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t eanco VOL. 43, NO. 31 • Friday, August 13, 1999
FALL RIVER, MASS.
FALL RIVER DIOC~SAN N~WSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETIS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly • $14 Per Year
Bulger to be guest speaker at Red Mass dinner ~
The third annual Red Mass and celebrations on September26 will honormembers ofthe justice system whose names will be announced next week. By JAMES N. DUNBAR
FALL RIVER - University of Massachusetts President William M. Bulger will be the keynote speaker at the reception and dinner honoring five members of the state's justice system to be held Sept. 26 at 5 p.m., at White's of Westport, it was announced today by Father Mark R. Hession, chairman of the Red Mass planning committee. The celebrations, hosted by Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, OFM Cap., will begin with a concelebrated Mass in St. Mary's Cathedral, at 3 p.m., at which the bishop will be the principal celebrant, and the prestigious St. Thomas More medals will be presented. The guest homilist at the Mass will be Jesuit Father Walter Burghardt of the
Woodstock Theological Center. at Georgetown University, a well-known speaker and writer on the topic of social justice. Complementing the music by the Fall River Diocesan Choir will be Father Hession the Archdiocese of said that Bulger Boston's was chosen as the Black Cathomain speaker ''Belic Choir. "We tradicause he is of public tionally stature•.• a practichonor four ing Catholic... an atpeople each torney himself.•. year, a judge, an attorney, a and he is a fine member of friend to those of us the court's in the region!' personnel and an ecumenical recipient," Father Hession said. "But this year there will be five - and they will all be an-
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nounced next week." Father Hession identified "a sampling" of members of the planning committee "who those wishing to attend the celebrations may contact," as: J u d g e George Jacobs of New Bedford, Judge Elizabeth La Staiti of Padanarum, Judge Elizabeth Dolan of Harwichport, Attys. James Quirk and Anastasia WILLIAM M. BULGER Perrino of Cape Cod, Jerome Coogan of Attleboro, Joseph E. Harrington and Raymond Veary of New Bedford, and
Frederic J. Torphy and Patrick Cunningham of Fall River. "The purpose of the Red Mass is to honor those who work in the legal profession, and the celebrations are held just as October begins in accord with the ancient and now the American principle of the opening of the court year," explained Father Hession. "It was originally a European phenomenon, and even the Roman Rota marks the opening of its season in October too. It is an ancient tradition that we are now celebrating for the third year in our diocese." This year, the invited will include those in the public sector who practice law, Father Hession reported. Also invited will be members of the Diocesan Tribunal, "those canon lawyers who will be beginning their season of work." "It is called the Red Mass because of the red color of the vestments worn; because it is a Mass of the Holy Spirit," Father Hession noted. "And it is the invocation of the Holy Turn to page /3 - Red Mass
Well-known physician, deacon takes up canon law ~
Wanting to do more, Dr. Victor Haddad earns licentiate degree, begins work at Diocesan Tribunal. By MIKE GORDON ANCHOR STAFF
THIS MOSAIC from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington depicts the Assumption of Mary. Catholics will observe the feast on Sunday. It is one of the oldest feasts of Mary dating back to at least the seventh century. (eNS photo)
FALL RIVER - Dr. Victor Haddad of Somerset, a permanent deacon, was recently appointed as a judge in the Fall River Diocesan Marriage Tribunal Office by Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, OFM Cap., having received his licentiate in canon law from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. this past May. The 68-year-old retired doctor attended school on a full-time basis over the last two years and has become a role model for those seeking to live life to the fullest. Haddad said he first became interested in canon law during theology studies at Boston University and that he's "looking forward to serving the people of the Fall River Diocese through my work at the Tribunal. I wanted to serve the Church," he declared. Haddad is in charge of matrimonial cases of people coming to the Tribunal. Born in Egypt where he lived for
21 years before his family moved to Uruguay in 1952, Haddad enrolled in the University of Uruguay in Montevideo where he received his medical degree. He came to the United States in 1966 and completed his specialty training at the New England Medical Center in Boston, part of Tufts University. For close to 30 years Haddad worked as an obstetrician/gynecologist at Truesdale Hos-
pital and Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, but upon reaching the age of 55 decided that he needed a change. "I just felt I was due for a change," stated Haddad. After his retirement in 1987 he wanted to "start something that would carry me over for another 20-25 years." He found that change at ProviTurn to page /3 - Haddad
DEACON VICTOR Haddad begins his tenure as judge at the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal Office. (Anchor/Gordon photo)