St. Paul’s now-legendary story of conversion and redemption has inspired so many to follow Christ, so too can the simple act of one individual’s sharing their faith with another.

“We’re hoping to make the shrine a place where people can renew their faith,” Father Pat added. “People can also make efforts to draw others back into the fold. There’s some room for us to be able to do work in that area, I think. People love to hear somebody else’s story … it just increases your own faith and reassures you you’re not alone.”

Movies Online

Can’t remember how a recent film was classified by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops?

Want to know if you should let the kids go see it?

You can look up film reviews on the Catholic News Service Website.

Visit catholicnews. com and click on “Movies,” under the “News Item” menu.

August 8, 2008

Stay informed about the Church.

Subscribe to The Anchor for local, national and international news.

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Email: theanchor@anchornews.org or call 508.675.7151

This Message Sponsored by the Following Business Concerns in the Diocese of Fall River Gilbert C. Oliveira Insurance Agency Feitelberg Insurance Agency

Rev. Msgr. John J. Oliveira, V.E. 106 Illinois St., New Bedford, MA 02745 ANCH. 08/08/08

13

The Anchor

F

Contracepting the future

teaching, warning that it “would orty years ago, on July 25, sound the death knell of mar1968, Pope Paul VI issued riage as a holy institution by his long-awaited encyclical on establishing degrading practices contraception, Humanae Vitae. which would encourage indisBased on a rich understanding of criminate immorality.” (I am sexuality as inseparably embodygrateful to Phil Lawler for these ing both unitive and procreative dimensions, it reiterated the Cath- references.)

I was 17 in the summer of olic Church’s condemnation of 1968, about to enter my senior “any action which either before, at year in high school in Washthe moment of, or after sexual inington, D.C., the second oldest tercourse, is specifically intended of 13 children, the youngest of to prevent procreation — whether whom had just been born. The as an end or as a means.” Yes to culture of contraception had not love, marriage and openness to come to my parents, thank God. children. No to the condom, the I remember that one of our parpill, and hedonism. All hell broke ish priests got up in the pulpit out in consequence. to denounce the pope’s teaching It was the height of the sexual revolution of the 1960s, principally marked by the separation of sex from childbearing. The birth control pill and the condom and other techniques of artificial contraception like

By Dwight Duncan the IUD made it seemingly possible to pursue sexual gratification without at the time, for which Cardiconsequences. Sex was disassociated from procreation, and so began nal O’Boyle, the archbishop of Washington, suspended him from the simultaneous trivialization and his priestly faculties along with obsession with sex that still plague other priests who had publicly us. defied the pope’s teaching. I beThings weren’t always so in lieve that priest ended up leaving the days before condom was the Church, getting married, and king. Sounding like St. Aubecoming an Episcopalian. The gustine or St. Thomas Aquinas Anglicans, as we have seen, were on this matter, even the atheist more hospitable to contraception. psychologist Sigmund Freud The Washington Post, having had written, “it is a characterchanged sides in the culture istic common to all perversions war, then vilified the courageous that in them reproduction is put Cardinal who was the one who aside as an aim. This is actually confirmed me — blame him the criterion by which we judge because he held fast to what the whether a sexual activity is perChurch had always taught and verse — it departs from reprostill teaches. duction as its aim and pursues The sexual revolution continthe attainment of gratification ued, in spite of the pope’s warnindependently.” ings.

Pope Paul VI had predicted All Christian denominations the consequences: “how easily were agreed that contracepthis course of action could open tion was immoral, at least until wide the way for marital infidelity the Lambeth Conference in the and a general lowering of moral 1930s marked the first breach standards. …

Another effect that in the wall, with the Anglican gives cause for alarm is that a man Church then beginning to allow who grows accustomed to the use contraception. The Washington of contraceptive methods may forPost at that time editorialized get the reverence due to a woman, against the change in moral

Judge For Yourself

and, disregarding her physical and emotional equilibrium, reduce her to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer considering her as his partner whom he should surround with care and affection.”

One wonders: Would we have such widespread acceptance of abortion, divorce, infidelity, the birth dearth or population implosion in developed countries, homosexual practices, internet pornography, mistreatment of women, sexual abuse of children, and other indicia of a “general lowering of moral standards” had people accepted and tried to live the Church’s teaching on openness to life rather than ignore and defy it?

For that matter, would the Anglican Church, again gathered at Lambeth, now be debating whether to recognize a practicing homosexual bishop if it hadn’t made the turn it did when it first accepted contraception? Could it be that, once you separate sex from procreation, practically anything goes?

In Sydney last month, at the concluding Mass of World Youth Day, Pope Benedict XVI offered a competing view: “Empowered by the Spirit, and drawing upon faith’s rich vision, a new generation of Christians is being called to help build a world in which God’s gift of life is welcomed, respected and cherished — not rejected, feared as a threat and destroyed. A new age in which love is not greedy or self-seeking, but pure, faithful and genuinely free, open to others, respectful of their dignity, seeking their good, radiating joy and beauty. A new age in which hope liberates us from the shallowness, apathy and self-absorption which deaden our souls and poison our relationships.”

Dwight Duncan is a professor at Southern New England School of Law in North Dartmouth. He holds degrees in civil and canon law.

14

The Anchor

August 8, 2008

CATHOLIC CHARITIES APPEAL 2008 FINAL PARISH TOTALS

ATTLEBORO AREA Attleboro Holy Ghost $ 8,720.00 Saint John the Evangelist 69,709.00 Saint Joseph 19,554.00 Saint Stephen 24,715.00 Saint Theresa 35,493.00 Mansfield Saint Mary 105,805.00 North Attleboro Sacred Heart 38,659.00 Saint Mark 64,115.00 Saint Mary 34,055.00 Norton Saint Mary 20,535.00 Seekonk Our Lady of Mount Carmel 152,003.42 Saint Mary 51,159.00 CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS AREA Brewster Our Lady of the Cape $ 91,223.29 Buzzards Bay Saint Margaret 15,690.00 Centerville Our Lady of Victory 123,579.00 Chatham Holy Redeemer 64,310.00 East Falmouth Saint Anthony 68,550.00 East Sandwich Corpus Christi 95,908.00 Falmouth Saint Patrick 52,062.00 Hyannis Saint Francis Xavier 73,117.00 Martha’s Vineyard Good Shepherd 20,450.00 Mashpee Christ the King 127,978.00 Nantucket Saint Mary/Our Lady of the Isle 41,889.00 North Falmouth Saint Elizabeth Seton 70,785.00 Orleans Saint Joan of Arc 57,216.85 Osterville Our Lady of the Assumption 79,899.00 Pocasset Saint John the Evangelist 95,831.00 Provincetown Saint Peter the Apostle 24,285.00 South Yarmouth Saint Pius Tenth 188,530.73 Wellfleet Our Lady of Lourdes 27,487.00 West Harwich Holy Trinity 76,996.00 Woods Hole Saint Joseph 58,509.00 FALL RIVER AREA Fall River Saint Mary Cathedral Espirito Santo Good Shepherd Holy Name Holy Rosary Holy Trinity Immaculate Conception Notre Dame Sacred Heart Saint Anne Saint Anthony of Padua Saint Joseph

$ 20,046.00 29,405.00 16,662.00 82,190.00 11,820.00 34,861.00 5,593.00 21,310.00 8,915.00 17,674.19 21,445.00 24,777.00

FALL RIVER AREA Fall River (con’t.)

Saint Michael Saints Peter and Paul Saint Stanislaus Santo Christo Assonet Saint Bernard Somerset Saint John of God Saint Patrick Saint Thomas More Swansea Saint Dominic Saint Francis of Assisi Saint Louis de France Westport Our Lady of Grace Saint George, Westport Saint John the Baptist NEW BEDFORD AREA New Bedford Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Immaculate Conception Our Lady of the Assumption Our Lady of Fatima Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint James Our Lady of Mount Carmel Our Lady of Perpetual Help Saint Anthony of Padua Saint Francis of Assisi Saint John the Baptist Saint Joseph-Saint Therese Saint Kilian Saint Lawrence Saint Mary Acushnet Saint Francis Xavier East Freetown Saint John Neumann Fairhaven Saint Joseph Saint Mary Marion Saint Rita Mattapoisett Saint Anthony North Dartmouth Saint Julie Billiart South Dartmouth Saint Mary Wareham Saint Patrick

20,672.00 12,565.00 38,224.00 35,116.00 17,710.00 36,133.00 31,623.00 41,626.00 22,685.00 28,915.00 33,675.00 18,348.00 25,999.00 40,500.00

$ 32,785.00 51,501.00 10,259.00 28,918.00 19,715.00 59,546.00 30,700.00 23,373.02 15,925.00 22,520.00 19,553.00 6,168.00 31,916.78 45,168.00 33,427.00 44,231.00 27,509.00 18,300.00 24,556.64 32,315.00 69,161.00 57,765.00 52,350.00

TAUNTON AREA Taunton Annunciation of the Lord $ 26,189.00 Holy Family 41,742.00 Holy Rosary 36,427.00 Saint Anthony 43,355.00 Saint Joseph 23,147.00 Saint Jude the Apostle 32,021.66 Saint Mary 23,690.00 Saint Paul 28,053.35 Dighton Saint Peter 4,380.00 North Dighton Saint Joseph 19,786.00 North Easton Immaculate Conception 27,595.00 Raynham Saint Ann 112,089.00 South Easton Holy Cross 24,170.00

Catholic Charities Appeal Parishes Centerville Our Lady of Victory: $100-Monique Crowley.

Dighton St. Peter: $150-Emile & Pauline Lamontagne.

East Falmouth St. Anthony: $500-Mary Jane Chisholm.

East Sandwich Corpus Christi: $1,000-M&M Robert Buckley; $250-Cheryl A. Cushing; $100-M&M John Colameco, M&M Arthur J. Dolan, June C. Robie.

Fall River Holy Name: $400-M&M John Connell.

Notre Dame: $200-Msgr. Prevost Council #12380-Knights of Columbus.

Mansfield St. Mary: $1,000-M&M Donald M. Atkinson, M&M Benjamin Cavallo; $500-Margaret S. Dunmire, M&M James M. Riley, St. Vincent de Paul Society; $350-Elizabeth Clark; $200-M&M Christopher J. Goldner; $150-Knights of Columbus, M&M David R. Piccirilli; $100-Beverly Amicone, Josemaria Dolores, Christina Salachi, Mary R. Wild.

Mashpee Christ the King: $800-M&M a.

Edward Defoe.

Mattapoisett St. Anthony: $175-M&M Edmund Butler.

New Bedford Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. James: $100-Gerald & Rosalie Stabell.

St. Joseph-St. Therese: $500-Anonymous; $100-M&M Robert Sampson.

North Dighton St. Joseph: $700-Vincent Scully; $600-St. Vincent de Paul Society; $300-St. Joseph’s Bingo; $200-M&M Patrick Martin; $125-M&M David P. Schnopp; $100-Jacqueline Charlwood, Louise Hebert, M&M Paul Saben, In Memory of Henry Lutz & Janice Corr, M&M James Reba, Leonard E. Hull, Jr., Evelyn Vargas.

Pocasset St. John the Evangelist: $100-Paul J. Murray, M&M Donald DeLuca.

Raynham St. Ann: $500-M&M William Driscoll, Danuta Fichna, M&M Salvatore Oliveri; $250-M&M John Cassiani; $200-M&M Bradford Gomes, M&M George Milot; $150-M&M Robert Bonarrigo; $140-M&M David Yelle; $125-M&M Robert McGuire; $100-M&M Dennis Almeida, M&M Arthur Botelho, Jeannette Hutchins, Gladys Perry.

South Dartmouth St. Mary: $200-M&M Sean Baker.

Swansea St. Francis of Assisi: $100-Arthur J. Arruda.

BUSINESS & COMMUNITY FALL RIVER: $300-Tally’s, Inc., Cranston, R.I.

Catholic Charities Appeal 2008 TOP FIVE PARISHES BY DEANERY ATTLEBORO AREA Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Seekonk Saint Mary, Mansfield Saint John the Evangelist, Attleboro Saint Mark, Attleboro Falls Saint Mary, Seekonk

15

The Anchor

August 8, 2008

$152,003.42 105,805.00 69,709.00 64,115.00 51,159.00

CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS AREA Saint Pius Tenth, South Yarmouth $188,530.73 Christ the King, Mashpee 127,978.00 Our Lady of Victory, Centerville 123,579.00 Corpus Christi, East Sandwich 95,908.00 Saint John the Evangelist, Pocasset 95,831.00 FALL RIVER AREA Holy Name, Fall River Saint Thomas More, Somerset Saint John the Baptist, Westport Saint Stanislaus, Fall River Saint John of God, Somerset

$ 82,190.00 41,626.00 40,500.00 38,224.00 36,133.00

NEW BEDFORD AREA Saint Julie Billiart, North Dartmouth Our Lady of Mount Carmel, New Bedford Saint Mary, South Dartmouth Saint Patrick, Wareham Immaculate Conception, New Bedford

$ 69,161.00 59,546.00 57,765.00 52,350.00 51,501.00

TAUNTON AREA: Saint Ann, Raynham $112,089.00 Saint Anthony, Taunton 43,355.00 Holy Family, East Taunton 41,742.00 Holy Rosary, Taunton 36,427.00 Saint Jude the Apostle, Taunton 32,021.66 LARGEST PERCENTAGE INCREASE Saint Anthony of Padua, New Bedford 97.01% Immaculate Conception, Fall River 21.51% Our Lady of Fatima, New Bedford 17.94% Saint Stephen, Attleboro 16.39% Sacred Heart, Fall River 16.38% Saint Joseph, Fairhaven 14.32% Saint Mary, South Dartmouth 13.70% Saint Francis Xavier, Acushnet 12.10% Sacred Heart, North Attleboro 11.17% Saint Elizabeth Seton, North Falmouth 11.14% Saint Thomas More, Somerset 10.78% Saint Mary, Seekonk 10.76% Saint Louis de France, Swansea 10.02% Saint John the Baptist, Westport 9.67% Holy Trinity, West Harwich 9.58% Our Lady of the Cape, Brewster 7.07% Saint Ann, Raynham 5.20% LARGEST DOLLAR INCREASE Saint Anthony of Padua, New Bedford $11,509.02 Saint Elizabeth Seton, North Falmouth 7,095.00 Saint Mary, South Dartmouth 6,961.00 Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Seekonk 6,791.42 Holy Trinity, West Harwich 6,730.00 Our Lady of the Cape, Brewster 6,024.79 Saint Ann, Raynham 5,542.00 Our Lady of Victory, Centerville 5,069.00 Saint Mary, Seekonk 4,968.00 Our Lady of Fatima, New Bedford 4,398.00 Saint Thomas More, Somerset 4,052.00 Sacred Heart, North Attleboro 3,884.00 Saint Francis Xavier, Acushnet 3,607.82 Saint John the Baptist, Westport 3,570.00 Saint Stephen, Attleboro 3,481.00 Saint Joseph, Fairhaven 3,446.00 Holy Name, Fall River 3,217.00 Saint Louis de France, Swansea 3,066.00

Wedding music must reinforce sacred meaning of the Mass

Editor’s note: This is the first in a new Anchor series on marriage.

By Michael Pare Anchor Staff

NEW BEDFORD — By the time an engaged couple meets with Thom Sargent, the organist at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in New Bedford, they have already sat down once or twice with the pastor of the parish.

That’s a good thing, according to Sargent. It means they have a strong sense of the importance and solemnity of the wedding Mass. They understand, for example, that there is a difference between what is to be played in church and what is to be played at the reception.

And so no, Sargent does not include “Soul Man” by the Blues Brothers or Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman” on his play list for the wedding Mass. Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration” also must wait for its proper time and place.

When Sargent, who has been performing at weddings since 1958, sits down with a couple, his suggestions for the holy Mass are likely to include Purcell’s “Trumpet Tune” or G.F. Handel’s “Hornpipe,” for orchestra in D major.

He is also quite partial to Johann Pachelbel’s “Canon and Gigue” in D major.

“It makes for such a nice processional,” said Sargent.

At St. Anthony of Padua, where many Catholic couples seek to be married because of its beauty and grandeur, couples begin preparing in earnest for their wedding day at least eight months in advance.

When they visit with Sargent, he emphasizes that their wedding day is comprised of two distinct parts, the sacred ceremony in the church and the secular celebration at the ensuing reception.

“What is appropriate at the

wedding may not be appropriate at the church,” said Sargent.

He goes into the details of the Mass and explains where the music plays such a pivotal part. He explains the processional and recessional, as well as the responsorial psalm and holy Communion.

“Sometimes, the couple comes in and they have been on the Internet so they have some ideas of their own,” he said. “But usually, they don’t.”

The meetings with Sargent take place at the organ. And it isn’t long before he is providing examples for the couple to consider. Sometimes it is a song or two. And sometimes it is half a dozen or more. But what he looks for is that smile, that knowing look the soon-to-be husband and wife share.

“When I see them smile … they’ve decided,” he said.

And if that smile doesn’t present itself?

“I tell them if they can’t agree on this, they can’t get married,” said Sargent, laughing.

The organist plays a key role in the wedding preparation process.

He or she has the opportunity to reinforce what the couple has heard from their pastor. Couples learn that much time and energy must go into preparing for the Mass and the music and readings that will define it. They are reminded that the Mass is sacred and that the reception that follows simply celebrates what has happened at the nuptial Mass.

Father Marek Tuptynski, pastor at St. Patrick Parish in Somerset, like most pastors, requires his couples to meet with one of his two organists to work out the details of the wedding music. He has never had an experience in which he wasn’t happy with the results of those meetings, he said.

Father Tuptynski sees the music

as an important component of the Mass.

“At any public worship, music brings that sense of joy and celebration,” he said.

There is a caveat with all of this, of course. And that is, couples should not allow themselves to be carried away with the music.

While there may be room to err on that side during the reception, the wedding Mass should remain a focused experience.

Father Joseph F. Viveiros, pastor at St. Dominic Parish in Swansea, also leaves the details of the wedding music to the parish cantor. Music, after all, is not his area of expertise. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t thinking about its role in the Mass.

In fact, Father Viveiros believes there is the risk of its becoming too big a part of the ceremony “The music, as I understand it, should always be the handmaiden to the liturgy, not the master,” he said. “Sometimes it can be overdone. I try to tell the couple to focus on the importance of the day.

Why are they getting married?

And especially, why are they getting married in the Church?”

To Father Viveiros, it isn’t anything against the music, but rather, a determination on his part to combat those outside forces that leave so many couples with their priorities askew.

“Our society doesn’t prepare our couples for marriage,” he said. “There are many values that are lost. It is why I begin every wedding Mass by asking the community to pray for the couple and their marriage. I try to get the couple to focus on the spiritual aspects and what they hope to achieve in their marriage.”

And though, as has been widely reported here and throughout the Turn to page 18

Speaker-training workshop on marriage to be held in Worcester

WORCESTER — As part of “The Future Depends on Love” marriage initiative of the four bishops of Massachusetts, coordinated by the Massachusetts Catholic Conference, a speaking-training workshop will be held in Worcester on September 10, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the Chancery Library.

For those interested in sharing the truth about marriage with others, this workshop will provide the tools necessary to communicate effectively the riches of the Church’s teaching on marriage and to answer difficult questions that arise.

“Marriage is both a natural as well as a supernatural or sacramental reality,” said David Franks, Ph.D., who is coordinating “The Future Depends on Love” with his wife Angela. “There is so much to learn both about the sociological data that support Catholic teaching on lifelong, life-giving marriage, as well as about the theological riches concerning what the sacrament of marriage is. The training session will survey this information.”

“Our informal survey of Massachusetts Catholics indicated a strong interest to learn about marriage from speakers,” added Angela Franks, Ph.D. “This training session will prepare speakers and provide them with ready-made PowerPoint presentations that can be given in parish and other settings.”

Parish priests and staff members throughout the four dioceses of Massachusetts are encouraged to invite a promising parishioner or couple to apply.

“Ideally, we would love to see every parish in Massachusetts have someone trained to speak,” said David Franks.

Interested persons should download the application found on “The Future Depends on Love” Website, www.MassCatholicMarriage.org. Applicants are asked to provide a one- to two-page statement on the Church’s vision of marriage, as well as a recommendation from a priest. The deadline for applications is August 31. Accepted applicants will be notified soon after the deadline.

16

Youth Pages

August 8, 2008

TAKE A HIKE — The Kids in Christ Junior Youth Group from St. Julie Billiart Parish in North Dartmouth recently made a field trip to hike on Mt. Wachusett. Included in the photo is Pastor Father Greg Matthias, right, rear, and his dog and group mascot, Daisy.

WINGING IT — The Kindergarten Class at St. Mary-Sacred Heart School, North Attleboro, studied caterpillars changing into a cocoon, and then into butterflies. They then released the butterflies into the wild. Joseph Welch holds a butterfly, as his classmates and teacher, Elizabeth Moura, look on.

FOLLOWING IN LASSIE’S PAW PRINTS? — Thirty-two Bichon Frise dogs and their owners recently gathered at Bishop Feehan High School’s Beach Field to be filmed for “Animal Planet’s” new upcoming series, “Dogs 101.” Feehan 1995 graduate, Ralph Gasbarro and wife, Emily, who own and run Off The Leash Doggie Daycare, a boarding and training center in Attleboro, were approached by “Animal Planet” to help them produce an episode profiling the Bichon Frise breed. “Animal Planet” correspondent, Harrison Weindfield, gets the camera on the dogs’ level.

USING HER MUSSELS — At left, John Paul II High School student Meghan Buckley gathers mussels as part of a project to establish a baseline population (i.e., mussel density/sq. meter) by counting ecologically and commercially important species of mussels. Above, JPII students, front, left to right, Samantha Sennott, Hannah Dulmaine, Austen Williams, and Matt Laird were group leaders for the eighth-grade retreat at St. Pius X School in South Yarmouth. The 13 members of the eighth-grade class are also pictured.

CHARGED UP LESSON — Fourth-grade students at St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro enjoyed an interesting visit by Carol Bjartmarz, representative and educator from National Grid. The students were told of the importance and safety of electricity in their daily lives.

August 8, 2008

R

ecently Bobbi Paradise and I were invited to work with a group of parishes in the New Bedford area. These parishes are working together to develop a collaborative youth ministry program. This is a very exciting and commendable. Dozens of young people, youth ministers and pastors have gathered several times to date to begin the process of developing a Youth Ministry program based on the “Vision for Youth Ministry” document.

During this planning process, the needs and issues facing young people in the world today were identified by survey and discussion. As part of the vision process, once these needs are identified, the group works to brainstorm ideas to help meet the issues and needs. Once these ideas surface, the groups work to turn them into actual programs, processes or activities that might be offered to the young people of New Bedford to meet those particular needs.

During our last meeting, the groups were working to brainstorm ideas for the summer. Through the process the group had identified several major needs that they thought they could begin tackle

Youth Pages

17

Bring a friend to Christ

this summer. One particular group daunting task. The world is a very was given the assignment to debig place with lots of people. velop ideas for events or activities Sometimes such a large task may or processes that might help bring make us give up because it looks young people to a closer relaso impossible. But with this contionship with God — which was cept of BFTM, we weren’t talking identified early on as a important about the world; we were talking need. As I listened in to their deabout just one other person. liberations one of the ideas rose to We all have friends and I’m sure the surface that particularly attracted my attention.

They came upon a simple idea — “Bring a Friend to Mass Weekend!” When I first heard this it struck me as both simple and perhaps

By Frank Lucca in a way, very complex.

I liked it and encouraged them to continue developing their thoughts on such a concept. many of our friends may or may not As they developed the idea, have knowledge of or a relationwe came up with a name for the ship with Christ. While it may be activity which played upon today’s premature to invite each friend we text messaging vocabulary. BFTM have to Mass right away, the con— Bring a Friend to Mass. Not cept does open the door for us to only did I like the name but I really begin to “set the stage” to do so. liked the concept. I felt that they When you are in a your groups, had hit on something very simple whether friends, school, work or yet deeper than they would immeeven the parish, take some time to diately know. think about those you come into I’m not sure about most of contact with. Perhaps, if they are you, but when I hear that we as not known to you, you might even Christians are called to change consider getting to know them. the world, I look at that as a very I’m not saying you should get up

Be Not Afraid

on a soap box and start rallying the folks around you as a preacher might do. What I am saying is, perhaps we can do more to share our life in Christ with those we know — one person at a time. When is the last time you mentioned Christ in a conversation with a friend or acquaintance? You may not want to shock or turn off a friend by being preachy, but we can share a life in action — or we can share stories of our lives and how we have been touched by Christ along the way. Whichever way you choose, we need to step out a little and start that process. Who knows what it will bring? It can only bring something good.

One important fact that the Vision for Youth Ministry document tells us is that we cannot only work with the churched youth of our parishes. Many young people are in different places in their spiritual lives. Different young people have different needs. An effective youth ministry program tries to meet the needs of all. Most young people are not going to

accidently walk into our churches and say, “Here I am.” We adults and young people in ministry to youth need to meet the needs of all of the youth in our area by going out to them. Those young people, pastors and youth ministers supporting and working in the collaborative program in New Bedford understand that. So in that simple idea to Bring a Friend to Mass, the collaborative group has come upon a real understanding of youth ministry — even though they may not know it.

We need to enter the world of young people and demonstrate that we care about them.

Relationships change lives more than any program will. So let’s get out there, be that friend that can BFTC (bring a friend to Christ.) So wotU w8N 4? ** Frank Lucca is a youth minister at St. Dominic Parish in Swansea.

He is chairman and a director of the YES! Retreat and director of the Christian Leadership Institute (CLI). He is a husband and a father of two daughters and a text messaging geek. LOL (**so what are you waiting for? )

PICTURE PERFECT — Pilgrims walk in front of a mosaic image of Christ composed of tiny photographs at WYD in Sydney, Australia. (CNS/Alessia Giuliani, Catholic Press Photo)

Shrine of The Little Flower of Jesus JUBILEE CHURCH & SHRINE

First Shrine To St. Theresa In America

15th Annual Feast Day Celebration August 17, 2008 Rain or Shine

9:30 AM ~ Prayers at Holy Stairs 10:30 AM ~ Stations of the Cross 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM ~ Lunch 12:30 PM ~ Concert 1:30 PM ~ Outdoor Living Rosary 2:45 PM ~ Procession with St. Theresa 3:00 PM ~ Chaplet of Divine Mercy Solemn Feast Mass - Celebrant Fr. Jay Finelli (Pastor of Holy Ghost Church, Tiverton, RI) Benediction - Blessing with St. Theresa’s Relic ~ Continuous video showing of St. Theresa’s life ~

• Gift Shop • Food & Refreshments • Canopy - Covered benches at outdoor altar • Bus Groups welcome • Priests are invited to concelebrate the Feast Mass • Bring Chairs and umbrellas for the sun

For information please call (401) 568-0575 • (401) 568-8280 E-mail: shiirl@cox.net www.SaintTheresaShrine.com

Shrine is located at intersection of Rt. 102 and Rt. 7 in Nasonville (Burrillville), R.I. (near Wright’s Farm Restaurant)

18

The Anchor

Cape Cod abortion doctor indicted continued from page one

“I thought abortion was here to stay — that change couldn’t happen,” Smith said in an interview in the Massachusetts Citizens for Life July newsletter. “Now, my passion is to speak out against abortion in hopes of sparing other young women, and their babies, a similar fate.”

MCFL President Anne Fox reacted: “We’re glad justice is finally kicking in. It’s comforting to know Osathanondh won’t be able to do damage to other women and children.”

His Boston-based attorney Paul Cirel said Osathanondh had performed 750 to 1,000 abortions and other procedures on women each year for the past five years. “I expect he will be exonerated,” he said.

Smith, who with her husband Tom had raised their Honduran-born daughter in Sandwich, later moved to New Jersey and did not know Laura was 13 weeks pregnant. A 2004 graduate of the Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School, Laura was engaged to her high-school sweetheart, who had been deployed to Iraq in July.

After Laura’s death, Smith filed a complaint with the medical board and asked the district attorney to probe criminal charges. She also filed a separate wrongful death civil suit in Barnstable Superior Court against the doctor, seeking unspecified punitive damages for gross negligence.

Osathanondh had formerly performed late-term abortions at

Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, but left there in 2001 following alleged complaints that during a staff meeting he had threatened to “execute” five nurses, according to a Boston Herald report. The Thaieducated gynecologist was not prosecuted.

“Laura deserved better than how she was treated by this abortionist and others who helped to cover up his misdeeds,” said Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America (CWA.) The indictment is an “overwhelming breakthrough,” added Tammy Mosher, CWA state director. “This is a true testimony to what one woman, filled with God’s grace, can do in a devastating situation. It’s sad that this success comes at the expense of Laura’s life. I hope this will be a wake-up call to every woman and man to understand that a baby is not the only life lost in an abortion.”

Following the indictment, an online article in the Cape Cod Times bemoaned the lack of local “services,” noting that abortion-minded women are now referred to Attleboro, Boston or Rhode Island providers. One online reader responded, “What a shame that it took the death of a young woman to end abortion on Cape Cod.” Editor’s note: The correct Web address for the New Bedford Welcoming Schools program referred to in the July 14 edition is: http:// welcomingschools.blogspot.com/

Wedding music must reinforce sacredness continued from page 15

country, while numbers of Catholic weddings are down of late, organists throughout the Fall River Diocese have busy schedules this time of year.

Normand Gingras, 81, the organist at St. Anne in Fall River, has never been busier. He offers this advice to young couples: do

August 8, 2008

your homework. Get to know the classic pieces.

“They don’t know the music,” he said. “Even when I give them a list … they don’t have a clue.”

So clear some room on that Ipod for Purcell and Handel and Bach.

And remember, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is appropriate for the Mass.

Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London” is best left for the reception.

Jack Goulet Real Estate Your Cape Cod Realtor Personal Service You Can Trust Specializing in Residential Sales

www.jackgoulet.com Call 508.221.1260

THE HEALING TOUCH — Parishioners enjoy a moment following a well-attended healing Mass held recently at St. Patrick’s Parish in Wareham.

Mass. Legislature votes in favor of gay marriages continued from page one

challenges this law is certain to bring in other states,” said Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council.

“Same-sex ‘marriage’ isn’t just about what two people do in the privacy of their own home. It’s about forcing us to be silent in the public square,” added Brian Brown, director of the National Organization for Marriage.

He cited numerous examples of freedoms being curtailed by the push to redefine marriage and family. “It’s about our being required to leave our religious beliefs at the door of the church,” he said.

C.J. Doyle, director of the Catholic Action League, cautioned that Americans’ freedom of speech and religion may soon be as restricted as they are in Canada.

The repeal “affirms the need for a federal marriage amendment,” concluded Kris Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute.

That sentiment was echoed in an online poll taken by OneNewsNow. com, in which 92 percent of respondents agreed.

Even though Bay State lawmakers never actually passed legislation to legalize same-sex “marriage,” the Commonwealth has allowed them since 2004 following a state Supreme Judicial Court ruling known as the Goodrich Decision.

“This legislature picks and chooses like a cafeteria buffet what areas of the Goodrich decision it will embrace,” Mineau said. On one hand, Goodrich was used to expand gay “marriage” beyond its intended original plaintiffs.

On the other hand, lawmakers ignored Justice John Greaney’s concurring decision in Goodrich; Greaney had held that the 1913 law upholds states’ rights, Mineau said.

A fact statement, “The Real Truth Behind the 1913 Law,” was put out by the Massachusetts Catholic Conference to dispel propaganda claiming the law was meant to prohibit interracial marriage.

In that statement, MCC attorney

Daniel Avila outlined how Massachusetts had permitted biracial marriage since 1843. He showed that the same high court that issued Goodrich had also upheld the 1913 law as a valid protection of states’ sovereignty in another case, CoteWhitacre v. Department of Public Health, in 2006.

The House voted 119-36 for repeal anyway. Previously a marriage supporter, Rep. Jeffrey Perry of East Sandwich switched sides and went with the majority, saying he still thought the law was racially motivated.

But Representatives Vinnie deMacedo of Plymouth, John Lepper of Attleboro and Mary Rogeness of Longmeadow “eloquently opposed” repeal, Avila said. Despite these facts and overwhelming constituent opposition to repeal, House Speaker Sal DiMasi pushed it through.

So determined was Democratic leadership to thwart any counteraction, that both chambers actually re-passed the bill on July 30 with special “emergency act” language to eliminate the law’s normal 90-day waiting period, said Brian Camenker of MassResistance, a Walthambased family advocacy group.

The Massachusetts Constitution allows for a citizens’ referendum petition filed within 90 days to legally suspend a law from taking effect until the people vote on it.

Gay activists openly acknowledged how national Democratic Party presidential politics played out at the State House. The momentum to repeal the law came in large part from a California court decision allowing same-sex “marriage,” reported Bay Windows, a homosexual advocacy newspaper.

The lobby in Massachusetts “had held off pushing to overturn the law in deference to the national Democratic Party, which had worked to persuade local lawmakers to defeat a constitutional amendment” that would have let voters decide the definition of marriage, the paper reported July 30.

“Democrats feared that opening up Massachusetts to same-sex couples from around the country could elevate same-sex marriage into a major campaign issue, hurting Sen. Barack Obama in the November presidential election.”

But because California has no residency restrictions on marriage, the door was opened, so concerns about a public backlash to the repeal hurting Democrats “were moot,” the report said.

Doyle, of the Catholic Action League, concluded: “A majority of Catholics in the Massachusetts House of Representatives voted again in favor of homosexual marriage. There’s a growing sense of outrage among faithful Catholics over the conduct of nominally Catholic politicians who repudiate fundamental Catholic moral teachings about the sanctity of human life and the integrity of traditional marriage. There is also a growing sense of urgency that this scandal must be brought to an end.”

House Vote of Representatives in the Fall River Diocese

YES (a vote to repeal the 1913 law) NO (a vote NOT to repeal the law) Kevin Aguiar, Fall River Demetrius Atsalis, Barnstable Jay Barrows, Mansfield Antonio Cabral, New Bedford Christine Canavan, Easton Stephen Canessa, Lakeville Geraldine Creedon, Easton Steven D’Amico, Seekonk James Fagan, Taunton David Flynn, Raynham Susan Gifford, Wareham Patricia Haddad, Somerset Robert Koczera, New Bedford John A. Lepper, Attleboro Matthew Patrick, Falmouth Sarah Peake, Provincetown Jeffrey Perry, E. Sandwich Elizabeth Poirier, N. Attleboro John Quinn, Dartmouth Michael Rodrigues, Westport William Straus, Mattapoisett David Sullivan, Fall River Eric Turkington, Falmouth Cleon Turner, Dennis

YES YES NO YES YES YES NO YES NO NO NO YES YES NO YES YES YES NO YES YES YES YES YES YES

August 8, 2008

Around the Diocese Eucharistic Masses Adoration: MASSES IN THE FALL RIVER DIOCESE — Vacationers and travelers can find Mass schedules on the diocese’s Website www.fallriverdiocese.org. For Masses across the nation visit www.masstimes. org.

Eucharistic Adoration EAST TAUNTON — Eucharistic adoration takes place every First Friday at Holy Family Church, 370 Middleboro Avenue, following the 8:30 a.m. Mass until Benediction at 8 p.m. All are invited.

NEW BEDFORD — Eucharistic adoration takes place 7 to 9 p.m.

Wednesdays at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 233 County Street, with night prayer and Benediction at 8:45 p.m., and confessions offered during the evening.

NEW BEDFORD — There is a daily holy hour from 5:15-6:15 p.m.

Monday through Thursday at St. Anthony of Padua Church. It includes adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Liturgy of the Hours and recitation of the rosary.

WEST HARWICH — Our Lady of Life Perpetual Adoration Chapel at Holy Trinity Parish, 246 Main Street, holds perpetual eucharistic adoration. For open hours or to sign up for an hour call 508-432-4716.

Miscellaneous Miscellaneous:

Father G. Michael Scully, CSC; educator and hospital chaplain

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Congregation of Holy Cross Father G. Michael Scully, 79, who served more than 56 years as a teacher of English and theater and in a second career as a hospital chaplain, died July 16 at Holy Cross House here.

Born in Quincy, Mass., the son of the late John and Theresa (Shea) Scully, he attended the minor seminary high school program at the University of Notre Dame. After high school he worked for two years in banking before returning the seminary in 1949. He professed first vows in the Congregation in 1952. Following studies at Stonehill College in North Easton, Mass. and Holy Cross College in Washington, D.C., he was ordained to the priesthood on June 5, 1958.

His teaching career took him to Notre Dame High School in Bridgeport, Conn., and Stonehill College. He also served as a parochial vicar at St. Patrick’s Parish in Wareham, Mass., from 1976 to 1977.

In 1978 he began ministering Father G. Michael as a chapScully, CSC lain at Cardinal Cushing Hospital in Brockton, Mass., and later at Framingham Hospital in Framingham.

He was granted senior status in

1990 and moved to the Holy Cross residence in North Dartmouth, Mass. In 1999, due to declining health, he moved to Holy Cross House on the campus of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.

Father Scully leaves six nieces; 11 grandnieces and nephews; and four great-grandnieces and nephews.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Joan Marie Foran.

His funeral Mass was celebrated July 22 in the Chapel of Mary at Stonehill College. Interment was in the Holy Cross Community Cemetery there.

The Kane Funeral Home of Easton was in charge of arrangements.

By Catholic News Service

“This is the first case within the Church in which a bishop receives a dispensation,” said Archbishop Antonini. “Yes, there have been many other priests the pope has left in the status of layman, but never a member of the hierarchy until today.”

The archbishop added, “It’s a great pain for the Church to lose a bishop, a priest whom we tried to dissuade from the political option up to the last day of his election campaign.

“But the Holy Father recog-

nized that he was elected by the majority of the people to lead Paraguay for the next five years,” he added.

The Vatican initially opposed Lugo’s campaign, and the day after the election Lugo asked forgiveness of the Church “if my attitude and my disobedience caused pain.”

Three days later, Archbishop Antonini visited the presidentelect to congratulate him and present him with a pen that was a gift from Pope Benedict XVI.

Vatican laicizes Paraguayan bishop elected new president

CHATHAM — A Tridentine Mass is celebrated 1 p.m. every Sunday at Our Lady of Grace Chapel on Route 137.

DARTMOUTH — A mahrajan — a Lebanese food, music, and heritage festival — to benefit Our Lady of Purgatory Maronite Catholic Church in New Bedford, will be held September 6, noon to 8 p.m., at the Horseneck Holy Ghost Grounds in Dartmouth. For more information call 617-803-4087.

FALL RIVER — A two-session Scripture study on the life and teachings of St. Paul regarding the Letters to the Ephesians will take place August 13 and 20 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the parish center of Holy Name Parish. All are welcome.

FALL RIVER — The Parish Nurse Basic Preparation Program will begin September 24, 5:30 to 9 p.m., in the Nannery Conference Room of St. Anne’s Hospital, 795 Middle Street. For more information call St. Anne’s Rectory at 508-673-7831.

FALL RIVER — The Portuguese TV Program “Boa Nova da Vida,” (“Good News For Life”) sponsored by the Communications Department of the Diocese of Fall River, will present the second part of the program “Divorce and the Catholic Church” August 20, 9:30 p.m.

MASHPEE — The Catholic Women’s Club of Christ the King Parish, at the Commons, will hold its Summer Fair August 16 from 1 to 5:30 p.m., and August 17, after all Masses. It will feature theme baskets, decorated glass lights, Christmas gifts, and original paintings and prints.

MASHPEE — “Summer Catholic Reflections,” a speakers series, opens August 11 at 7 p.m., at Christ the King Parish Hall, on the Commons. Mercy Sister Sharon A. Euart will be the speaker.

MASHPEE — MOMS, the Ministry of Mothers Sharing, at Christ the King Parish, at the Commons, is now accepting registrations for its fall sessions on Monday mornings, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. For information call 508-477-2837; or email: momsctk@cape.com.

NORTH ATTLEBORO — “Rainforest Adventure,” a week-long Bible Camp for children ages four to 10, will be held August 11-15 from 9 a.m., to 12:30 p.m., on the grounds of Sacred Heart Church, 58 Church Street. There will be Scripture stories, arts and crafts, story time, games, and snacks. For information call the parish at 508-6998383; or visit the parish Website: www.shna.org.

NORTH EASTON — A Day of Song, Adoration and Word for South Coast Hispanics will take place at the Father Peyton Center, 518 Washington Street, North Easton, on August 23 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. This event is open to the public and is for adults and children.

Music for the event will be provided by the group Restauracion, which will lead the participants in prayer, praise and song and will conclude with a procession and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Food will be available and a free-will offering will be taken up. For additional information call Holy Cross Family Ministries 508-238-4095, ext. 2027.

NORTH FALMOUTH — The 20th annual Christ the King Golf Classic benefit will be held September 21 at the Balleymeade Country Club.

For information and to register call 508-539-9330.

PROVINCETOWN — “Quiet Encounter,” a day of reflection for persons living with HIV/AIDS, as well as their caregivers, families and friends, will be held September 17, 10 a.m., to 3 p.m., in St. Peter the Apostle Church, 11 Prince Street. To register call 508-674-5600 ext. 2295.

Pro-Life

ATTLEBORO — Concerned faithful are needed to pray the rosary outside Four Women, Inc., an abortion clinic at 150 Emory Street, Thursdays from 3-4 p.m., or 4-5 p.m. and Saturdays from 7:30-8:30 a.m. For information call 508-238-5743.

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ASUNCION, Paraguay — The Vatican has laicized a bishop elected Paraguayan president, allowing him to take office in August without violating Church law, said the papal nuncio to Paraguay.

“The pope has granted him the loss of his clerical status ... he’s a layman now,” said Archbishop Orlando Antonini, the papal nuncio, at a press conference July 30.

Fernando Lugo, who became known as “the bishop of the poor,” was elected president of Paraguay April 20 after campaigning against corruption and for greater equality for the country’s indigenous people and poor peasant farmers. When Lugo takes office August 15, he will end the more than 60-year rule of the Colorado Party.

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks

Aug. 12 Rev. Victor O. Masse, M.S., Retired Pastor, St. Anthony, New Bedford, 1974 Aug. 13 Rev. Edward J. Sheridan, Pastor, St. Mary, Taunton, 1896 Rt. Rev. Leonard J. Daley, Pastor, St. Francis Xavier, Hyannis, 1964 Rev. Gabriel Swol, OFM Conv., Former Associate Pastor, Holy Rosary, Taunton, 1991 Aug. 14 Rev. Raphael Marciniak, OFM Conv., Pastor, Holy Cross, Fall River, 1947 Rev. Conrad Lamb, O.S.B., Missionary in Guatemala, 1969 Aug. 15 Rev. Charles W. Cullen, Founder, Holy Family, East Taunton, 1926 Aug. 17 Rev. Cornelius O’Connor, Former Pastor, Holy Trinity, Harwich Center, 1882 Rev. Msgr. Maurice Souza, Retired Pastor, St. Anthony, East Falmouth, 1996

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August 8, 2008 grace they are dedicated to the people of God, in conjunction with the bishop and his body of priests, in the service of the liturgy, of the Gospel, and of works of charity.”

Today’s deacon is called to be the presence of Jesus, touching the oppressed and the alienated, as well as being a source of encouragement to all the baptized in answering their call to service. By his life, the deacon makes visible

THE LATEST DEACONS — Bishop George W. Coleman ordained 13 men as permanent deacons at Corpus Christi Church last October. (Anchor file photo)

New diaconate class to open in fall continued from page three

to Apostolic times in the story of the Apostles in Acts 6:1-6. Up to the fifth century the diaconate flourished in the western Church, but after this period, for various reasons, it experienced a slow decline which ended in its surviving only as an intermediate step for candidates preparing for priestly ordination.

On June 18, 1967, Pope Paul VI approved the restoration of the permanent diaconate as an order of ministry in the hierarchy of the Church.

In doing so, the Holy Father was reflecting the mind-set of the Second Vatican Council, which earlier at its third session in October 1964, ratified the principle of the diaconate, and in the following

November the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church “Lumen Gentium” promulgated it.

The Council wrote in its 19th article of that document: “At a lower level of the hierarchy are deacons, who receive the imposition of hands ‘not unto the priesthood, but unto the ministry.’ For strengthened by sacramental

to the Church and to the world the redemptive service fulfilled by Jesus Christ.

Those who wish to apply to become permanent deacons in the Diocese of Fall River, should mail a letter of interest to: Msgr.

John J. Oliveira, Office of the Permanent Diaconate, 500 Slocum Road, Dartmouth MA 02747. He may also be contacted at the Permanent Diaconate Office at 508993-9935.