Diocese of Fall River
The Anchor
F riday , August 22, 2008
Summer was time of preparation for five diocesan high schools
By Michael Pare Anchor Staff
FALL RIVER — For the five Catholic high schools in the Fall River Diocese, the summer represented not only the opportunity to paint walls and buff
Image of Our Lady to begin new tour across the diocese
and wax floors, but to take on more significant projects such as renovating athletic fields and expanding existing facilities. As soon as students headed off for summer break in late June, all of the diocesan schools saw
work crews roll in to start on a series of projects, all marked by tight timetables. It has also been a time for administrators and teachers to embark on professional development initiatives. The common theme among the
high schools centered on learning how to make better use of technological advances. Bishop Connolly High School, Fall River: It has been a hectic summer at Bishop Connolly, but Michael
Pauline Year: Renewed focus on Scripture By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff
By Deacon James N. Dunbar
FALL RIVER — A replica of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe will be on display for prayer and veneration in several churches and schools as well as outside an abortion clinic in the Fall River Diocese from August 27 to September 11. The miraculous image of the Virgin Mary, showing her as the pregnant Mother of God, is an exact replica of the painting that appeared inside the peasant cloak of Juan Diego, a Christian Aztec Indian in Mexico on Dec. 12, 1532. Through the intercession of Our Lady, the Aztec’s practice of human sacrifices was brought to and end, and millions of conversions to Christianity were witnessed in the ensuing years. The original colorful image can be seen in the Basilica to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City — which Our Lady asked to be built — and where it has been on display for nearly 500 years, visited by locals and pilgrims from across the world. The local prayer-tour is being cosponsored by Catholic Citizenship of Fall River, in cooperation Turn to page 14
Scanlan, the school’s principal, would have it no other way. “We are experiencing a renaissance,” said Scanlan. Nothing has Scanlan more excited than the fact that the Turn to page 18
EAGER BEAVERS — Youngsters at Holy Family Parish recently enjoyed the first-ever Vacation Bible School at the East Taunton parish. Photo and story on Youth Pages, page 16.
Abortion advocates seek to erode rights of Pro-Life medical personnel By Gail Besse Anchor Correspondent
WASHINGTON — New federal guidelines to protect the conscience rights of Pro-Life health care professionals are urgently needed because of mounting pressure from abortion ad-
vocates, medical experts warn. Without better safeguards, the rights of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and their Pro-Life patients will be whittled away. A draft of proposed Health and Human Services guidelines that would strengthen such protection was leaked to the press in July. The bill states that HHS would refuse federal funding to health care providers who discriminate against employees who oppose abortion or abortifacient contraceptives. Planned Parenthood and other abortion advocates deluged the press and HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt with alarmist opposition. Leavitt responded August 11
in his blog: “Does the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association believe we can protect by Constitution, statute and practice rights of free speech, race, religion, and abortion — but not conscience?” He said if his department does issue the regulation, “it will aim at one thing, protecting the right of conscience of those who practice medicine. From what I’ve read the last few days, there’s a serious need for it.” “We support Secretary Leavitt completely,” said Catholic Medical Association Executive Director John Brehany in an interview. ”Our opponents want to create a Turn to page 18
FALL RIVER — Although he remains a towering and influential figure in the formation of Christian doctrine, most Catholics’ knowledge of St. Paul is restricted to his voluminous writings and teachings found in the New Testament. His radical conversion on the road to Damascus and his devotion and belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ continue to be a source of inspiration to this day. Being unable personally to go out and spread the Gospel to many of the outlying areas ready to embrace the faith in the early days of the Church, St. Paul instead let his words speak for themselves. These letters remain as relevant today as they were when Paul first addressed them to the Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, and others as they sought to learn and abide by Christ’s teachings. “When I meditate on Paul’s letters and wonder about their relevance in today’s culture, I notice that not much has changed in our behavior and in our need to hear Paul’s enthusiasm again about Christ’s and God’s justice and Turn to page 19