08.15.08

Diocese of Fall River

The Anchor

F riday , August 15, 2008

Conference provides families with spiritual and moral support

By Gail Besse Anchor Correspondent

MEDWAY — Every Courage International conference Christine attends gives her more reason to persevere in hope for her son, who’s actively homosexual.

He cut off contact with her when Christine told him that she loved him but couldn’t condone his lifestyle.

“Through these conferences I’m able to witness so many people who have risen out the entrapment of same-sex attraction.” Christine said. This national gathering was held August 7-10 at the Marian Community in Medway, at the invitation of Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley.

Cardinal O’Malley praised Courage as “a support system that promotes dignity, respect and guidance for Catholic men and women who struggle with

homosexual attraction to live chaste lives in fellowship, truth and love.”

He joined in celebrating Mass with nearly 200 members of Courage and Encourage, its family support group, who attended this annual conference, which he called “an important event in the life of the Church.”

Courage has more than 110 chapters and contact persons worldwide offering spiritual, moral and fraternal support. The ministry is endorsed by the Pontifical Council for the Family.

“This offers the best hope for parents confronted by the challenge of a child determined to force them to give their blessing to same-sex acts,” Christine said. “The mantra is, ‘If you don’t approve of what I’m doing, then you don’t love me.’

This emotional blackmail has Turn to page 15

WALL OF FAME — Father Richard Lifrak, SS.CC., vocations director for the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary’s Provincial Office in Fairhaven, stands before one of the walls within the Damien of Molokai Center adorned with photographs and memorabilia of Blessed Damien de Veuster, who has been approved for future canonization. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza).

News of Blessed Damien miracle elates Fairhaven congregation

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

FAIRHAVEN — With the recent decree issued by Pope Benedict XVI on July 3 recognizing a miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Damien de Veuster of Molokai, the 19thcentury Hawaiian missionary and patron member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary has finally been put on the fast-track for future canonization.

The news was cause for much excitement at the Congregation

of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary’s Provincial Offices in Fairhaven, whose order has long venerated Blessed Damien not only as one of their own, but as a holy and righteous man who spent the last 16 years of his life doing God’s work by caring for people with leprosy on the Hawaiian island of Molokai until succumbing to the disease himself in 1889.

Father William Petrie, SS.CC., provincial, recently visited the Molokai Diocese in Hawaii and expressed how thrilled he was to

learn of Blessed Damien’s eventual sainthood.

“It is such a great joy for our congregation … and especially (for) the people who live on the island of Molokai,” Father Petrie said. “Bishop Larry Silva of Molokai made a comment when the news was released, saying it was God who created the miracle of Father Damien and it was God who accomplished the healing through his intercession that allowed his cause for sainthood. I think we’re looking at Damien as Turn to page 15

EWTN conversion to digital age means full 24-hour access for Comcast users

Today, August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven, is a holy day on which Catholics are obliged to attend Mass.

By Dave Jolivet, Editor

FALL RIVER — On July 15 a southeastern Massachusetts broadcast mainstay seemed to disappear into the airwaves for some subscribers of Comcast Cable TV from the Attleboros through Cape Cod and the Islands. EWTN, the global Catholic Network, formerly on cable channel 56 for Comcast customers with the extended basic package transformed from an analog station to the new digital lineup.

The Anchor office and the Office of Communications were two of the diocesan ministries to which folks turned to find out what happened to their beloved EWTN programming.

In a recent interview with Comcast spokesperson

Jennifer Niloff, The Anchor learned that the change over is not as devastating as some people feared. In fact, the new lineup will provide subscribers with EWTN coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week — something that was not previously available.

EWTN had shared air time with CatholicTV (formerly BCTV, a Catholic station airing from the Boston Archdiocese) and the Inspirational Channel, airing programs from various Christian denominations.

The change is part of federal legislation requiring all television broadcasts to be digital by February 2009.

According to Comcast, the switch from the extendTurn to page 18

News From the Vatican

2

August 15, 2008

Pope tells priests to be generous giving sacraments to young people

VATICAN CITY (CNS) ­­ Pope Benedict XVI said the — Church should be generous when it comes to administering the sacraments to young people, recognizing that Jesus would have done the same.

The pope made the remarks in a closed-door meeting August 6 with about 400 priests and religious in the northern Italian city of Bressanone, where the 81-yearold pontiff was vacationing.

Although reporters were not allowed inside the city's cathedral for the one-hour encounter, the Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, described some of the give and take in an interview with Vatican Radio.

One of six questions posed by priests touched on the pastoral care of children, Father Lombardi said. In his response, the pope

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spoke about the need to take a broad approach to the administration of sacraments, reflecting the merciful attitude shown by Christ.

"The pope said, 'I used to be more strict about this, but the example of Christ led me to become more welcoming in cases in which, perhaps, there is not a mature and solid faith, but there is a glimmer, a desire of communion with the Church,'" the spokesman said.

The pope concluded that in such cases one can be "broader and more generous in the administration of the sacraments," Father Lombardi said.

The spokesman said the pope answered questions with a combination of clarity and humility, underlining at times that what he was imparting was his own best advice, not an infallible response.

Asked about environmental issues, the pope said that in recent times the Church has made a greater effort to connect its teachings on redemption with the need to safeguard the gifts of creation.

He said the real threat facing the planet and the human being today is a materialistic vision that denies God and denies the need to use creation responsibly.

CONTRASTING EMOTIONS — A boy poses near policemen in front of the Forbidden City ahead of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games recently. (CNS photo/Jason Reed, Reuters)

Pope: As China's influence grows, it should open itself to Gospel

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI, visiting the birthplace of an Italian missionary to China, said that as China's economic, cultural and political influence grows, "it is important that this great nation opens itself to the Gospel."

St. Joseph Freinademetz, who was born in the northern Italian village of Oies, showed the Chinese people of the late 18th century that it was possible to maintain their culture and remain fully Chinese while embracing the Gospel, the pope said.

The pope and his brother, Msgr.

Georg Ratzinger, went by helicopter August 5 from their vacation residence at the Bressanone seminary to Oies to visit the house where St. Freinademetz was born.

Speaking to several thousand people who had gathered to see him in Oies, Pope Benedict said the saint "shows us the path of life and is also a sign for the future of the church."

"He is a saint of great relevance: We know that China is becoming more and more important in political and economic life and also in the life of ideas," the pope said.

The pope said St. Freinademetz demonstrated to the Chinese people of his day the fact that "the faith does not mean an alienation from any culture for any people because all cultures await Christ and are not destroyed by the Lord.

In fact, they reach their maturity."

Pope Benedict prayed that the saint would be a model for all Christians, reminding them to live their faith and to realize that only in Christ will peoples and cultures unite.

The papal trip to Oies was the first publicly announced outing of the pope's July 28-August 11 stay

in the northern Italian Alps.

But after spending a week behind the Bressanone seminary walls, Pope Benedict paid an unannounced visit August 3 to the nearby village of Sant'Andrea, praying at the tomb of Father Anton Agreider, a missionary friend who died in 2003.

No one was expecting the pope and, in fact, the pastor of the Church of St. Andrew, where the village cemetery is located, was on vacation and missed the papal visit.

Margit Jocher, who lives across the street, told the Italian news agency ANSA: "I saw the dark cars stop right out front. The pope and his brother (Msgr. Ratzinger) got out and went toward the tomb."

A few people in the village came out to see what the commotion was, but the pope's security detail would let only the children get close to the pope. Jocher's daughter and son, Johanna and Mathias, were among them.

Things were different in Oies, a small collection of houses outside Val Badia, which was part of Austria when St. Freinademetz was born in 1852, but is now part of Italy.

The Vatican had given villagers

The Anchor

and visitors three days to prepare for the papal visit; locals organized a small concert for him in the church and outsiders trekked over hills and through meadows to be on hand.

The pope's remarks about China in St. Freinademetz's home village came just two days after Pope Benedict had expressed his best wishes for China as it hosts the Olympics.

Vatican Radio asked Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, if China was particularly present in the pope's thoughts and the spokesman responded, "The Church continually has its heart turned toward China," as does the pope.

The example of St. Freinademetz "is very important," Father Lombardi said. "He went through a process of learning about and appreciating Chinese culture" and in the end was "extremely loved by the Chinese."

The saint's example, he said, shows "the possibility of understanding one another, of dialogue and of bringing a spiritual message to China with full respect for the extraordinary culture of this great country."

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 52, No. 30

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Published weekly except for two weeks in the summer and the week after Christmas by the Catholic Press of the Diocese of Fall River, 887 Highland Avenue, Fall River, MA 02720, Telephone 508-675-7151 — FAX 508-675-7048, email: theanchor@anchornews.org.

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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 kensouza@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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August 15, 2008

The International Church

LIFE AND DEATH — Doves fly over Peace Memorial Park at a ceremony in Hiroshima, Japan, August 6, the 63nd anniversary of the world's first atomic bombing. (CNS photo, Kyodo, Reuters)

Anglican leader calls for moratorium on practices causing wide division

CANTERBURY, England (CNS) — The spiritual head of the worldwide Anglican Communion called for moratoriums on the blessing of same-sex unions, the ordination of openly gay people and naming bishops for disgruntled Anglicans in other church jurisdictions.

"I hope that a little more mutual responsibility and accountability, a bit more willingness to walk in step will make us more like a church" rather than a loose collection of nation-based Christian communities, Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury said at an August 3 press conference.

The archbishop spoke at the end of the Lambeth Conference, a 19-day meeting of Anglican bishops from around the world.

Nearly 200 bishops declined their invitations to participate because of the presence of bishops from North America, where some dioceses bless same-sex unions and where an openly gay priest was ordained a bishop.

Asked about future talks on

unity with the Vatican, the archbishop said, "While full, visible unity may, from the perspective of the Vatican, look further off than they would like in light of some of the decisions made by Anglican provinces — particularly around the issue of the ordination of women — I don't think that's a reason for suspending the dialogue or giving up on it."

Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, in offering "Roman Catholic Reflections on the Anglican Communion," said he spoke "as a friend" representing a Church committed to dialogue with Anglicans and praying that the Anglican Communion does not split as a result of differences over ordaining women and over homosexuality.

But he candidly told the Anglican bishops that the ordination of women priests, and especially women bishops, makes the goal of Anglican-Roman Catholic full, visible union much more difficult to envisage.

"While our dialogue has led

Pope calls for immediate end to military action in Georgia

BRESSANONE, Italy (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI appealed for an immediate end to military operations in Georgia and its breakaway province of South Ossetia.

Citing reports of heavy civilian casualties and a large number of refugees, the pope called on the international community to act quickly to bring Russian and Georgian leaders to the bargaining table.

"It is my fervent wish that military actions cease immediately,"

the pope said August 10.

He urged both sides to "refrain, also in the name of a common Christian heritage, from further confrontations and violent retaliations that could degenerate into a wider conflict."

The pope said he was praying along with Orthodox Christians, who form the majority of the populations in Georgia and Russia, so that peace will come to the region.

to significant agreement on the understanding of ministry, the ordination of women to the episcopate effectively and definitively blocks a possible recognition of

Anglican orders by the Catholic Church," Cardinal Kasper said.

"It now seems that full visible communion as the aim of our dialogue has receded further," the cardinal added..

However, the dialogue will continue and "could still lead to good results," the cardinal said, but "it would not be sustained by the dynamism which arises from the realistic possibility of the unity Christ asks of us, or the shared partaking of the one Lord's table, for which we so earnestly long."

The Vatican, said Cardinal Kasper, needed to find a transparent and honest way to maintain its official dialogue with the Anglican Communion while responding to requests for a more intense relationship sought by some Anglicans who feel their positions are closer to those of the Vatican.

In an apparent reference to the desire to affirm the equal dignity of women and men and of heterosexuals and homosexuals, the cardinal said the Catholic Church was not asking the Anglican Communion to renounce "your deep attentiveness to human challenges and struggles, your desire for human dignity and justice (or) your concern with the active role of all women and men in the church."

But, the cardinal said, respond-

3 ing to challenges posed by modern sensitivities requires solutions that are clearly in line with the teaching of the Gospel and the constant tradition recognized not only by Roman Catholics, but also by the Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox as well.

The Anglican Communion needs to find a way to affirm the dignity of all people and encourage the active role of women in the church while remaining faithful to the Christian tradition and Scriptures, said Cardinal Kasper.

The Catholic Church is convinced that its teaching that homosexual activity is sinful "is well-founded in the Old and in the New Testament" as well as in the tradition of Christianity, he added.

Archbishop Williams told the press that details for structures ensuring greater unity within the Anglican Communion and a covenant that every province would be asked to sign "still need a good deal of clarification."

Respecting the moratorium should create "space for study and free discussion without pressure" and for an affirmation that "the onus of proof is on those who seek a new understanding" of how to interpret Scripture and tradition, Archbishop Williams said.

4

The Church in the U.S.

August 15, 2008

Supreme Knight reiterates call to end abortion, support marriage

QUEBEC CITY (CNS) — Supreme Knight Carl Anderson challenged American Catholics to overturn the "regime of Roe v.

Wade" in November by withholding their vote from any candidate who supports abortion.

He made the comments during an address to the 126th annual convention of the Knights of Columbus in Quebec City.

In a wide-ranging 68-minute report that reviewed the organization's accomplishments during the last year, Anderson saved his strongest comments for nearly the end of his address. He criticized politicians of all parties who court Catholic voters by saying that abortion is one of many issues that deserve attention in any election.

"It's time to put away the arguments of political spin masters that only serve to justify abortion killing," Anderson said.

In apparent reference to Sen. Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, Anderson said change in the country can come only when the practice of aborting unborn children ends.

"We have all heard a great deal this year about the need for change," he said. "But at the same time we are told one thing cannot change, namely the abortion regime of Roe v. Wade. It is time that we demand real change and real change means the end of Roe v. Wade."

"It's time to stop accommodating pro-abortion politicians, and it's time we start demanding that they accommodate us," Anderson added.

He said he was not singling out candidates from any political for criticism.

During his speech, Anderson said voters in California, Colorado and South Dakota have the

chance to limit abortion by voting for ballot initiatives November 8.

Anderson also promised that the Knights would remain focused on protecting marriage as a life issue. He cited a second set of constitutional amendments on the November ballot in Arizona, California and Florida that would define marriage as the union of a man and a woman or ban polygamy, group marriage and same-sex marriage.

Focusing on the California ballot issue, Anderson took aim at the state Supreme Court, which ruled four to three on May 15 that such same-sex couples have the right to have the state designate their civil unions as marriages, in essence legalizing same-sex marriage.

Saying that the court's justices took it "upon themselves to ignore the will of the people and impose a radical new interpretation of the law," the supreme knight called for Californians to let their voices be heard by voting for the constitutional amendment.

In support of marriage, Anderson unveiled a new initiative designed to strengthen families by supporting fathers in family settings.

Called Fathers for Good, the initiative provides tools and encouragement "we all need to realize our potential as husbands and fathers," he said.

Through its own Website unveiled August 5, FathersforGood. org, the program offers fathers advice on parenting, the importance of fathers to a family, being a good role model and spirituality.

"With Fathers for Good we will add a new structure and new resources to our efforts to strengthen families and provide the tools and encouragement we all need to realize our potential as husbands and fathers," he said.

DEEP IN PRAYER ­—Nancy Valencia Lacayo, from the Archdiocese of New York, prays at Mass during the national encounter of the Cursillo movement at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. A Cursillo, Spanish for "little course," is a three-day retreat focused on prayer, study and Christian action. (CNS photo/Bob Roller)

For participants, Cursillo encounter renewed faith

By Geoffrey A. Brooke Jr. Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON — For adults seeking to renew their faith, the place to be August 1 was the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington.

Auxiliary Bishop Francisco Gonzalez of Washington celebrated Mass at the shrine as part of the 18th National Cursillo Encounter, held July 31-August 3 at The Catholic University of America.

The theme for this year's encounter was "Christ Is Our Light."

The Cursillo movement seeks to promote faith renewal for adults.

Buck Reibsome, from the Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa., was attending the encounter for the first time. He told Catholic News

Service that a desire to "fall in love with Christ again, (to) renew that feeling," prompted him to come to Washington for the event.

It also was the first time the national encounter took place in the nation's capital.

Ted Rosentreter from Kansas City, Kan., attended an encounter in Dallas last year and came this year because "the national encounter can be just as invigorating as the first Cursillo," which is a three-day weekend focused on prayer, study and Christian action. Participants are called Cursillistas.

Concelebrants for the Mass at the national shrine were priests from all over the country who were attending the encounter with their parishioners.

In his homily, Bishop Gonzalez focused on spreading God's message and how those attending could return to their hometowns and aid others in spiritual growth.

He urged the Cursillistas to "go preach and proclaim, not your word, but (God's) word."

"God does not go for mediocrity. God is all or nothing," said the bishop.

He added, "The greatest impediment in spiritual growth is not sin itself, because we can repent. It is fear, fear to say 'yes God, your servant is listening,' fear of not knowing 100 percent what will happen to you."

Bishop Gonzalez suggested that one must first remove what prevents him or her from being a prophet. "If I don't remove what prevents me, I will never be close to God," he said.

"When you fail, you need to genuflect, keep on walking, because you believe in a living God," he said.

Bishop Gonzalez was national chaplain for the Cursillo movement 1987-89 and currently is spiritual adviser to the movement for the Archdiocese of Washington.

Planning for the national encounter involved seven different language groups, represented by 60 volunteers working under the direction of Jacquelyn DeMesmeGray, encounter coordinator.

She and her team worked for a year and a half preparing for the event.

As a symbol of the movement's diversity, the volunteers wore "De Colores" vests at the Mass. The vests were multicolored and resembled a rainbow.

The Mass itself incorporated three languages. Most of the liturgy was in English. However, Bishop Gonzalez spoke in Spanish when he welcomed the congregation, and when he delivered his homily, he alternated between Spanish and English. The first reading, from the Book of Jeremiah, was read in Korean.

It was the 10th national encounter for Peter Lasher of the Diocese of St. Augustine, Fla. This year's was "beautiful, especially in our nation's capital, with the church of Mary, we are blessed to be here," he said.

Lasher said his continued involvement with Cursillo has revitalized his faith and led him to become the movement's Englishlanguage coordinator for the Southeast region.

August 15, 2008

The Church in the U.S.

5

Parents play vital role in children's education says Cardinal Arinze

HELPING ANYWAY THEY CAN — An Iraqi girl looks at a U.S. soldier as he tries to tie the strap of her school bag. U.S. forces distributed the bags to pupils during the opening ceremony of a primary school after its renovation in Mahmudiya, about 20 miles south of Baghdad, Iraq, recently. (CNS photo/Ibrahim Sultan, Reuters)

Archbishop for U.S. military asks prayers for men, women in uniform

By Lynnea Pruzinsky Mumola Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON — Leading prayers for a "lasting and just peace," Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services urged the faithful to remember all service men and women deceased, wounded in action and deployed.

"This afternoon we beg our eucharistic Lord to make us instruments of peace," Archbishop Broglio said at a Holy Hour for armed forces personnel recently at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington.

"We cannot fail to experience the power of Jesus Christ in the exposed sacrament," he said.

Reminding the faithful that Pope Benedict XVI declared June 2008 to June 2009 as the year of St. Paul, the archbishop turned to Paul's writings of peace. "Is this a strange message in a time of war?

I think not," the prelate added.

He remembered all those touched by war, especially those families affected by the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The archbishop prayed at length for all victims of war, those who have died and those who have been wounded on "all sides of the conflict."

"We cannot undo their physical and mental anguish but we can ask God to alleviate their struggles and strengthen them for their trials," Archbishop Broglio

said.

In his reflection, the archbishop also remembered the chaplains of the armed forces, as well as the families of victims who mourn a loss or continue to care for the wounded.

Installed last January to head the military archdiocese, Archbishop Broglio led more than 250 people gathered for the late afternoon liturgy; they included veterans, widows, parents of soldiers, women religious, priests and seminarians.

He urged all to "open our hearts and minds to the riches of world cultures. We can promote peace with our thoughts, words and deeds."

Outside on a street near the national shrine a handful of people protested all wars with banners and a drum, but prayers for peace continued in the shrine's crypt church.

Later Archbishop Broglio told the Catholic Standard, Washington's archdiocesan newspaper, that it is the "desire of every human being to live in peace," including those he has met within the armed forces. "They are obedient, and they do what they have to do," he added.

The prelate noted that he was surprised and pleased by the turnout for the Holy Hour, which the military archdiocese organized as an official reminder of the "genuine need to pray for and with"

members of the military who are currently deployed, those who are wounded and those who have died.

Dominican Father Basil Cole said he was there to support Archbishop Broglio and pray for the armed forces.

For Barbara Wilson of St. Patrick's Parish in Rockville, Md., prayer has been the center of family life. "I love the military, and I wanted to come to pray for all those who are deployed," she said.

Wilson, who described herself as a military wife, raised eight children with her husband, who retired from the military after 30 years of service. He died recently and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, just across the Potomac River from Washington. "We always had our faith as a family," Wilson added.

Alma Pitts drove from Baltimore with friends to attend the Holy Hour and pray for peace because she is concerned about the Iraq War. Cecilia and Jim Hoffman of St. Aloysius Parish in Leonardtown, Md., prayed for their son, Army 1st Lt. Matthew Hoffman, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., who has been serving in Iraq since September 2007.

"This was absolutely beautiful," Cecilia Hoffman said of the liturgy. "That's what gets us through — prayer."

BLOOMINGDALE, Ohio (CNS) — Parents play a vital role in the education of their children because "the family is the basic cell of society," Cardinal Francis Arinze told families gathered at Catholic Familyland in Bloomingdale in mid-July.

"Religion is caught rather than taught, although we also need religious teaching," said the cardinal, who is prefect of the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments For more than 20 years, the cardinal has been attending one of the annual family fests held annually by the Apostolate for Family Consecration at its 950acre family retreat center in Bloomingdale.

For four weeks every summer, the grounds of Catholic Familyland are open to families from all over the world for the family fests.

In his talk Cardinal Arinze quoted Pope Paul VI as saying, "The world listens to witnesses rather than to teachers; and if it listens to teachers, it is because they are first witnesses."

The first and most important place to learn the faith then is at home, he said, stressing the

importance of not only family prayer, but regular attendance at Mass and reception of the sacraments as well as the reading of spiritual books.

Later in a homily during Mass, Cardinal Arinze spoke of the message of Christian hope and its connection to knowledge of the faith.

"Hope is a key word in biblical faith," he said. "To come to know God means to receive hope."

Cardinal Arinze said that man's reason can be misleading unless it is first enlightened by faith, and ultimately knowledge of God. "God gives the promise of eternal life," said Cardinal Arinze, "which is our final hope."

He asked families to look to the Holy Family as a model for pure, self-sacrificing love to lead one another closer to God. The Apostolate for Family Consecration was created by Jerry Coniker and his late wife, Gwen, in 1975 as a way to help families learn about their faith. It is an umbrella organization over the Catholic family park and Catholic Familyland Television network.

6

The Anchor

The Church’s earnest recommendation and clear preference

Today we celebrate the Assumption of our Lady, body and soul, into heaven. It is a feast on which we celebrate not only the reality of heaven and the passage of our spiritual Mother to the outstretched arms of her Son, but also the eternal destiny of the human body.

The human body, and not just the human soul, is made for eternity. Since Mary’s body never knew sin — because her flesh never warred against her soul — it was assumed together with her soul at the end of her earthly life. For the rest of us, death separates our body and soul, but, as we proclaim every Sunday in the Creed, we await the resurrection of the body when our bodies will be reunited with our souls for the general judgment and, Godwilling, enter eternal communion with all the saints.

The eternal destiny of the human body shows us that our body is sacred. Once washed in baptism, it becomes the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is nourished with the Bread of Life. It is anointed with sacred chrism and with the oil of the sacrament of the sick. As Pope John Paul II once called it, the human body is the “sacrament of the person,” the visible sign of the unity of body and soul through which the person interacts with the world. It is the means by which we are able to enter into a one-flesh life-giving communion of love. The woman’s body is a hallowed sanctuary for every person’s first 40 weeks of life. The greatest witness, however, to the dignity of the human body is that the eternal Son of God took one to himself and redeemed it. God the Father prepared for him a body (Heb 10:5) so that he — every day of his life but especially at its culmination — could say, “this is my body given for you.”

Jesus’ bodily resurrection, like his mother’s assumption, shows how holy the body is, that it is meant for heaven.

For that reason, when a human being dies and the soul is separated from the body, the Church, while praying for the person’s soul, has always shown great reverence for the body, knowing that it is destined for eternity. The early Christians always sought reverently to bury the bodies of their loved ones with the same reverence with which Joseph of Arimathea and the faithful women at the foot of the cross buried Jesus’ body in Joseph’s newly-hewn tomb. This was in sharp contract to the practice of most of the Greco-Roman pagans who surrounded them. They identified the person with the soul and viewed the body merely as an instrument or prison of the soul; since the body no longer had a purpose after the soul was separated from it, in most places it was destroyed through cremation.

The Christians, however, never annihilated loved one’s bodies through cremation. The fact that Christians never incinerated their dead was a distinctive mark of the Church against which the Church’s enemies repeatedly acted. In the early Church, some of the Roman persecutors would burn the bodies of the martyrs in a failed attempt to prevent their eventual resurrection — thereby trying to scare the living from following the martyrs’ example. In later times, like the anti-Catholic excesses of the French Revolution or of secularist countries dominated by the Masons, strong efforts promoting cremation were made precisely to try to eradicate Christian beliefs. Since cremation was almost always associated with a disbelief in bodily resurrection and was inconsistent with the dignity and destiny of the human body, the Church explicitly, repeatedly and strictly forbade it.

That ban lasted until 1963, when the Church for the first time, while reiterating the importance of full-body burial, began to permit cremation in “extraordinary circumstances,” provided that it was not done for reasons contrary to Catholic belief. As the 1983 Code of Canon Law stated, “The Church earnestly recommends that the pious custom of burying the bodies of the dead be observed,” while adding that it did not forbid cremation unless it is chosen for reasons contrary to Christian teaching (Canon 1176). In 1989, the revised Order of Christian Funerals stressed, “Although cremation is now permitted by the Church, it does not enjoy the same value as burial of the body” and “The Church clearly prefers and urges that the body of the deceased be present for the funeral rites.” It added, “The Church’s teaching in regard to the human body as well as the Church’s preference for burial of the body should be a regular part of catechesis on all levels and pastors should make particular efforts to preserve this important teaching” (OCF 413-414).

It seems clear, however, that this “important teaching” and “earnest recommendation” on the part of the Church have not been getting effectively transmitted. Especially in some areas of the Diocese of Fall River, cremation has become the norm for Christian funerals rather than an exception “when extraordinary circumstances make the cremation of a body the only feasible choice” (OCF 415).

The Church’s stress on catechesis shows that she recognizes that the time to transmit the Church’s “clear preference” for full-body burial is not after a parish receives a call from a local funeral home that someone requesting cremation has died. It’s well before, as Catholics are beginning to the think about how to follow Christ in death and burial. That catechesis is becoming increasingly urgent and necessary — especially since the Church in our country in 1997 allowed funeral Masses in the presence of cremated remains — because the more Catholics see funerals in the presence of “cremains,” the more they seem to be drawing the conclusion that, contrary to Church teaching, cremation is equivalent in value to full-body burial.

The feast of the Assumption of Our Lady and its indication of the eternal destiny of the human body is a good time for every faithful Catholic to consider how they will respond to the Church’s “earnest recommendation” and “clear preference” that they be buried fullbody style like Christ. It is an occasion for those who have sought to proclaim their faith in Christ during their lifetime to ask how they want to proclaim their faith in him and in the resurrection of the body after they die.

The fact that the Church now permits cremation “when extraordinary circumstances make the cremation of a body the only feasible choice” means that Catholics who seek to be faithful to what the Church is asking should choose it only in the rare circumstance when full-body burial is basically not realizable. The Church does not define what those extraordinary circumstances might be, since what is extraordinary may vary from one time, family, locale or situation of death to another. But it does clearly frame the question that Catholics and their families ought to be asking. The question for a faithful Catholic is not, “Do I prefer to be buried or cremated?” The question is, “Is there any extraordinary reason why it would not be feasible for me to be buried full-body style?”

August 15, 2008

The face of the Good Samaritan

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uring my seminary years in Rome, Maigret prophetically introduced him to the when we needed a vacation but colony of lepers as “one who will be a father to didn’t have much money to spend, we would you, and who loves you so much that he does generally head to Belgium. It was pretty easy not hesitate to become one of you, to live and to find a cheap, direct flight to Brussels on die with you."

Sabena Airlines and we were able to stay The 33-year old priest got right down to for free at the American College in Louvain, work — every type of work. He built churches, the U.S. bishops’ other seminary in Europe. homes and beds. He created farms and schools From there, we could take day trips to Ghent, and fought to enforce basic laws. He fought to Bruges, Antwerp, Amsterdam, the Marian have medicine sent and to get them whatever shrine of Beauraing, the cathedrals of northern medical care was possible. At first, it was hard France and more. for him to approach the lepers because he During my first trip to Louvain in 1997, had a natural revulsion to the fetid odor given however, I discovered that my favorite off by the leprous sores. To overcome this pilgrimage spot was only a five-minute walk olfactory repugnance, he began to smoke a away. pipe so that the smell of tobacco would make On our first night there, while heading to it possible for him to approach the lepers with the main square of this historic college town dignity as he began to dress their ulcers. to sample Belgium’s world famous monastery While what he could do for their deterioratbeers, we passed a little chapel dedicated to ing bodies was limited, he knew that he could St. Anthony. We decided to stop in and make a help prepare their souls to meet the Lord. visit to the Blessed Sacrament.

The first thing he did was to begin to care for As we were leaving, next to the exit, there funeral rites. He knew that if they saw how was a staircase heading to the crypt of the much care he showed them at their deaths, church that had a sign in French and Flemthey might begin to sense the value of their ish saying, “Tomb of Blessed Damien de lives. He brought them the sacraments at their Veuster.” We looked at each other with dubibedsides and tidied their rooms and beds to ous glances, not await the immihaving any clue nent visit of the as to how the Lord Jesus. He tomb of the great formed choirs, missionary to taught them the Molokai lephow to sing ers had ended up beautiful hymns in a small church at Requiem

By Father in Louvain.

Masses, and Roger J. Landry Taking the taught others to stairs down, we play accompadiscovered a nying musical modern chapel with many photos of Father instruments. He made coffins. He cleaned the Damien. In the center was a large black cemetery and adorned it with flowers. marble tomb. Short history cards on the walls At the same time he instituted perpetual addescribed that Father Damien was originally oration, so that the lepers would know that the buried in 1889 in Molokai, but in 1936 the Lord Jesus was with them always and would Belgian government asked that his body be have the opportunity to pour out their hearts to returned to Belgium. Since Leuven is close to him in their need. Father Damien knew, too, the village where he was born, he was buried that this was what sustained him. “I find my in this chapel. consolation,” he wrote in one of his letters, “in I felt like I had literally found a buried trea- the one and only companion who will never sure. For each of the days of our vacation, I leave me, that is, our Divine Savior in the Holy returned here to pray. Father Damien’s priestly Eucharist.… Without the Blessed Sacrament example had always fascinated me, but I had a position like mine would be unbearable. But never really invoked him as an intercessor. having Our Lord at my side, I continue always Now, as I was preparing for my own priestly to be happy and content.” ordination, I came to ask his help that I might It is unsurprising that his witness began to imitate his priestly witness of pastoral charity, win over the members of his community. Six courage and daily self-sacrifice. I’ve used him months after his arrival, he had 400 people preas an intercessor ever since. paring for baptism. A cheerful spirit began to With so many in Hawaii, with the Conradiate in the community in place of dejection. gregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and His greatest cross, he said, was not having Mary, and with others throughout the world, another priest to whom to go to confession.

I rejoiced on July 3 at the news that Pope Despite the accolades he was gaining from the Benedict had accepted a miracle that paves stories about him across the globe, he humbly the way for Father Damien’s long-awaited knew how much he needed the Lord’s forgivecanonization. ness. He would often have to row out to ships Many of us know the story of soon-to-be in the harbor, ask if there were a chaplain on St. Damien of Molokai. Born in Belgium, he board and then, since he was prevented from followed his brother August into the Congrega- coming on board, without shame shout up his tion of the Sacred Hearts. When he was 24, as sins to the confessor. It was a great witness to his brother was too ill to go as a missionary to sailors, priests and lepers alike.

Hawaii, Damien took his place. There he was In December of 1884, he discovered that ordained a priest and worked for nine years he had contracted leprosy. He wrote, “My eyemostly on the island of Hawaii. He showed brows are beginning to fall out. Soon I will be early signs of his pastoral zeal in a letter he disfigured entirely. Having no doubts about the wrote to his parents, imploring them, “Do not true nature of my disease, I am calm, resigned, forget this poor priest running over the volcaand very happy in the midst of my people.” noes night and day in search of strayed sheep.

To those who asked him how he was holding Pray night and day for me, I beg you.” up, he said, “Our Lord will give me the graces In 1873, Bishop Louis Maigret briefed the I need to carry my cross and follow him, even Sacred Hearts Fathers on the need for priestly to our special Calvary at Kalawao.” He died on ministrations in Kalaupapa on the Island of Tuesday of Holy Week in 1889.

Molokai, which King Kamehameha V had set Just as the Lord Jesus loved us enough that up seven years earlier to quarantine lepers. Of he came into our world, took on our human the 816 with Hansen’s Disease in the enclave, flesh, and redeemed it, so Father Damien 200 were Catholic, and he had received letters entered into the lepers’ world, courageously from several of them begging him to send a took on their dreaded disease, and united it and priest so that they might suffer and die with them to the Lord. He became for them and for the consolation of the sacraments. The bishop us an icon of Christ's tenderness and mercy knew what he was proposing: a slow martyrfor every person, revealing the beauty of his dom, as chaplain to a walking graveyard. Fully soul that no illness, however repulsive, can conscious of the consequences, Father Damien disfigure. stepped forward to take the assignment.

He will forever be the face of the Good When he arrived on May 10, Bishop Samaritan.

Putting Into the Deep

August 15, 2008

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The varieties of Islam

(from shiat-Ali, “partisans of fter the death of MuAli”), while the majority followhammad in 632, the ing Abu Bakr became known as Islamic community split into the “people of the sunna” (sunna two major groups. One was led means custom or tradition) or

by Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law, Ali, who claimed appointment by the Prophet himself.

The larger and politiThe Fullness cally more successful of the Truth party chose Abu Bakr, Muhammad’s closest

By Father friend and one of the Thomas M. Kocik first converts to Islam.

These successors of Muhammad were called Sunni Muslims. Whereas the caliphs, or deputies. They were Sunnis believed that the caliphs to rule Islam and the Islamic elected to succeed Muhammad Arab state as Muhammad did, were Islam’s legitimate authoribut they claimed no prophetic role, for all agreed that prophecy ties, the Shi’ites insisted that only the descendents of Ali, or died with Muhammad. imams, could rule. The Shi’ites The Ali faction became were the eventual losers in a known as the Shi’ite Muslims

violent, decades-long struggle for mastery, a fact now reflected by their minority status within global Islam. Today 85 percent of all Muslims are Sunnis; most Iranians and Iraqis are Shi’ites. According to Shi’ite tradition, the twelfth Imam, al-Mahdi (ninth century), was taken up into the supernatural realm and will return before the end of the world as champion of the faithful (much as Christians hold that Jesus ascended to heaven and will return); in the meantime, the religious governors of the community are the ayatollahs, a title of recent origin and unknown to classical Islamic history.

Then there is Sufism, commonly described as Islam’s

Solemn opening of Pauline Year in Rome

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truth of this love that gave Paul he Pauline Year was the freedom courageously to opened by the Holy proclaim the Gospel throughout Father with a solemn address at the world, never cowed by fear, the tomb of the Apostle at the never watering down the truth Basilica of St. Paul outside the of Jesus Christ, and him cruciWalls in Rome. Present with Pope Benedict were the Patriarch fied. Benedict XVI again: “He of Constantinople, Bartholomew who loves Christ as Paul loved him, can truly do what he wills, I, and delegations from many of the towns associated with the life because his love is united to the will of Christ and, therefore, to of St. Paul: Jerusalem, Antioch the will of God.” and Cyprus, among others. The His second meditation is on core of his address was a brief meditation on three texts from the New Testament, texts which the Holy Living the Father chose in order to ponder the questions Pauline Year “Who was Paul?” and “What is he saying to

By Father Andrew me?”

Johnson, OCSO He begins with this passage from the Letter to the Galatians: "I live in the text taken from the Acts of the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself up for the Apostles that contains the me." This is Paul’s most personal words of the Risen Lord to Saul: "Saul, Saul, why do you persetestimony of faith. Jesus died on cute me?" He answered: "Who the cross, not for a principle or are you, Lord?" And he received even a cause, but for Paul, first the reply: "I am Jesus, whom you person singular, and likewise for are persecuting." This raises a each one of us. In the words of most important theme for Paul: the Holy Father, “All that Paul the inseparability of Christ and does starts from this center. His his Church. He and his Church faith is the experience of being are a single subject, never to loved by Jesus Christ in a totally be sundered. Christ’s ascenpersonal way; it is awareness of sion into heaven did not leave the fact that Christ faced death his followers forsaken, but, in a not for something anonymous, sacred paradox, united them with but for love of him, of Paul….

His faith is having been captured him for ever. Though Risen, he by the love of Jesus Christ, a love remains flesh: “See, I have flesh and bones," affirms the Risen that affects him in his innermost One in Luke, in the face of the being and transforms him. His disciples who thought he was faith is not a theory, an option about God or the world. His faith a ghost. He has a body, a risen body. And he has a body still is the impact of the love of God on earth, since he is personally on his heart.” All that Paul had present in the Church. Head and to suffer seemed as nothing, as body form a single subject, said less than nothing, given the truth of this divine sacrifice. It was the Augustine. In this truth, there is

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The Anchor

a Eucharistic level, as well, since Jesus constantly gives his Body and makes of us one Body. St. Paul cuts to the chase, as usual: "Is not the bread we break communion with the body of Christ?

Because, though being many, we are only one bread and one body, as we all share in one bread."

Thirdly, the Holy Father offers a few thoughts on one of St. Paul’s words to Timothy: "Endure with me sufferings for the Gospel," said the Apostle to his disciple. “The call to be teacher of the Gentiles is at the same time and intrinsically a call to suffering in communion with Christ, who has redeemed us through his passion.” Pope Benedict here notes that Paul’s mission has come full circle.

The basic tenet of his faith, as we saw above, was that Jesus had suffered for him personally. Now Paul knows that he must share in that suffering as the very deepest expression of communion with the Lord. “The task of proclamation and the call to suffering for Christ are inseparable.” Whatever is truly valuable is worth suffering for, and so the infinite value of God’s love for us in Christ may mean, finally, the passion of martyrdom, which Paul was willing and even eager to undergo.

The Holy Father’s talk ends, as is fitting, with a prayer: “Lord Jesus, give us also today the testimony of the Resurrection, touched by your love, and make us able to carry the light of the Gospel in our time. St. Paul, pray for us.” Amen.

Father Johnson is the diocesan director of the Pauline Year and parochial vicar at St. Francis Xavier Parish in Hyannis.

esoteric or mystical dimension. Its name derives from suf, a word meaning wool, and was originally applied to those Muslim ascetics who, in imitation of Christian hermits, clad themselves in coarse woolen garb as a sign of penitence and renunciation of worldly vanities. Sufism has had a great influence in many parts of the Islamic world as well as among Western artists and intellectuals (though, in the West, mysticism in general has taken on a peculiarly New Age flavor and has occasioned a good deal of pop-culture flimflam). All Muslims are obliged to practice shari’a, Islamic morality and law. But Sufis, besides keeping the Five Pillars of Islam, seek an authentic, personal experience of God through a spiritual interpretation of the Qur’an aimed at finding its underlying meaning, and by the disciplines of asceticism, repetition of God’s names, meditation, and trance.

Many Muslims regard Sufism as heretical because, in their view, the idea of intimate, loving union with God compromises God’s absolute otherness (just as the Christian doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation are understood as false teachings that threaten pure monotheism). Jews, Christians, and Muslims all agree that there is an infinite difference between creature and Creator, to whom the creature’s very existence is owed. Mainstream Islam’s appraisal of Sufism is only made dimmer by Sufis who claim exemption from prayer and fasting. However, the vast majority of Sufis faithfully observe shari’a and acknowledge that closeness to God is a sheer gift.

Sufism, its adherents insist, has been present in Islam from the start: Muhammad himself being the first Sufi and the Qur’an providing Sufism’s doctrinal basis. Surah 50:16, for instance, declares that God is “nearer to [man] than his jugular vein,” and surah 73:20 calls God “the best and most beautiful recompense.”

According to a hadith, or

Sept. 12 - 14, 2008 Sept. 21, 2008 Oct. 8,15,22,29, 2008 Oct. 12, 2008 Oct. 14 & 15, 2008 Oct. & Nov., 2008 Nov. 14 - 16, 2008 Nov. 15, 2008

saying attributed to the Prophet, Muhammad identified three stages of spiritual development: the first is al-islam, voluntary submission to shari’a; the second is al-iman, faith, when grace enters the soul and the Muslim begins to love God’s laws; and the third is al-ihsan, perfect virtue, the state of complete freedom from worldly attachments and absolute commitment to God’s will. This classification is almost certainly one of many examples of direct Christian influence on Islam; for the Christian mystical tradition, beginning with Origen in the third century, likewise sets forth three stages of the spiritual life and describes them in similar terms: the purgative, in which the soul strives to give up sin; the illuminative, in which the soul applies all its energies to advancing in virtue; and finally, the unitive, in which the soul rests in God, generously resigned to the divine will. (It was the elusive ancient figure referred to as Pseudo-Dionysius who first named these stages in this way.)

Readers who have attentively followed this series will recall the same emphasis on humility and self-transcendence in the great religious traditions of the East, Hinduism and Buddhism.

In their mature form, all religions tell us that one must get rid of the false ego, the inflated self-importance, in order to open up to the presence of the divine.

Some modern Sufi teachers have, in fact, down played Sufism’s Islamic origin, presenting it as an eternal wisdom that resides in all mystical traditions. We might call it a “seed of the Word” whose full significance emerges in Christian faith and life. For the gospel likewise teaches that ultimate fulfillment will be found not in self-sufficiency but in selfemptying. More astonishingly, it begins with a self-emptying love originating outside ourselves, transfiguring everything, and alone able to raise us not only to the heights of divinity but, better still, to a share in God’s own life.

Father Kocik is a parochial vicar at Santo Christo Parish in Fall River.

~ Women of Scripture ~ Film - Into Great Silence ~ Seminar - Transitioning ~ Therese of Lisieux ~ Prayer Shawl ~ Morning for Moms ~ Discovering Life After Loss ~ Aging Gracefully

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year ago, I moved from the Diocese of Fall River to begin my three years of studies in canon law at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Relocating is quite unsettling in and of itself, but moving so far away from family and friends was indeed difficult.

I had to make new friends. I had to relearn new things. In other words, I had to adjust.

Didn’t our ancestors have to do the same thing? Did not our forefathers who moved to a new country have to learn a new language and adapt to a new way of life? Did not they have to adjust?

My own parents, who emigrated from the Azores, did so, as did many more Portuguese, French, Italian, Polish, and Irish Catholics who settled in the lands that became the Diocese of Fall River. Nowadays many Hispanics and Brazilians are flocking to our area.

And yet, isn’t this a true definition of what it means to be

The Anchor

August 15, 2008

O God, let all the nations praise you!

Catholic? The word “catholic” adults from around the world in literally means “universal.” AcSydney, Australia, for the World cording to "The Catechism of the Youth Day celebrations?

Catholic Church," the Church is Nevertheless, it is rather catholic, thus universal, because bewildering and perplexing that of the presence of Jesus Christ Jesus in this weekend’s Gospel in the Church and of his mission refuses to minister to a woman to the whole human race.

Did not Jesus command his Apostles, in fact all Homily of the Week of us, to go out and make Twentieth Sunday disciples of all the naof Ordinary Time tions?

This is, in fact, what

By Father God revealed to Isaiah Jeffrey Cabral in this weekend’s first reading. God told the prophet that he would gather the who appeals on behalf of her foreigners who join themselves to sick daughter. This Canaanite him on his holy mountain. “My woman approaches Jesus, but house shall be called a house of is not initially welcomed, since prayer for all peoples.” Is not Jesus “was sent only to the lost the Church, God’s holy house, sheep of the house of Israel”— a house of prayer for everyone that is, only for Jews. Still she throughout the world? Wasn’t persists in her request, even this made manifest a month ago though Jesus seemed so rude to when our Holy Father, Pope her: “It is not right to take the Benedict XVI, gathered with food of children and throw it to thousands of youth and young the dogs.” Although rebuffed

by the disciples and Jesus, she retorts: “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”

Her resolute persistence is recognized by Jesus for what it truly is — great faith, the only person, in fact, in Matthew’s Gospel who is praised for great faith. Accordingly, Jesus does have pity on her, and responded with a great miracle: “The woman’s daughter was healed.”

Even though Jesus was a Jew and the woman was a Gentile, people from different cultural backgrounds, this event reminds us all of a very important truth: Jesus came into our world to save the Jews and the Gentiles.

This is what St. Paul gets at in the second reading. Writing to the Romans, Paul extols “the mercy shown to you.” As we continue to celebrate this Jubilee Year of St. Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, let him remind us

all that the Gospel message is for all peoples, so that God “might have mercy upon all.” Whether American or foreign, traditional or modern, orthodox or liberal, saint or sinner, my parish or your parish, there is no room for outsiders in the Church. Jesus came to save all.

The Blessed Virgin Mary, whose Assumption to heaven we celebrate today, knew first-hand what it meant to be an outsider, a foreigner, when she and her Holy Family had to flee to Egypt as refugees.

May her prayers help us to be a more welcoming people, to be a Church of inclusion, not exclusion. With the psalmist, let us all pray: “O God, let all the nations praise you!”

Father Cabral is studying canon law at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., residing in Little Flower Parish in Bethesda, Md. This summer, he assisted at Corpus Christi Parish in East Sandwich.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. August 16, Ez 18:1-10, 13b, 30-32; Ps 51:12-15,18-19; Mt 19:13-15; Sun. August 17, Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Is 56:1,6-7; Ps 67:23,5-6,8; Rom 11:13-15,29-32; Mt 15:21-28; Mon. August 18, Ez 24:15-24; (Ps) Dt 32:18-21; Mt 19:16-22; Tues. August 19, Ez 28:1-10; (Ps) Dt 32:26-28, 30,35c-36b; Mt 19:2330;Wed. August 20, Ez 34:1-11; Ps 23:1-6; Mt. 20:1-16; Thu. August 21, Ez 36:23-28; Ps 51:12-15, 18-19; Mt 22:1-14; Fri. August 22, Ez 37:1-14; Ps 107:2-9; Mt 22:34-40.

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ull disclosure, up front: Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver is an old friend; the Archdiocese of Denver syndicates this column to Catholic papers throughout the country; I played a very minor role in introducing Archbishop Chaput to my friends at Doubleday. So I’m not exactly a disinterested party in the matter of the archbishop’s new book, Render Unto Caesar: Serving the Nation by Living Our Catholic Beliefs in Political Life. I trust that doesn’t preclude my suggesting that it’s essential reading for serious Catholics in an election year fraught with consequence for core Catholic issues in 21st century America.

Archbishop Chaput is a pastor, first and foremost; his book is a pastor’s book. It’s informed by scholarship, and by the archbishop’s extensive experience

Serious Catholicism for a serious election aggressively secularist Europe is in wrestling with issues at the intersection of morality and pub- an object lesson, and a warning, for America: “A public life that lic policy. At the same time it’s a excludes God does not enrich the book for ordinary Catholics who human spirit. It kills it.” want to be faithful to the Church and faithful to the first principles of justice in their civic lives. Here’s the argument, concentrated into nine key points: 1. Schizophrenic Catholicism is neither

By George Weigel Catholic, nor responsible, nor patriotic. “We have obligations as 3. The new anti-Catholicism believers,” the archbishop writes. in the U.S. is not built around “We have duties as citizens. We antipathy to the papacy, the need to honor both, or we honor sacraments, consecrated religious neither.”

2. Postmodern secularist skep- life, or the other bugaboos of ticism about the truth of anything those who once ranted about the is soul-withering; in C.S. Lewis’s “Whore of Babylon.” Rather, it’s an assault on religiously inphrase, it makes “men without chests.” The current social, politi- formed public moral argument of any sort, an attack against “...any cal, and demographic malaise of

The Catholic Difference

faithful Christian social engagement.” So we can’t rest easy with the fact that the Catholic Church plays a considerable role in American society. There are forces in the land that would banish Catholicism, and indeed classic biblical morality, from a place at the table of democratic deliberation.

4. Because the Catholic Church’s defense of the first principles of justice — principles that can be known by reason — has specific policy implications for public life, the Church’s teaching has political “side-effects.” Anyone who considers this partisan meddling is simply mistaken.

The most powerful “political” statement Catholics and other Christians make is to acknowledge the sovereignty of Christ as the first sovereignty in our lives.

This confession of faith in fact helps make democracy possible, by erecting a barrier against the modern state’s tendency to fill every nook and cranny of social space.

5. America was founded on the convictions that there are moral truths that we can know by reason, and that the state has no business doing theology. The result was the vibrant, religiously informed public moral culture that amazed Alexis de Toqcueville in the 19th century.

That distinctive American experience later shaped Vatican II’s teaching on religious freedom and the limited, constitutional state.

6. Work for social progress, however noble, is no substitute for ongoing personal conversion to Jesus Christ. True conversion will almost inevitably extract costs in politics. Catholic politicians who seek to avoid these dilemmas by hiding in the underbrush of a public square stripped of religious and moral reference points should reflect on the lives of Thomas More and Martin Luther King.

7. There is a bottom line in all this: the life issues are “foundational ... because the act of dehumanizing and killing the unborn child attacks human dignity in a uniquely grave way.”

9. Responsible citizenship means making choices, not simply voting the way our grandparents did. Citizenship is an exercise in moral judgment, not in tribal loyalty.

10. Nothing in politics is perfect, including candidates. Yet unless we fight for the truth, “we become what the Word of God has such disgust for: salt that has lost its flavor.”

Good stuff. Buy one yourself; buy another for a friend.

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

Counting chickens

Wednesday 6 August 2008 goodwife began to take stock.

— at home on the Segregansett Here we stand in LammasRiver, South Dighton — feast tide, on the feast of the Transof the Transfiguration of the figuration of the Lord. As with Lord so many church feasts, this one s autumn approaches, I hardly notice Nature’s subtle changes — or Reflections of a maybe I just refuse to Parish Priest notice. For a thousand years and more, autumn

By Father Tim began on August 1.

Goldrick The first of the wheat was gathered in, and the first loaves of bread were baked from that harvest. is set in a careful chronological The bread was brought to context. We see a glimpse of church for blessing. This Mass the Lord transfigured in glory was called “Lammas” — arto prepare us for the scandal of chaic English for “Mass of the the cross (as the Preface prayer Loaves.” “Lammastide” was assigned to this day reminds when every prudent farmer and us.) Exactly 40 days from the

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The Anchor

August 15, 2008

The Ship’s Log

feast of the Transfiguration is the feast of the Exultation of the Cross — September 14.

“Forty days more …” warns Jonah, the reluctant prophet.

This year the Exultation of the Cross has particular importance to the faith communities of St. Peter Church and St. Joseph Church in the Town of Dighton. On that day, at exactly one minute past midnight, the two churches will consolidate to become a new, larger, and more vibrant faith community. Like fall, it’s sneaking up on us. It’s time to take stock.

This is literally what happened. Doug Rodrigues, head

Extreme home remodel, Catholic style

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When we instead agree to a rehile turning out of our modeling of our faith, the entire street I saw a lumber way in which we relate to and truck turning in, and my heart worship God, view our world, leapt. We had spent two years and conduct our relationships is laboring over costs and designs, completely gutted and rebuilt. wrangling with architects, As with a house, the cost and bankers, and builders, but all inconvenience of remodeling that was in the past, and there our faith is much higher than was the truck delivering the that of redecorating it. makings of our new dining But then let’s face it; no one room. We had moved furniture, ever said being a committed painted walls, and generally redecorated by ourselves over the years, but this remodel was going to change things completely, really making room for our large family and for friends

By Heidi Bratton around our table.

October marked the beginning of the Catholic would be easy or condemolition phase. What a thrill venient. In John 6 a large group to watch entire walls being torn of Jesus’ disciples stopped foldown in less than a day. Unfortunately, as fall turned to winter, lowing him because they could not accept the “hard teaching” new walls had not yet been rethat Jesus was in fact the Bread constructed. Conversations that of life and that, in order to gain were once warm and promising eternal life, they would need to with our general contractor eat of this bread, his flesh. As became as chilly as the January with these disciples, Jesus asks wind that whipped in where the us to accept not only his lovely walls had once been. The laborteachings, but also to labor ing and wrangling continued. and to wrangle with those that Through experience we may disturb us. Doing a faith found out that there is a remodel may mean correcting dramatic difference between sin in our lives by, for example, redecorating and remodeling moving out of a cohabitating a house. Similarly, there is a relationship, offering forgivedramatic difference between ness that is not reciprocated, redecorating and remodeling stopping the use of artificial our personal, Catholic faith. birth control, or fully accountThrough redecoration of our ing for our cash income and faith, our hearts are not really justly paying taxes. It’s funny changed. Maybe we update our how just reading that list raises devotional routine, like putour hackles. Funny how imting on a fresh coat of paint, mediately and furiously we or we rearrange our ministries, attempt to redefine the meaning like adding a new couch to the of such a list or to explain why living room, but the essence such hard teachings don’t apply of our relationships with God to us instead of wrestling for and neighbor remain the same.

Home Grown Faith

understanding and searching for ways to get realigned with the hard teachings. Funny, how much we are like the disciples of 2,000 years ago.

Before our remodel was complete, our builder walked off the job, and we were left with the hard teaching of needing to forgive our enemies.

Many times during that long, drawn-out remodel my husband and I agonized and asked, “Why have we done this to ourselves?”

We went through it all so that we could enjoy our end goal of having a dining room that actually fit our family. Why should we as Catholics choose the agony and disruption of realigning our thoughts and behaviors with Catholic teachings, even hard ones? Because the end goal of our lives is to enjoy eternal life in heaven with God, and it is the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and his Church that show us how to get there.

After many of Jesus’ disciples turned away from him because of his hard teachings, Jesus asks the Twelve if they, also, want to leave.

Good old St. Peter gives us the attitude and answer to emulate when we are faced with the same question in our lives: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” Heidi is an author, photographer, and full-time mother.

She and her husband raise their six children in Falmouth. homegrownfaith@gmail. com.

of the Diocesan Department of Pastoral Planning, and I went to St. Peter Church to take stock. It was time to count the chickens. Armed with a laptop computer, absolutely everything had to be inventoried.

Even though this is a small country church (constructed in 1903 by joining together two barns) and not a grand basilica, it contains the patrimony of a faith-community.

It is extremely important to recognize and honor that fact out of respect for the sacred objects, out of care for the profane objects, and out of recognition of all parishioners, past and present, who have contributed so much to the patrimony of their parish church.

Sacred objects need to continue to be used as sacred objects, if not now then in the future; if not here, then some place else. Profane objects can’t just be given away on a whim or sold in a flea market or posted on E-bay. These objects are marked with the fingerprints of generations of parishioners.

And so the inventory began: The altar, the pulpit, the presider’s chair, the tabernacle, the baptismal font, the statuary, the sacred books, the vestments, the Stations of the Cross, the sacred vessels.

So went the first hour.

Not bad. Then the inventory started to get more complicated. “Does this church have a gremnial?” “A what?” “You know, the linen apron worn to protect vestments from staining with Holy Oil during the administration of the sacrament of Confirmation?” “Oh, that. No. We just use a plain old terry cloth towel from WalMart.”

“Does this church have an umbrellium?” “Oh, sure.

People leave umbrellas behind in the church all the time. We have a closet full of them.”

“Not those! The ornamental baldachino held over the monstrance when the Eucharist or a relic of the true Cross is

carried though the streets in procession.” “Portable canopy?

No. If we ever processed down Main Street, we would all get run over. People drive like maniacs.”

“Does this church have a ratchet?” “Well, there’s a tool box around here someplace.

There may be a wrench in it.”

“I mean the wooden clapper used in place of bells on Holy Thursday.” “I think not.”

I can’t sit still for longer than 15 minutes. I have, dear readers, the attention span of a humming bird.

And then began the third hour. “How many carpet sweepers does this church have?” “I have no idea!”

“Well, then, how many vacuum cleaners?” “Do they have to be in working order? They look broken.”

“How many fire extinguishers? How many collection baskets? How many with long handles and how many with no handles? How many coat racks? How many music stands? How many bulletin boards? How many priceless paintings by Rembrandt? AHHHHH! At this point, my mind was spinning, my eyes were crossed, and I was stretched horizontally in the first pew.

Gag me with a spoon! (I speak Jive.)

Taking inventory is necessary. As pastor of these two churches, I am responsible for their contents. The sacred objects from both churches will be carried in procession following the closing Masses. They will be displayed in a “Hall of Memories” for all to see.

At the end of “A Week to Remember,” the patrimony of both churches will then be carried in at the solemn Inaugural Mass of the new parish.

It’s Lammastide and I’m counting my chickens.

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

ORGANIST POSITION

Seeking qualified organist to play weekly beginning Sept. 1, 2008 Responsibilities Include: *8:00AM Sunday Liturgy accompanying a cantor *Accompany Youth Choir at 8:00AM Family Mass – the 1st Sunday of each month *Two Rehearsals a month with Youth Choir – Friday evenings at 4 p.m.

Qualifications Required: *Some experience playing at Liturgy and as accompanist.

For resumes, further information and questions please contact: Sheryl S. Walsh – Music Director St. John the Evangelist Church One St. John Place Attleboro, MA 02703 508-222-1206 Resumes should be submitted as soon as possible.

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Safe at home

nce in a while, the good Lord sends me a gentle wake-up call in order that I may rearrange my priorities. And while I'm not a fan of being corrected, I much prefer the gentle approach in lieu of the hit-meover-the-head method — like maybe a nasty bout with kidney stones — but that's for another column.

Occasionally, and others may say frequently, I get wrapped up in my home town sports teams — a bit too much.

For example, I'm repeatedly irked by the fact the Red Sox offense is currently more streaky than the gray in my beard; that the pitching staff consistently has a pitch count near 1,000

My View From the Stands

By Dave Jolivet by the third inning; that we can't win on the road; and that the Tampa Bay Rays aren't the flukes on which I was banking.

One morning I wake up with the glow of a Red Sox victory, and the next I stew in the funk of a Red Sox loss.

But last Sunday, the Almighty softly tapped me on the shoulder and reminded me things are not as bad as they seem.

A missionary priest from Kenya was the guest celebrant at Sunday Mass. He was visiting on behalf of the flock he shepherds a half world away. It may well have been a universe away from my cozy and safe surroundings.

It always amazes me when a priest from another country visits to celebrate Mass. It's then

when I can truly see the catholicity of the Church. They may exist in a different world than mine, but the Mass is always the same.

This good, gentle priest told the story of one of his catechism classes. He asked the students to draw a picture of what they thought God looks like. He told us that he was particularly drawn to one student's rendition.

In the artwork, God was seen striking a man in the head with a deadly weapon. When the priest asked the young lad why God was killing the man, the boy responded that when he and his family make the long trek to church, sometimes they're attacked. His mother told the boy not to worry, because God would take care of those evil people.

The priest also painted for us a picture of Kenya — a picture of a country in political turmoil.

Families have been driven from their homes and then the homes are destroyed leaving them no place in which to return. Hunger, fear, sickness and homelessness are a way of life in the African nation.

I had already written a check for the mission collection, but after his touching homily, I tossed in an extra bill earmarked to purchase the Celtics championship DVD. After Mass the Red Sox state of affairs suddenly was less of a burden. Regardless if the Sox win or lose, stumble or soar, the simple fact is that, unlike my Kenyan brothers and sisters, my family and I are still safe at home. davejolivet@anchornews.org

August 15, 2008

Wareham man delights in seeking God's will

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

Boucher’s commitment to Church activities would soon extend to the nearby La Salette Shrine WAREHAM — Richard Boucher likens his in Attleboro, where he worked part-time doing sudden relocation to the remote and sparsely-pop- odd jobs and assisting with daily Masses as an alulated state of Alaska back in the early 1960s as a tar server. test of faith — much like how Christ was tempted “I always wanted to be an altar server, but La in desert. After spending nearly a decade in the Salette chose them from the French school and decidedly colder climate of Fairbanks, Alaska, he I went to public school,” Boucher explained. “It found comfort through prayer and staying active wasn’t until I was more or less an adult that I bein the Church. came an altar server there. Part of my duties was to “I had a couple of uncles who lived in Alaska, serve one of the daily Masses and then I’d go out so I went up there one summer to see what it was and clean the yards or put up some of the lights. I like and stayed for nine years,” Boucher said. “I think I got paid $1 an hour.” think that’s where my faith was developed and enBoucher also worked for a time in the outhanced. I was there more or less by myself, even door coffee shop during the shrine’s busy annual though I had relatives around, so when I felt low Christmas light display selling coffee, hot dogs and depressed, going into church and taking some and refreshments. “That was before they had the time for prayer and meditation was very helpful. I cafeteria,” he added. really think my faith was strengthened during that As a means of reaffirming his own faith, he also time.” became active with the shrine’s family retreats Surrounded by a cadre of Jesuit missionary which were held during the spring and fall at the priests who were working to expand the Church’s La Salette Retreat House. outreach in the then-newly-adopted 49th state, “We used to have three or four family retreats Boucher said they had a tremendous impact and in the spring and fall,” he said. “I was one of the influence on his faith’s formative years. counselors and we used to take care of the kids “That’s when I started getting involved with a while their parents went on retreat. We also gave confessor and a spiritual the kids sort of a mini redirector,” he said. “I’ve treat. It was a very popucontinued that to this day. lar program.”

That’s one way of growIt was shortly thereafing in your faith … havter that he took his unexing someone to sit down pected detour to Alaska, and talk to face-to-face.” only to return nine years An active parishiolater to his hometown of ner at St. Patrick’s in Attleboro where his famWareham for the last 20 ily and parish awaited. years, Boucher originalWithout missing a beat, ly grew up in Attleboro Boucher fell right back where his entire social into parish activities life revolved around St. such as working with the Joseph’s Church. It was St. Vincent de Paul Sothe example of his parciety; serving as parish ents’ and siblings’ active treasurer; as a member involvement in parish of the finance commitaffairs that informed his tee; and keeping busy as own devotion to the paran ongoing member of ish, along with the disthe Boy Scouts of Amerciplined teachings of the ica and the Knights of Holy Cross Sisters who Columbus. taught him catechism.

“Everything I ever “They certainly had did or accomplished was something to do with my ANCHOR PERSON OF THE WEEK — Rich- because there were othfaith formation, too,” he ard Boucher. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza) ers involved,” Boucher said. said, down playing his Having grown up in own involvement. “Of the 1950s, Boucher characterized his youth as a course, you have to include the inspiration of the far simpler time where the church was very much Holy Spirit in whatever we do in our lives.” the center of every community. “They didn’t have When an opportunity arose to purchase some Little League, football, and all these other activi- property in Wareham nearly two decades ago, ties,” he said. “I mean we used to have CYO bas- Boucher seized it and relocated to St. Patrick’s ketball and sports in school, but there weren’t all Parish, where he’s remained a vibrant parishioner these other outside influences. There are so many ever since. secular things out there now that it’s very difficult “I’ve kept active with things like the summer to make room, so-to-speak, for the Church. Now festival here and do whatever they need — from we have so many broken homes … or two parents helping out in the kitchen to teaching Religious who are working and then taking the kids to other Education classes,” he said. activities, it’s never-ending. It’s a matter of choicAlthough he entered the seminary briefly but es and, unfortunately, the Church is not always at never finished, and also started in the permanent the top of the list.” deaconate program, Boucher admitted neither opWithout the modern distractions of cable and tion “was in God’s plan” for him and he remains satellite television, countless sporting events and content to be a mere catalyst for whatever needs activities, or an endless world-wide information to be done … with a little help from his fellow superhighway to explore, the Boucher Family parishioners, of course. kept busy fulfilling the needs of their fellow St. “I still don’t know what God wants me to do — Joseph’s parishioners — spiritual and corporal.

I’ve tried everything,” Boucher said, laughing. “If it “For 30 years my family put on a lot of the was really God’s will, I’m sure I would have made chowder and clam cake suppers at St. Joseph’s,” it one way or another. It’s probably a lack of faith Boucher said. “We used to make the French meat or my trusting in myself instead of trusting in him. pies, too. My mother, father, brothers and sisters But I’m constantly looking to find what God’s will were all involved. In those days the parish was the is. So I just keep casting my line out into the waters, center of your life. There weren’t as many distrac- reel it in and see what he has for me next.” tions as people have to choose from today. That’s To nominate a Person of the Week, send why I went to church — there was simply no an email message to FatherRogerLandry@Anquestion, you went.” chorNews.org.

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August 15, 2008

she said enthusiastically.

Just as things in Guaimaca changed since her first visit, so too

had she, Phillips mused: “You realize that everything cannot remain as you remember.”

GREEN THUMB — North Attleboro native Sarah Phillips plants plantains on a mission farm in Guaimaca in April.

Attleboro parishioner’s visits to Guaimaca spur new career goal

By Deacon James N. Dunbar

NORTH ATTLEBORO — It was with mixed feelings that Sarah Phillips readied to revisit the Fall River Diocese’s mission in Guaimaca, Honduras in April.

A member of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Attleboro for the past four years, Phillips was a member of its contingent that in 2006 visited what is considered one of the poorest regions in Honduras.

“Because I had seen all the wonderful things being done in St. Rose of Lima Parish down there, I hoped to enjoy once again what I had experienced on my first visit,” Phillips told The Anchor.

“But there was so much change,” Phillips recalled. “I was greatly pleased at the change — which more appropriately should be called progress,” she said. “The amount of progress since 2006 was extremely impressive and motivating.”

“These people (Guaimacans) consider you part of God’s family and welcome you as such. Despite the hardships they endure their faith remains very strong — and this is one thing that will never change.

“We were welcomed with open arms, there are no questions or hesitations. The sign of peace is given freely at Mass, as well as kisses and warm greetings.”

Although Guaimaca’s poverty can be overwhelming to some, Phillips said she had grown accustomed to it because of time she spent in Peru on a missionary pilgrimage.

Her Spanish-speaking skills also played a major role in helping her learn intimately about the needs of the poor, she added.

So when the 25-year-old assistant in the Academics Administration Department at Brown University in Providence, R.I., found that the 40 young women ages 12 to 20 she remembered in the Marie Poussepin Center, a boarding school run by the Dominican Sis-

ters at St. Rose of Lima Parish, had grown to 60 members in just two years, she was ecstatic.

“It was also amazing to see the new chapel adorned with windows donated from St. Michael’s Church in Ocean Grove, Swansea. The school has brought in new teachers and developed the curriculum to prepare these young women for brighter futures,” said Phillips.

But she was awed by how the library she helped start in 2006 had expanded.

“Our group at St. John the Evangelist, led by Tricia Svendsen, a librarian in the North Attleboro public school system, have been intermittently sending books to the mission library during the past two years,” Phillips noted. “Tricia started the mission library, and what was initially a sparse collection has been fleshed out with hundreds of books.”

Another visible facet of the mission’s progress is the Dominican Sisters’ farm, which in 2006 had just been acquired.

“I recall touring the area in 2006 with Dominican Sister Maria Ceballos and listening to her detail her plans for the land. It is now a functioning farm with an agronomist and staff members, greenhouses, a compost operation, plantains upon plantains, and wonderful plans for the future,” she said.

Pragmatically, teachers at the Poussepin Center integrate the farm into their lessons and some parents of the girls boarding there offer their assistance.

One of the efforts by the Sisters who are constantly working to help people better their own lives and combat poverty is a coffee cooperative.

“Through this project, the farmers are able to come together as a strong group to produce a product they can sell for profit to support their families and lives. We were

fortunate enough to visit one of the cooperatives and see first-hand how coffee is made,” Phillips reported.

Along with others from the parish that included Svensen, Sue Higgins, Tom and Brook Stapleton, Matthew and Mary Gill, Susannah and Mary Kelly and Paul Diamond, the time was well spent, said Phillips.

“We painted and varnished doorways in the school, taught the girls how to crochet, worked on the farm, taught English, assisted in the medical clinic, took part in the production of a TV show on the concerns of young adults, and played soccer — and lost — to the local altar servers,” Phillips recounted.

As she talked of the humility and gratitude to God she witnessed among the most needy of people in Guaimaca, Phillips also candidly admitted to a new inspiration “which has made me more motivated.”

And she spoke openly of a rising new commitment.

“Besides my work at Brown I have been teaching English as a second language in Providence, and have acquired certification in that — and am doing some substitute teaching,” said Phillips.

“I think my career path is about to change. My bachelor’s degree from New York University in New York City in communications and journalism. But now I’m dying to get into education — teaching and get involved in promoting literacy,”

TRANSPLANT — Stained glass window showing the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary that once adorned St. Michael’s Church in Ocean Grove, Swansea, now inspires churchgoers in the new Marie Poussepin Chapel in Guaimaca, Honduras.

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The Anchor

August 15, 2008

Fences and freedom

S

heer unfettered freedom — that would appear to be the goal of many young people, both male and female. They resist all “burdens” that would inhibit their ability to associate with whomever for however long, without pressure from convention, from religious authority, from family responsibilities, even from natural consequences. Pinocchio comes to mind — dodging the daily grind of school, education, accountability, and even being bound to prior promises.

For centuries, the Church has believed that if Catholic women were educated in faith and prudence, the very fact that they had more to lose by promiscuous behavior would ground social structures around the sacraments that heal and protect. Knowing that women were more vulnerable, specifically to the harrowing details

The Feminine Genius

By Genevieve Kineke associated with unwed motherhood, it was self-evident that reserving sexual intimacy for marriage diminished abandonment and child poverty.

Like a sturdy fence around a playground, rules governing intimacy allowed courtship to proceed in a secure setting.

The former guarded against dangerous traffic; the latter against harmful behavior that leads to broken hearts, sexually transmitted diseases, fatherless children, and subtle, less-quantifiable pathologies.

Forty years ago, Pope Paul VI reiterated the need for a “fence” around sexual intimacy. Reminding the faithful of the ends of marriage and the insidiousness of corrupting those ends, he issued "Humanae Vitae" which taught that it was immoral to use artificial birth control within marriage.

To corrupt the sacredness of the nuptial embrace would mean that a man could ignore the woman’s “physical and psychological equilibrium.”

Instead, he would reach “the point of considering her as a mere instrument of selfish enjoyment, and no longer as his respected and beloved companion.”

As counter-intuitive as it appears to modern sensibilities, rejecting contraception (which

would appear to increase pregnancy and exacerbate hardships) actually brings about more honesty, integrity and legitimate freedom. To take that option “off the menu” — so to speak — requires that persons proceed with only the true understanding of intimacy.

The hard reality is that sexual intimacy has two ends: it bonds persons and creates new life. To embrace chemicals or devices as a means of warding off those two essential facts allows so many to think that they can engage in promiscuous behavior without affecting the heart or conceiving a child. To pursue barrenness of body and soul is to deny our humanity and to court disaster.

Now, of course men don’t get pregnant; and data suggests that they can also engage in promiscuity with less heartache — leaving both consequences for the woman to bear. Leaving the babies aside, the more that young women make themselves sterile and available, the more that men assume their “right” to sex without consequences. Within this death spiral, women give their hearts to be spurned, their bodies to be used, and their souls to be squandered; and in due time this decreases the likelihood that they will ever find men with self-control and hearts ready to sacrifice for women.

Such is the price of this particular “freedom.”

Women have the grace and the wisdom to end this indulgent trajectory and to redirect their behavior so as to benefit men, women, and their eventual children. Fleeting romance which requires physical intimacy is the least romantic and the least free — for it shreds hearts and makes them incapable of true love when the time comes. Sacrifice is the foundation of lasting relationships: husband and wife, parent and child, Christ and His Church. The fence restricting play doesn’t change — from the schoolyard to the school of hard knocks, and women should be the first to recognize this. They have the most to lose from misguided freedom.

Mrs. Kineke is the author of "The Authentic Catholic Woman" (Servant Books). She can be found online at www. feminine-genius.com.

TINY STOWAWAY — The Apollo 11 story is retold in the animated movie "Fly Me to the Moon." For a brief review of this film, see CNS Movie Capsules below. (CNS photo/nWave Pictures)

CNS Movie Capsules NEW YORK (CNS) — The following are capsule reviews of movies recently reviewed by the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

"Fly Me to the Moon" (Summit) Good-natured animated 3-D children's adventure in which a thrill-seeking young fly (voice of Trevor Gagnon), inspired by his grandfather's (voice of Christopher Lloyd) oft-told exploits, convinces two friends to join him in stowing away on the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon.

Director Ben Stassen's film provides a painless history lesson via some of those startling 3-D special effects, though the story line and central characters are less impressive. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I — general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G — general audiences. All ages admitted.

"Swing Vote" (Touchstone) Smartly made if unabashedly formulaic comedy about a beerchugging, slovenly single father (Kevin Costner) whose civically minded child (Madeline Carroll) surreptitiously tries to vote on his behalf, leading to an anomaly where his vote will determine the U.S. presidential race between the incumbent Republican (Kelsey Grammer) and his Democratic rival (Dennis Hopper).

Costner and Carroll have good chemistry, though his character's predictable reformation takes an-

noyingly long, but the important messages of director and co-writer Joshua Michael Stern's film — the importance of every vote and the integrity of the political process -- are entertainingly conveyed, and the script wisely takes a nonpartisan position. Much crude language, profanity and crass expressions; heavy drinking; brief irreverence; and some domestic discord. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III — adults.

The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned.

Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" (Universal) Lavish but lightweight adventure sequel in which an archaeologist (Luke Ford) joins forces with his explorer father (Brendan Fraser) and scholar mother (Maria Bello) to prevent the titular resurrected ruler (Jet Li) from reviving his terra-cotta legions to tyrannize the world, while falling for the immortal maiden (Isabella Leong) who holds the secret to the monarch's destruction. Director Rob Cohen's breathlessly paced epic is long on special effects and battle sequences and, though short on wit or convincing emotion, does feature respectable family values and a positive image of a mari-

tal partnership. Moderate action violence, brief innuendo, some crass language and a couple of profanities. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" (Warner Bros.)

Overcrowded but mostly enjoyable romance sequel updating the lives of four friends (Amber Tamblyn, America Ferrera, Blake Lively and Alexis Bledel) as they pursue disparate adventures during the summer after their first year in college. While director Sanaa Hamri's lightweight adaptation of Ann Brashares' novels promotes youthful self-confidence, it also takes a somewhat permissive view of teen sexuality.

Implied nonmarital sexual activity, condom use, suicide theme, a couple of profanities, and one crude and a few crass words; acceptable for older adolescents.

The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is AIII — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, August 17 at 11:00 a.m.

Scheduled celebrant is Father William M. Sylvia, a parochial vicar at St. Mary's Parish in Mansfield

August 15, 2008 Catholic Charities Appeal Final parish donations Acushnet St. Francis Xavier: $500-Margaret Ferreira; $150-Lemieux Electric; $100-M&M Diomar Correia.

Assonet St. Bernard: $300-Dr. Patricia Powell; $200-Paul & Carol Levesque, Michael & Dr. Diane Patrick; $150-Maurice & Maureen Beaudoin; $120-Vilma & Joseph Medeiros; $100-David & Donna Levesque, George & Jane Wilcox, Walter & Elizabeth Winarski, The Women of St. Bernard, Mary Motta, Michael & Diane Kuriscak, Raymond & Pauline Thibault, Randall & Diane Cordeiro, Brian & Elizabeth Lawton.

Attleboro Holy Ghost: $200-St. Vincent de Paul Society.

St. John the Evangelist: $400-M&M C. Guillette, Knights of Columbus; $250-M&M Robert Mangiaratti; $200-M&M Dan Ison; $100-M&M James Feyler.

St. Stephen: $100-M&M Theodore A. Charron, Helene Goudreau, Joyce Goudreau.

Buzzards Bay St. Margaret: $500-Anna Marini, Judith Merritt; $150-Ann & Richard Coyne, Elizabeth Stephens; $130-M&M Zoel A. Roy, Sr.; $100-Gerri & Victor Barrows, Ruth & Paul Caldwell, Mary HoughGosselin, Oonagh Fitzgerald, Fran Zlogar.

Centerville Our Lady of Victory: $250-M&M Edward Kirk, M&M Robert O’Shaughnessy.

East Freetown St. John Neumann: $100-M&M Francis Poitrast, Gregory & Janet Jasinski.

East Sandwich Corpus Christi: $1,000-M&M Ernest A. Plante, Jr.; $250-M&M Kevin Fitzgerald; $100-M&M James M. Krusas, Patricia Texeira, Richard & Michael Hadley, Catherine Feeney.

East Taunton Holy Family: $500-M&M James Cohn; $125-Vincent Ambrosini, M&M Gary Silvia; $100-M&M Joseph Rico, M&M David Lizotte, M&M Vincent Barrett, M&M Patrick McNally, M&M David Podgurski, M&M Armando Rodrigues, Renee Ladurantaye, Robert Larkin.

Fall River St. Mary Cathedral: $1,500-Donald McGovern; $100-M&M Roland Proulx.

Good Shepherd: $100-In Memory of Louis Silvia.

Holy Rosary: $175-In Memory of Rosemary Kieron.

Holy Trinity: $108-M&M Gary M. John; $100-Natalie Sowersby.

Sacred Heart: $100-M&M Bernard McDonald.

Falmouth St. Patrick: $100-M&M Joseph Connors.

Hyannis St. Francis Xavier: $100-Laura Grace.

Mansfield St. Mary: $500-M&M Karl Clemmey, Jean Lee & Raymond Martin; $300-M&M David P. Santoro; $250-M&M Jose Dizon, Owen G. Harren; $150-M&M Patrick J. Daly, Robert Shaw; $125M&M George Knight; $100-M&M Richard Curley, M&M James A. Dicorpo, M&M Frederick G. Gibbs, M&M Charles Howard, M&M Daniel Kennedy, M&M Kevin McBride, M&M Christopher J. O’Malley, Karen Petty, Marjorie A. Varnerin, Judith Post.

Mashpee Christ the King: $1,000-M&M Edward Larkin, M&M Freddy Dimeco; $500-Peter Bartek, M&M Anthony Mulone, Mary Burke, M&M Donald Chabot, M&M Kevin Flannigan, Frederick Wanner, M&M James Remillard, Jr.; $300-M&M John Leahy, Jr.; $250-M&M Saverio Maldari, Mary Burns; $200-M&M Francisco Linhares, M&M Joseph Mazzucchelli, Catherine Lind, Richard Sullivan, Agnes McGuire, Adele Labute, M&M George Leach, M&M David Scott, M&M Edwin Thomas; $150-M&M Joseph Gohring, Mary Draheim; $125-M&M Owen Kilcommins; $100-M&M Robert Girard, Carolanne Procaccini, Patricia Dunne, Mary Sullivan, M&M James Boudreau, Elinor Hysko, M&M John Agricola, Paul Rogers, M&M Paul Phipps, Cortland Naegelin, M&M Thomas Peltzer, M&M Edward Scahill, Jr., M&M Mark Schmit, M&M James Diggins, M&M Benjamin Burgio, M&M Kenneth Pedicini, M&M Robert Tuohy, M&M Arthur Mulrain, M&M Mario Guarcello, Jean Henry, Christine Perrault, Ernest Olson, Carol Malone, M&M George Laliberte.

Mattapoisett St. Anthony: $1,000-M&M L. Richard Leclair, Jr., M&M Edward Martens; $250-Ann Lynch; $100-M&M Raymond Cebula, M&M Roger Lamy, Mary T. Franklin.

Continued on page 18

The Anchor

13

Today The Anchor prints the first in an eight-part series on marriage published by the Massachusetts Catholic Conference. The series is entitled "The Future Depends on Love" and examines from a fresh and contemporary perspective topics such as human love in the divine plan, the intrinsic and public goods of marriage, the gift of fertility, the sacrament of matrimony and more. For more information about the series and added resources, visit www.MassCatholicMarriage.org.

HOME SWEET HOME — The Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Mass. Court recently participated in a Habitat for Humanity project in Brewster. Members of the St. Theresa's Court No. 2349 in Sandwich presented state officers Joyce Fleming and Patricia Devine with a check for $1,000 from an anonymous donor to help with building costs for the Brewster project. (Photo courtesy of Barbara J. Carey)

14

The Anchor

Of acceptance and resistance to "Humanae Vitae" March 25 marks the 40th anniversary of “Humanae Vitae.” To commemorate this, The Anchor (7/18/2008) gave its readers two excellent articles and a powerful editorial on this much maligned Catholic Church teaching on contraception. Interviews with clergy and laity in the diocese indicate that there still remains some stubborn resistance to the encyclical, although acceptance of it among the faithful gradually is increasing.

Some priests feel they have been put in a difficult situation because of the wide-spread use of contraceptives by Catholic couples. Although they know in their hearts it is deceitful to do so, they may persuade themselves that leaving such couples ignorant of their moral culpability is acceptable, particularly because this could reduce these couples' guilt. This is not a trifling issue for the clergy, as upwards of 90 percent of fertile Catholics use, or have used, some form of contraception.

Especially troubling is the fact that non-barrier contraceptives, particularly the ubiquitous birth control pill, can and do cause abortions when they fail in their primary role of preventing conception.

One of The Anchor articles discusses Natural Family Planning and what is being done to promote this morally acceptable alternative to contraception. Although a start has been made in the Fall River Diocese, elsewhere in the state little is heard of NFP, and clearly much more needs to be done everywhere.

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Our readers respond

“Humanae Vitae” does not specifically discuss homosexuality, but it does state, "There is an unbreakable connection between the unitive meaning and procreative meaning of the conjugal act, and both are inherent in the conjugal act. This connection was established by God and cannot be broken by man through his own volition."

(HV12) If you separate the unitive and the procreative, and the unitive aspect of sex becomes an end in itself, there is no essential reason why sexual relations should be restricted to couple of different genders. Massachusetts has, of course, led the country in legalizing same-sex marriage.

We can see from this that once the contraceptive mentality is established, there can be no coherent ground for opposition to, and indeed the legal codification of, homosexual sexual relationships.

We should not overlook the role the devil may play in promoting wide-spread opposition to “Humanae Vitae.” Most members of the Massachusetts Legislature claim to be Catholic. This does not prevent them from approving of contraception, abortion, same-sex marriage and instruction on sexual perversion in public schools. The devil cannot help but rejoice in this and be doing all in his power to thwart any efforts to restore traditional values in our misguided state.

All of us, but particularly the clergy and the Catholic press, should do everything possible to oppose the devil here, especially by promoting an understanding, and acceptance of “Humanae Vitae.”

Charles O. Coudert Sherborn

“Humanae Vitae” truths v. world-wide practice There are statements in The Anchor editorial of July 18, defending “Humanae Vitae” that, in my opinion, need some discussion. The title of the editorial was: “The Truth That Sets Love Free.” The editorial argues the release of “Humanae Vitae” 40 years ago during the days of the then sexual revolution caused by the birth control pill as contributing to a crisis of faith. I would say that the release of this encyclical contributed profoundly to a crisis of authority. People already knew what they had decided on the subject. Many of those who read this encyclical regarded it as an unwelcome and unauthorized intrusion into their private lives because the

practice of contraception is and was a world-wide practice among all peoples, including Catholics. Few Catholics want to talk about what they do; they just do what they think is right.

So, when a few celibate males would consider it their right to determine how the great body of the members of the Church should behave in matters of love and marriage, they’re only fooling themselves if they think the people they address will necessarily oblige.

Daniel E. Dick Worcester A challenge to Pew Research I would like to challenge Father Timothy Goldrick’s assumptions in his July 18 column on the Pew Research Study’s results that it is a good thing that people believe those of other faiths can go to heaven.

The study’s results do not confirm the Catholic belief that there is the possibility of salvation for those of other ecclesial communities and other faiths.

Rather, they show that people who responded do not understand their own faith. Each religion and ideology that functions as a religion teaches different and occasionally contradictory things about the nature of the divine, the nature of man, and what reality is. As a result, each of them can’t be as valid or as true as the other. This defies reason and the definition of Truth.

The implication is that the people who responded have not been taught their faith as it has been passed down, that it has been watered down so as not to offend, and that tolerance rather than knowledge is viewed as a more important virtue than one’s religious heritage.

One consequence of is that we are unable actually to have real ecumenical or inter-religious dialogue because we do not even know the differences that exist among us or gloss over them as if they are meaningless.

The Church teaches that Christ is the way to heaven in contrast to what he calls the broad road that leads to perdition. This is totally different than the majority of views responding to the Pew Survey.

In this Pauline Year, please teach us Christ and Christ crucified, in season and out of season, rather than rehashing the popular misconceptions that have been condemned and led many astray.

Brendan Woodburn Attleboro

The only argument is obedience I am writing in response to your editorial on the group Womenpriests in the August 8 issue. I must confess I am sympathetic to these women who have gotten themselves ordained, although I could wish they worked less on rebellion and more on actual change. Nevertheless, I do not fault a diocesan newspaper for taking the side of official Church teaching.

My main concern is with your major argument regarding proper “matter” for sacraments.

It is not a matter, so to speak, of gathering the proper ingredients and reciting the proper incantation. Rather I would argue these women are not truly ordained for a far simpler though less glamorous reason: in order for a sacrament to be valid the minister must intend what the Church intends. This is the same reason, of course, that a validly ordained priest can’t go into a bakery full of fresh baked valid matter and consecrate the store. Such a priest does not intend what the Church intends.

It is generally accepted, and it is the presumption of this article, that the Last Supper was the institution of the ministerial priesthood as well as the Eucharist. Therefore, Christ’s words, “Do this in memory of me,” were directed not at the Church in general but at those present, those in the role of priests for the new Church. Unfortunately for this argument the Gospels are ambiguous about whether this was the intention of Christ.

Even to argue that only men were present for this first Eucharist is an argument from silence.

In the end, the only argument needed is one of obedience. In obedience to the light given to it, the Church at this moment does not allow this. Therefore to act contrary to this is not to be doing what the Church intends. It is not magic. God does not obey the commands of humanity because we have gathered the correct “stuff” but acts in loving communion with the Body of Christ, and the Church which was the natural historical expression of this heavenly reality.

Jennifer Frazer Attleboro Thanks for generosity to retired religious On behalf of men and women religious throughout the United States, I extend heartfelt thanks

to all from the Diocese of Fall River, who contributed to the annual appeal for the Retirement Fund for Religious in 2007. Your generous donations totaled $146,477. We know this represents great sacrifice on the part of many in these difficult economic times and we are grateful.

Your generosity helps to provide for more than 37,500 religious in the United States who are past age 70, including more than 4,900 who need skilled nursing care. These women and men pray daily for your intentions, asking God to bless you abundantly.

The funds from the 2007 appeal were distributed to religious institutes at the end of June, and I am confident they will be received with profound gratitude for every donor.

Sister Janice Bader, CPPS Executive Director National Religious Retirement Office Washington, D.C. Tim Russert was an outstanding role model of Catholic laity Thank you for your newsy, in-depth column of June 20 on the beloved Timothy John Russert. You gave us many, littleknown facts, which revealed yet more dimensions in this nonstop amazing man’s life.

Tim Russert’s take-on of numberless worthy causes was unmatched in his time. His brief residence, in summer on Nantucket Island and as a member of St. Mary-Our Lady of the Isle Parish — his hefty input produced over the top results.

We are in very short supply of true Catholic lay persons in the professional workforce, and in serious need of a genuine role model. Yes, Tim Russert is The Man. Mildred Allen Falmouth Letters are welcome but the editor reserves the right to condense or edit for clarity if deemed necessary. Letters should be typed, no longer than 100 words and should include name, address, and telephone number. Letters do not necessarily reflect the editorial views of The Anchor.

Letters should be sent to: The Anchor, Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA 02722-0007, or Emailed to fatherrogerlandry@anchornews. org.

Miracle attributed to Blessed Damien continued from page one

an instrument that God is using at this time in history. Damien has the designation of ‘servant of humanity,’ and that is an indication of an individual who reaches out to all the world. Maybe that’s the spirituality of this 21st century.”

Standing amidst walls lined with photographs and memorabilia of Blessed Damien’s life and work, Father Richard Lifrak, SS.CC., vocations director for the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary’s Provincial Office, beamed with pride upon hearing the news of a future St. Damien. The shrine within the Fairhaven-based Damien of Molokai Center is a testament to Blessed Damien’s enduring legacy and his selfless efforts to spread the Gospel.

Maintaining a tropical island theme in tribute to Molokai, the shrine is also adorned with tiki torches, bamboo furniture and the subtle sounds of birds quietly chirping in the background. Another wall boasts a bank of clocks displaying the current times from around the world. Despite these embellishments, however, it is the black-and-white photographs of Blessed Damien himself peering out from under the brim of his signature hat that draw the most attention. Many of these photos show him doing what he loved

BLESSED TOUCH — Audrey Toguchi of AIea, Hawaii, was cured of cancer nine years ago after she prayed to Blessed Damien. (CNS photo)

best — caring for the lepers and the orphans who regarded him as both a father-figure and spiritual leader.

Father Lifrak said the order may look to expand or move the current shrine to a more prominent location in the future.

Likewise, Bishop Silva announced last month that the group of four churches on the island previously known simply as the Molokai Catholic

15

The Anchor

August 15, 2008

Community would be formally renamed the “Blessed Damien Catholic Parish,” to be comprised of St. Sophia, Kaunakakai; St. Vincent Ferrer, Maunaloa; Our Lady of Sorrows, Kaluaaha; and St. Joseph, Kamalo. Two of these churches

Blessed Damien de Veuster

— Our Lady of Sorrows and St. Joseph — were actually built

by Father Damien during his missionary work in 1874 and 1876, respectively.

The collective name will later be revised to St. Damien Catholic Parish, and a new church to be constructed to replace St. Sophia will also be named either Blessed Damien Church or St. Damien Church, depending on the status of the canonization upon completion.

Beatified by Pope John Paul II on June 4, 1995, the only stumbling block to Blessed Damien’s canonization has been the lack of a documented case of a miraculous intercession upon his behalf. That changed when Audrey Toguchi of Alea, Hawaii was cured of cancer nine years ago after praying to Blessed Damien.

The miracle now attributed to him was enough to push the missionary over the top.

Father Petrie said the resubmitted documents approving the miracle of Blessed Damien that ultimately led to Pope Benedict XVI signing his canonization decree were approved by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints on June 17. It was on that same day that the longtime postulator for Father Damien’s cause, Father Bruno Benati, passed away after working to ensure the documentation was submitted.

“It is quite ironic that on the day that the cardinals approved (the miracle), Blessed Damien would welcome Father Benati into heaven,” Father Petrie said.

Courage conference offers support continued from page one

worn down many parents who haven’t had the chance to experience the way of Courage.”

The apostolate does not try to make people heterosexual, but stresses growth in the human and theological virtues through prayer, the sacraments, acts of reparation and the grace of God. The Church teaches that samesex attraction is not in itself sinful, but acting upon it is.

Its members inspire Christine.

“The depth of their gratitude, holiness and profound integrity is my greatest hope that my son, too, will eventually realize this change is possible — that he’ll eventually experience the tremendous joy of this redemptive way of life,” she said.

Courage depends on strict confidentiality. People go by first names, and only those directly involved in the program know the time and location of meetings.

“We provide a forum where people can feel confident and peaceful about opening their hearts to others,” said Father Paul Check, director-elect of Courage. A 48-year-old parish priest with the Diocese of Bridgeport, Conn., he’s an exMarine and professor of moral theology.

Father Check will succeed Father John Harvey, who founded Courage 28 years ago at the request of New York Cardinal Terence Cooke. Father Harvey, an Oblate of St. Francis de Sales, is still going strong at age 90; he addressed priests and seminarians on the moral theology of ministering to those with same-sex attraction.

“Father Harvey has touched so many hearts and brought many souls to Christ. He’s been more than a mentor. He’s been a good father to me,” Father Check said.

His own keynote talk focused on supernatural fatherhood. “same-sex attraction is not primarily a sexual problem; it’s gender confusion,” Father Check said. Many men with Same-sex attraction first suffered some deficit in their relationship with their dad.

“Our response must have a supernatural component,” he added. “We’re created in God’s image, and so we have a natural desire to know God, our Father.

“Jesus shows us how the Father loves the Son unconditionally as he comes into contact with people along his path on a very personal level. Jesus wants us to love the Father for his goodness to us,” Father Check said. “But if we can’t learn of our heavenly Father through our natural father, we can through

our identification with Jesus.

“Jesus told us that he and the Father are one. We can imitate Jesus’ actions — his fidelity, the fruitfulness of his suffering, and his forgiveness — and find union in that bond.”

Author Dale O’Leary explored the correlation between same-sex attraction and problems related to parental detachment. “Attachment disorders can be the foundation for a whole raft of psychological problems, from substance abuse to samesex attraction. And the ‘why’ matters, because people are the sum of everything that’s happened to them.

“But we understand now from the study of neuroplasticity that brains can change. You actually open up new tracks in your brain. It isn’t easy, but if you have a temptation, you can change your response to it over time. God can work miracles,” O’Leary said.

Speaker Dawn Stefanowicz of Toronto recounted how, with God’s help and therapy, she was able piece her life back together after being raised by an actively homosexual father. Her autobiographical book, "Out From Under: The Impact of Homosexual Parenting," gives an inside view of growing up within the gay subculture. She shared advice on helping children from “alternative” families who really have no

voice of their own. Her Website, www.dawnstefanowicz.com, offers resources for adult children raised by homosexuals.

Father Jeffrey Keefe, provincial psychologist to the Conventual Franciscan Friars, cited research showing that homosexuality is not inborn or immutable, but often caused by traumatic events, usually familial, that happen at critical developmental times.

Parting advice came from Father Donald Timone of the Archdiocese of New York: “Maintain a regular prayer life, have a spiritual director and do spiritual reading. Get yourself to confession and have a support group,” he said. “That’s the whole purpose of Courage — which is also the work of the Church — to bring people to a vital personal relationship with Jesus Christ.”

CONTACT: Courage International: c/o Church of St. John The Baptist, 210 West 31st Street, New York NY 10001; 212268-1010; Website: www. couragerc.net; email: NYCourage@aol.com.

Fall River Diocese Chapter: Priest-moderator Fr. Richard Wilson, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, New Bedford; 508-992-9408.

RetreatsatGlastonburyAbbey

FALL 2008

If today you hear His Voice harden not your hearts.

The monks and staff of Glastonbury Abbey invite you to nourish your soul and refresh your spirit by giving yourself time to be present to your God and to relax in an atmosphere of prayer and rest.

The Abbey, surrounded by lush woodlands and a short distance (two miles) from the ocean, affords the opportunity to walk, soak up the sun, reflect and rest.

Retreatants are welcome to share the prayer life of the monks at the communal celebrations of the Liturgy of the Hours and daily Eucharist.

During the summer months, guests have the opportunity to attend a daily presentation focused on monastic and Benedictine themes.

Come and experience a Benedictine approach to life - sit quietly ... ponder ... pray and be renewed!

Call to reserve your place: Retreat Secretary

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Oct. 17-19, Celtic Spirituality Retreat (Celtic II) with Fr. Joyce, OSB

and Celtic Harpist Ms. Mairead Doherty Oct. 24-26, Women’s Retreat: “Sowing Seeds of Peace” with Sandra

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and Martin Mullins, M.Sc. Nov. 7-9, “Monastic Spirituality” with Abbot Morcone, OSB Nov. 21-23, “Men’s Spirituality Retreat” with Fr. Joyce, OSB Dec. 5-7, “Advent Retreat” with the Abbey Staff Dec. 30-Jan.1, 2009, “New Year’s Retreat” with Fr. O’Connor, OSB

16

Youth Pages

August 15, 2008

Spanish priest says planning now begins for World Youth Day 2011

MADRID, Spain (CNS) — Less than a day after Pope Benedict XVI announced that Madrid will host the next World Youth Day in 2011, Catholics in Spain started to prepare.

Father Francisco Manrique, a youth minister at St. Michael of Fuencarral Parish in Madrid, said the announcement is a necessary "spiritual injection" for Spanish youth.

The expectation is enormous.

Our preparation, interest, excitement starts today," Father Manrique told Catholic News Service July 21

after hearing the news.

This has great significance for Spain. The whole world will be watching as Spain is challenged to stretch ties between the government and the Church," he said, referring to tense church-state relations.

Manrique said he plans to lead youth committees preparing for the gathering.

Preparation starts today," he said, adding that Madrid's celebration will be even bigger than the July 15-20 World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia.

SUMMER SESSION — Children of St. Francis Xavier Parish celebrate the ending to a great Vacation Bible School recently held at the Hyannis parish.

WORDSMITHS — The Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Local Court St. Theresa, recently awarded cash scholarships to students at St. Francis Xavier Preparatory School in Hyannis. Recipients included, from left: John Farrington, first place, poetry; Alanna Tonelli-Raylove, third place, poetry; Maxwell MacKoul, second place, poetry; Jarrod Risley, second place, essay; Sarah McGee, third place, essay; and Christopher Hughes, first place, essay. The themes for the competition were "Jesus the Light of the World" and "People Who Light the Way."

KEEPING BUSY — More than 100 Bishop Feehan High School students, including members of Feehan’s Campus Ministry organization, recently participated in two Catholic youth retreats, including the Steubenville East 2008 Summer Conference held at La Salette Shrine in Attleboro. The three-day Steubenville East Youth Conferences are organized on a national level and address the needs of today’s Catholic youth. This year’s theme was “Witness” from Acts 1:8, as speakers and musicians presented inspirational talks, uplifting songs and witness of the transforming power of God. “Take courage, it is I” from Mark 6, was the theme for Feehan’s Campus Ministry Board Leadership Retreat at Craigville Conference Center in Centerville. Sixty-three students from Feehan’s Campus Ministry organization enjoyed reflection, prayer, and other festivities on beautiful Craigville Beach. Above, Feehan’s student group at the Steubenville East 2008 Summer Youth Conference.

Below: Feehan’s Campus Ministry group poses on Craigville Beach in Centerville where it held its Campus Ministry Board Leadership Retreat.

AROUND THE HORN — Bank of America recently held its annual Youth Baseball Workshop and treated more than 125 children, including more than a dozen from St. Vincent’s Home in Fall River, to a clinic with Red Sox legend Sam Horn and the coaches at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket. After the coaching clinic they had the chance to ask Horn questions about his career as first basemen for the Boston Red Sox, and were treated to pizza.

A DAY AT THE BEACH — Students from the Summer Camp are returning from a fun day at the beach. Holy Trinity School in West Harwich opened it's doors for the first summer camp featuring a different theme for each week.

Youth Pages

August 15, 2008

DRIVE-UP WINDOW — Pope Benedict XVI leans from his popemobile to bless a young child as he makes his way to the final Mass of World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, July 20. An estimated crowd of 350,000 people gathered for the service at Royal Randwick Racecourse. (CNS photo/courtesy of World Youth Day 2008)

For secular Australia, World Youth Day was wake-up call

By Anthony Barich Catholic News Service

SYDNEY, Australia — In what is often seen as one of the most intensely secular nations in the world, Australia received a wake-up call: the faith of the Church on public display over the weeklong celebrations of World Youth Day. For young Catholics used to seeing a steady annual decline in figures such as Mass attendance — now estimated at approximately 13 percent of Catholics nationally — and feeling like the only young person in the local parish, the sight of an estimated 300,000 pilgrims from around the nation and overseas may well have provided a much-needed shot in the arm.

O

ne of my best friends has two children. After their baptisms, she took each infant to the statue of Mary and consecrated them to the Blessed Mother. It was the first time I had heard of someone doing that (21 years ago) and it intrigued me. She referred to them as “Mary babies.” I was a public school kid, and I think I missed a lot of simple, yet profound, traditions. I asked a lot of questions and several years later, in a very sincere prayer, I placed myself in the Blessed Mother’s hands and our relationship has blossomed. Ever since, I celebrate all of the special days of Mary, feast days and solemnities alike, as a “Mary baby.”

August 15 is the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In studying the Glo-

Prominent Australian theologian Tracey Rowland, dean of studies at the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family in Melbourne, Australia, said the July 15-20 World Youth Day activities and the visit of Pope Benedict XVI will not fix Australia overnight.

"But Pope Benedict's weeklong 'Christianity 101' intensive course for a couple of hundred thousand Australian pilgrims will certainly improve the situation, especially for Generation Y," she said, referring to the young people.

She noted that for many young pilgrims, World Youth Day was their first experience of solemn liturgy, adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, receiving

catechesis with deep intellectual and spiritual content, and meeting numerous other young people not embarrassed to be identified as Catholics.

The pope's homilies were deeply Christocentric, and in the closing Mass he explained the meaning of the Angelus — which he recited in Latin — as God's marriage proposal to humanity, accepted on people's behalf by Mary.

"No one could go away from Sydney thinking that it is possible to compartmentalize the faith or reduce it to a few rules and regulations and Sunday observances," Rowland said.

"The pope constantly reiterated the theme that it is all about a personal participation in the life of the Trinity and that changes

17 everything," she said. "There is no room for secular spheres impervious to the sacred and divisions between public and private personas; there is only a part of us and a part of our culture that either belongs to Christ already or still awaits transformation.

"That task of transformation is the biggest adventure life in the world can offer us, and some half a million pilgrims got a taste of it at World Youth Day," she said.

Sydney Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Fisher, chief organizer of World Youth Day, said that in his series of homilies during the weeklong event, the pope gave young Australian Catholics a blueprint of how to change the social and spiritual fabric of the country that the pope dubbed the "Great South Land of the Holy Spirit."

"He's provided us with a program for the spiritual and social renewal of our country and has offered young people the encouragement and inspiration to do that," Bishop Fisher said.

"Young people will return to their parishes, schools, commu-

NEW FRIENDS — Dan Bowmax of Townsville, Australia, and Frederick Larry and William Coolburra, both from Palm Island, Australia, attend the closing Mass of World Youth Day with Pope Benedict XVI at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney July 20.

(CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Be a Mary baby

rious mysteries of the rosary this … as is fitting for the Mother of past year with high school juniors, God. Mary was conceived without my students asked the difference sin and therefore the corrupting between the Ascension and the power of death has no hold on her.

Assumption. They knew that one She is in heaven, body and soul. was Jesus and the other was Mary, Only she and her Son can make but the action of going to heaven that claim. Many of our friends seemed to be the same to them, so they questioned why there were different terms. In fact, they are two very different actions, as can be inferred when you use them in

By Jean Revil sentences. Jesus ascended into heaven. Mary was assumed into heaven. Jesus went to heaven through his own and members of our families have power; Mary was taken body and died, and we hope that they are in soul into heaven. heaven with God, but their bodies Mary’s Assumption allows have been put into the ground, her to participate in her Son’s awaiting the resurrection on the Resurrection before the rest of us last day. This is not so with our

Be Not Afraid

nities and universities with a passion. All of us have been shown that Australians can be more idealistic and passionate about what really matters.

"We would hope that there's going to be a new life and energy in every corner of the Church, especially youth ministry, which will obviously be bigger and better as a result of World Youth Day," he added.

Bishop Fisher acknowledged Pope Benedict's concern for how deeply secularization has set into Australia.

"When (the pope) is talking about things like apathy and relativism, they're commonplace in the Western world, but certainly I think he had Australia in mind, and it's a real issue for us right across the board, not just for the Church," Bishop Fisher said.

Bishop Fisher said he felt optimistic after World Youth Day. "We know in fact that most people still say, when asked, that they believe in God and they pray sometimes and say they are Christians. So Australia isn't as agnostic as it's portrayed," he said.

Blessed Mother.

When I pray the fourth Glorious mystery of the rosary, I pray for a greater devotion to Mary. I have long known that Mary will always bring us to her Son if we place ourselves in her care. She was the first tabernacle of Christ. She placed herself completely in the hands of God, completely obedient to his will, the “handmaid of the Lord.” She is never far from her Son, so if you give yourself over to her care you will find yourself in the heart of Jesus. Mary, to my knowledge, never claimed any spotlight for herself. She was the most humble of women. Now is no different. Being devoted to Mary

is not an end in itself, it is a sure path to God. She wouldn’t have it any other way.

On this solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrate God’s love and God’s faithfulness to her, and hold onto the promise of his faithfulness to us. Thomas Merton wrote “If Mary is believed to be assumed into heaven, it is because we too are one day, by the grace of God, to dwell where she is. If human nature is glorified in her, it is because God desires it to be glorified in us too, and it is for this reason that the Son, taking flesh, came into the world.”

Jean Revil teaches spiritual theology and thanatology at Bishop Stang High School.

Comments welcome at: jrevil@ bishopstang.com.

18 Continued from page 13

Nantucket St. Mary/Our Lady of the Isle: $100M&M William Ellis, Jr. New Bedford Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus: $520-In Memory of Timothy Baker Cornell; $100-M&M Gordon W. Vieira.

Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. James: $1,500-Rev. Richard D. Wilson.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel: $500M&M Steven Brum, Edmund J. Sylvia; $250-Our Lady of Mount Carmel Woman’s Club, A Friend; $100-Marcio Antonio Cardoso, A Friend, M&M José Antonio Freitas, Maria F. Vincent.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help: $2,000-Anonymous; $1,000-A Friend, In Memory of Deceased of OLPH & St. Casimir Parishioners, Special Intention, In Thanksgiving for Graces Received.

St. Anthony of Padua: $200-Celesta, Joseph, Elizabeth Dellamorte.

St. Francis of Assisi: $1,000-Doris Garcia-In Memory of Frank GarciaMarty Crovello-David Gerrior, Moira Tierney; $500-St. Vincent de Paul Society; $300-Jacqueline Smith; $150-Kathleen West; $100-Armand Joia, M&M Barry Chase, Patrick & Heidi Walsh.

St. John the Baptist: $200-In Thanksgiving; $125-Joseph Rodrigues; $100-Anonymous, M&M Inocencio Santos, M&M Antonio Alves, Gloria Turgeon, M&M Antonio DaSilva, Ida Santos, M&M Jose DeFrias.

St. Lawrence Martyr: $200-Suzanne Sullivan; $125-M&M Wayne Arruda; $100-M&M Manuel Lima, M&M James Dee. St. Mary: $200-Michael & Cheryl McCormack; $150-M&M Paul H. Proulx; $125-M&M William R. Silveira; $100M&M James LaCroix, M&M William R. Dugas, M&M John J. Farrell.

North Attleboro Sacred Heart: $500-M&M William Durgin; $200-M&M David Mello, Ei-

The Anchor leen Molinaro; $100-M&M Joseph Hobson, Duvernay Council #42 USJB/ CFLI, M&M Peter Demers.

St. Mark: $100-M&M Robert Duquette, M&M Frank Ausiello, Barbara Hansen.

St. Mary: $1,000-Patrick & Deborah Fitzgibbons; $200-William & Roseann Napolitano; $100-Jeannine Knobel.

North Dartmouth St. Julie Billiart: $200-Ernest & Mary Lou Frias; $125-Norma Winsper; $100M&M Jean Ouellette, M&M Edward Ouellet, M&M John J. Harland, M&M James D. Mello, Jeannine Aidala, John F. Hogan Knights of Columbus #14236.

North Easton Immaculate Conception: $100-M&M Robert Pratt, Sharon George, M&M Robert Jones.

North Falmouth St. Elizabeth Seton: $3,000-Alice Cameron; $1,000-M&M William Janovitz; $500-M&M Dominic DiMartino, Margaret Savino; $400-M&M Leonard Roberge; $200-M&M Curtis Arthur, M&M Richard Giere, M&M Edward Maguire, M&M Mario Morini, M&M Michael Palmieri, Richard Nissi, M&M Walter Stringer; $100-Leo Amendola, M&M Gary Enos, Bill Hendel, M&M Clifford Long, M&M Amir Missaghian, M&M Matthew Murphy, M&M James Musto, M&M Leo O’Keefe, M&M Richard Renwick.

Orleans St. Joan of Arc: $100-M&M J. Barry Kavanaugh, Teresa Rew, Joseph Tunney.

Osterville Our Lady of the Assumption: $5,000M&M Thomas A. Vanderslice; $2,400M&M Philip Danby; $2,000-Rob & Danielle Grady; $1,000-M&M John Dawley, M&M James P. Kelly, M&M John MacKinnon; $500-M&M Richard T. Colman; $300-M&M Peter Kennedy; $230-M&M David Herlihy; $150M&M Richard J. Perry; $120-M&M Richard Leghorn; $100-M&M Richard

Cain, Charles H. Donald, M&M Edward I. Hickey, Jr., M&M Paul Beaudreau, Mrs. James J. O’Leary, Jr., Evelyn & Marie Rapoza.

Pocasset St. John the Evangelist: $100-Paul J. Murray.

Provincetown St. Peter the Apostle: $1,000-M&M Robert Cabral; $600-Seamen’s Bank; $250-Yvonne Cabral-Edwards, Provincetown Trolley, Inc.; $200-Kim Levesque; $150-Walter Harding; $100M&M Robert Henderson, Dr. Irene Cascione, Dorothy Clements, M&M Gordon Ferreira.

Seekonk Our Lady of Mount Carmel: $1,800-Anonymous; $500-M&M Kevin Harney; $250-M&M Carlos Braga, M&M Alan Gosselin, M&M John V. Segalla; $150-M&M David Pitassi; $100-M&M James Duncan, M&M Joseph Rebello, Irene Sousa.

St. Mary: $1,000-Timothy McGinn; $500-David & Cindy Mullen; $200-James & Deborah Bolton, Francis & Patricia McIsaac; $100-Reggie & Donna Barrows, Ann & Earl Hultzman, Paul & MaryEllen Keating.

Somerset St. John of God: $100-Virginia Borges, Dr&M Kenneth Arruda, M&M Jeffrey Hyde.

St. Patrick: $200-St. Vincent de Paul Society; $100-M&M Allen Fisher.

St. Thomas More: $200-M&M David Gauthier.

South Easton Holy Cross: $500-William A. Gagliardi; $225-J.M. Sullivan & P.B. Sullivan; $200-Paul & Janice Golder; $100-Katherine Bird, M&M Richard Arkuszewski, M&M Robert Cunha, M&M James Daley, Mary Edmonston, M&M Walter H. Emerson, M&M Thomas Madden, M&M Anthony Spagone, Robert & Anne Tarallo.

South Yarmouth St. Pius Tenth: $500-Carole Maroney; $100-M&M William MacKenzier.

August 15, 2008 Swansea St. Louis de France: $150-M&M Stephen Kiley; $100-Maurice Lincourt, M&M Fernand Boulay.

Taunton Annunciation of the Lord: $100M&M Leo Conroy, M&M Joseph Martin.

St. Joseph: $150-M&M Robert Clark.

St. Jude the Apostle: $675-Grace Lopes; $300-M&M Frederick Andrade, Jr.; $150-M&M John V. Andrade; $100M&M Gary Enos.

St. Mary: $500-Joseph & Gail Sousa; $200-Sean & Galdina Medeiros; $100-James & Lidwina Lavigne.

St. Paul: $300-M&M James Fagan; $100-M&M William A. Camillo III, M&M John Southam.

West Harwich Holy Trinity: $200-Gertrude M. Dean; $175-John & Norma O’Brien; $150-Marcia & Michael Walsh; $100-Lawrence & Patricia Conroy, Paul & Ellen Cuddy, Gino & Wania DeSouza, Michael & Marie Gurney, Edwin & Jennie Roderick, James & Joyce Sullivan.

Westport St. John the Baptist: $3,500-M&M Richard Lafrance; $1,000-M&M Frederic Torphy; $350-Dr&M Joseph McGuill; $300-Sean & Jacki Lafrance; $200-M&M Harry Green; $150-M&M Salvatore Costantino; $100-M&M Michael Coleman.

Woods Hole St. Joseph: $1,260-Dr&M Alexander Heard; $550-Glenn P. Kelly; $500-William Macaluso; $350-M&M Paul Demers; $300-M&M John Vaughan, Dr&M John Stegeman; $200-Michael & Mary Joyce; $150-M&M Michael Larkin; $100-M&M Lawrence P. Kavanagh, Jr., Eleanor Nace.

BUSINESS & COMMUNITY FALL RIVER: $1,350-Sawejko Enterprises.

NEW BEDFORD: $500-Surprenant & Beneski, P.C.

Digital age means more EWTN airtime continued from page one

ed basic analog package to the basic digital package is quite simple.

Customers are asked to contact Comcast at the toll free number, 1-800-COMCAST (1-800-2662278), or via the Website comcastdigitalworld.com to request a new digital cable TV box.

The box will be free of charge for one year if requested no later than today, after which the fee will be $3.95 per month.

The box can be picked up at a local Comcast office, or it can be mailed to the residence. In either instance, simple installation instructions will be provided.

The new box will allow Comcast customers access to many more channels, including EWTN and CatholicTV, airing on separate channels 24 hours a day every day.

Users should also notice a finer reception as well.

According to Comcast, the cost for the basic digital package, aside from the $3.95 monthly fee for the box, will remain the same as the extended basic analog package.

The Comcast channel numbers for EWTN and CatholicTV will vary from town to town. Subscribers will be able to find them on the provider's on-air TV guide.

Niloff told The Anchor that analog stations take up much more air space than digital channels — one analog station can occupy the same air space as 10-12 digital stations.

That was a major reason why the former Channel 56 had to share air space with EWTN, CatholicTV and the Inspirational Network.

Niloff also reported that Comcast began notifying its affected customers in mid-May about the change and the steps needed to maintain EWTN coverage.

For some, change is not always a welcome proposition. But in the instance of the digital age, it means much more quality Catholic television programming on two stations instead of part-time on one.

When the complete change over to digital television occurs next February, Comcast will still offer analog packages, but these packages will not include EWTN and CatholicTV — therefore acquisition of the new digital box is vital.

It should be noted that there are other cable providers in the diocesan coverage area, but the aforementioned information is for Comcast users only.

Subscribers of other cable or dish TV utilities should contact their providers for information regarding EWTN and CatholicTV coverage.

Comcast customers requiring more information should contact 1-800-COMCAST, comcastdigitalworld.com or visit their local Comcast office.

August 15, 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 ASSONET — St. Bernard Church, 30 South Main Street, will hold its Harvest Festival August 27 from 11 a.m., to 10 p.m., and August 28 from 11 a.m., to 3 p.m. For more information call 508-644-2032.

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 — 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.

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.

LAKEVILLE — The first annual Diocesan Health Facilities Golf Classic, formerly the Madonna Manor Golf Classic, will be held September 22 at LeBaron Hills Country Club. It will benefit the five facilities and two community-based programs in the Diocesan Health Facilities system sponsored by the Diocese of Fall River. For information call Mary-Ellen Murphy at 508-699-2740.

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

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.

NEW BEDFORD — Holy Family-Holy Name School will host a Jazz event tomorrow at the Wamsutta Club downtown. For information call 508-993-3547.

NORTH DARTMOUTH — St. Julie Billiart Parish’s annual fund-raiser “Septemberfest” opens with a seafood supper September 13 and the festival continues September 14, at the church off 494 Slocum Road. For more information call 508-993-2437.

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 Ballymeade 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.

WOODS HOLE — Choral Evensong and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament according to the Anglican Use in the Catholic Church, will be held Sunday, 5 to 6 p.m., in St. Joseph’s Church, 33 Millfield Street. Father Richard Bradford, Anglican Use chaplain, Archdiocese of Boston, will preside and preach. The service is open to everyone. For more information call David Burt at 508-444-6657.

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 508238-5743.

19

The Anchor East Brewster chapel marks centennial continued from page 20

Hall, in East Brewster and established a seminary, they too served the chapel. In 1961 Bishop James L. Connolly established Immaculate Conception Parish in Brewster and entrusted its care to the Missionaries of La Salette.

La Salette Father Joseph A. Nolin was its first pastor and the parish included the Town of Brewster and parts of Dennis and Harwich north of Route 6.

Immediately it became clear that the chapel was not large enough to handle the population of the parish.

Thirty acres on Stony Brook Road were purchased for $30,000 and Bishop Connolly presided at the Dec. 8, 1961 ground breaking and approved the name, Our Lady of the Cape Parish. It was dedicated on July 14, 1963 and would serve the parish for more than 40 years.

However, the chapel was not forgotten. Father Nolin renovated the sanctuary of the chapel to meet the reforms of Vatican Council II in 1967 and it remained a vital part of the pastoral plan of the parish.

Under Father Henry Durand,

the west wing was added to the chapel in 1968 to bring the seating capacity to nearly 250. During the winter season the wing was closed off and became the parish thrift shoppe.

The chapel’s latest renovations came in 1998-1999 when Father Baris undertook the restoration of the chapel to its original, simple, neo-Gothic design and beauty. With the May 2, 2004 dedication of the new Our Lady of the Cape Church by Bishop George W. Coleman, Immaculate Con-

ception Chapel has one again became a season house of worship, open from Memorial Day weekend to the Columbus Day weekend.

As Father Baris puts it, the chapel remains a strong reminder of the faith, dedication and sacrifices of generations of “wash-a-shores” living their faith, hopes and love.

Parts of the historical information is taken from “Catholicism on Cape Cod” by Sacred Hearts Father Harold A. Whelan.

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

Aug. 18 Rev. Msgr. William H. Dolan, Retired Pastor, Holy Family, East Taunton, 1977 Aug. 20 Rev. Bernard H. Unsworth, Retired Pastor, St. Mary, New Bedford, 1982 Rev. Thomas Cantwell, SSJ., Retired, St. Joseph’s Seminary, Washington, 1983

Stay informed about the Church.

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

Aug. 21 Most Rev. Lawrence S. McMahon, Bishop of Hartford, Former Pastor, St. Lawrence, New Bedford, 1891 Aug. 22 Rev. Msgr. Manuel J. Teixeira, Pastor, St. Anthony, Taunton, 1962 Rev. William R. Jordan, Pastor, St. Louis, Fall River, 1972 Rev. Msgr. Joseph C. Canty, USN Retired Chaplain, Retired Pastor, St. Paul, Taunton, 1980 Msgr. John F. Denehy, USAF Retired Chapalin, 2003 Aug. 23 Rev. Thomas F. Clinton, Pastor, St. Peter, Sandwich, 1895 Msgr. Anthony M. Gomes, PA, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of the Angels, Fall River, 1992 Aug. 24 Rev. Peter J.B. Bedard, Founder, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Fall River, 1884 Very Rev. James F. Gilchrist, CPM VG., Vicar General of the Congregation of the Fathers of Mercy, 1962 Rev. Msgr. James E. Gleason, Retired Pastor, St. Patrick, Falmouth, 1987

The Anchor

Email: theanchor@anchornews.org or call 508.675.7151

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

20

The Anchor

CELEBRATING A CENTURY — Our Lady of the Cape parishioners take part in a Mass celebrating the 100th anniversary of Immaculate Conception Chapel in East Brewster last weekend. (Photo courtesy of Denise Doherty)

Celebrations mark Immaculate Conception Chapel’s centennial

By Deacon James N. Dunbar

EAST BREWSTER — Immaculate Conception Chapel, one of the oldest houses of worship still in use on Cape Cod that harkens back to the infancy of the Fall River Diocese, was the gathering place for hundreds who attended weekend Masses marking its centennial.

“We held receptions following Masses last Saturday night and on Sunday,” reported Missionary of La Salette Father Bernard Baris, pastor of Our Lady of the Cape Parish in Brewster, the mother church to the mission chapel.

“The old chapel can seat approximately 250 people but we had many more attending at the principal Sunday Mass at 9:30 a.m.,” he added.

Father Baris, along with La Salette Fathers Richard Lavoie, John Dolan, and Luke Krzanowski — the latter a visitor from Poland — were the concelebrants.

“It was an excellent way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the chapel which has served so many on Cape Cod in all seasons since its beginning in August 1908, just following the establishment of the Fall River

Diocese in 1904,” the pastor noted.

Catholic life didn’t get underway until the early 19th century in the stronghold of the Pilgrims — what English explorer Bartholomew Gosnold in 1602 called Cape Cod. But when it did, it spread quickly, and Catholics began to arrive on the Cape in greater numbers finding work in fishing and farming. Their spiritual needs were entrusted to the few priests in parishes in Sandwich and Harwich, within what now is the Diocese of Fall River.

In 1907, Bishop Daniel

August 15, 2008 Feehan, the diocese’s second bishop, gave permission to a diocesan priest, Father George F. Maguire, the pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Harwich since 1904, to build a small chapel in East Brewster to meet the needs of the growing population of Catholics in that region.

In his missionary ministry, the zealous Father Maguire would travel to Harwich, Dennis, Chatham, Orleans, Brewster, Wellfleet and Truro by train or by horse and buggy.

About once a month he would arrive in Brewster and celebrate Mass in the parlor of Delia Ellis.

Although a Mrs. Louise Doyle donated a parcel of land in East Brewster for the chapel, it proved unsuitable and reportedly Father Maguire used his own money to purchase land on Kings Highway, now known as Route 6A also in East Brewster.

Depending on what history one reads, Bishop Feehan’s permission held the construction cost of the proposed chapel to $700 or $875.

However, it didn’t stop Father Maguire for the signing the estimated contract for $1,573, exclusive of interior furnishings. The list of donors of the chapel’s stained glass windows reads like a litany of the founding families: Doyle, Lee, Brennan, Clark, Ellis, Cahoon, Saint, Mullen, Driscoll, Considine, Corrigan, Foley, Norton,

Cloney, McGrath, Leary and Roach.

The builders also included hard-working immigrant Irish domestics and their families of whom Msgr. James E. Cassidy, later to become bishop would say “The churches of the Diocese of Fall River were built with the nickels and dimes of the Irish servant girls.”

Through the efforts of many volunteers and benefactors, the new Chapel of the Immaculate Conception was dedicated on Aug. 16, 1908 by Bishop Feehan. During the ceremonies he also confirmed 11 people.

Realizing that one priest could not meet the needs of the Cape’s growing Catholic population, Bishop Feehan in March 1909 reassigned Father Maguire and placed the Cape territory in the hands of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts.

Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Wellfleet was made the central church with missions in Truro, Brewster and Harwich.

Under the pastorship of Sacred Hearts Father Joseph Eikerling — who served for 17 years — Mass was celebrated in the chapel every Sunday, and it was expanded.

Because of lack of vocations, the Congregation withdrew gradually from Cape Cod parishes, including East Brewster.

However, when Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette in 1942 purchased Fieldstone Turn to page 19

CAPE COD LANDMARK — The quaint Immaculate Conception Chapel in East Brewster was the site of several Masses last weekend marking its 100th anniversary. (Photo courtesy of Father Bernard Baris, M.S.)