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Diocese of Fall River, Mass.

F riday , August 22, 2014

‘Moon over Molokai’ makes brief return to Fairhaven

By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff

FAIRHAVEN — Sunday Masses at St. Mary’s Parish in Fairhaven got a dose of the “aloha spirit” this past week as its former pastor and current Anchor columnist, Father Patrick Killilea, SS.CC., celebrated the 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Masses before heading back to his parish in Kalaupapa, Hawaii.

“It was great coming back and participating in Mass,” said Father Killilea, adding the he felt the difference between celebrating Mass at St. Francis Parish in Hawaii versus celebrating in Fairhaven. “At the most, we have maybe 15 people in Mass on Sunday [at St. Francis] — six

patients and a few workers who stay in the settlement. Here, everybody gets into it and sings.

That’s nice to experience again.”

Father Killilea was already prepared for the change of pace in Hawaii during a threemonth stay there in the summer of 2006. When he was permanently assigned to St. Francis Parish just over two years ago, he cited that 2006 stay as “good preparation for long-term on what” life would be like being pastor to the remaining patients still living on the island of Molokai in what is left of the leper colony that had been overseen by fellow Sacred Hearts priest, St. Damien.

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Four new modular classrooms were recently delivered to St. Mary-Sacred Heart School in North Attleboro. Middle school-aged students will house the classrooms that will include interactive projectors installed so that students can continue to utilize the school’s iPads as part of their learning experience.

(Photo provided by Veronica Welch at St. Mary-Sacred Heart School)

Growth, change, enhancements highlight ‘exciting’ new year for diocesan schools

By Dave Jolivet Anchor Editor

Sacred Hearts Father Patrick Killilea recently performed a Baptism at St. Mary’s Parish in Fairhaven, at which he was formerly pastor, during a recent visit to the area. Father Killilea is currently pastor of St. Francis Parish in Kalaupapa, Hawaii.

New Bedford Knights rev-up relief with raffle

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

NEW BEDFORD — The members of the Father Michael J. McGivney Knights of Columbus, Council No. 14557 based at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in New Bedford, recently raised $1,500 to benefit an international K of C fund for victims of recent natural disasters in the Philippines.

The council raised the money by selling raffle tickets for a Vectrix VX-2 electric scooter, which was obtained through the former employer of Grand Knight Steve DaSilva.

“It started back as an aside conversation at one of our council pancake breakfasts in early October 2013,” DaSilva told The Anchor. “I was laid off from work and my company was changing hands. However, as a former employee I could still get my hands on the Vectrix electric scooter at a substantially reduced price. At the next council meeting I offered up as a motion to my brother Knights that we purchase a scooter for a fund-raising effort and the council agreed.”

DaSilva explained that in Turn to page 20

FALL RIVER — The Backto-School commercials began at the tail end of July. For some, back-to-school shopping includes the purchase of new shoes, shirts, blouses, pants, dresses, back-packs and supplies.

For various schools in the Diocese of Fall River’s parochial school system it includes the addition of four new modular classrooms, enhanced curriculums, new staff members, increases in enrollment, infrastructure renovations, and an increase in student activities.

In a recent interview with The Anchor, diocesan school superintendent Dr. Michael S. Griffin and assistant superintendent for personnel Louise P. Kane, each expressed excitement and great optimism for the nearly two dozen diocesan elementary, middle and high schools stretching from Cape Cod to the Attleboros and all points in between.

“Our schools are growing, evidenced by classroom additions, renovations and increases in enrollment in places,” Griffin told The Anchor. “We’re

blessed with good leadership and strong faith-filled curriculums for our students. And we’re looking forward to what dimensions our new Bishop Edgar da Cunha will bring in the future.”

“Some of the changes we’ve made, like the merging of the middle and high schools in Hyannis and Taunton, are providing for a seamless transition for the students from one level to the next,” added Kane. “At one time the transition from middle school to high school was difficult for some students.

But these mergers will ease the students from one stage to the next. That’s a very positive result.”

The combining of the schools in these two areas are indeed the most noticeable changes and Griffin and Kane concurred that they study the positives and work to eliminate the negatives.

But those are far from the only “Back-to-School” changes happening across the diocese.

Another high profile change took place last week at St. Mary’s-Sacred Heart School in North Attleboro, where four modular classrooms were de-

livered and assembled, adding more space for the middleschool students. “This has been a very busy place this summer,” principal Denise Peixoto told The Anchor. “All in one week we had the delivery of the modular classrooms, the lawn in front of the school was being landscaped to include a playground area for the students, and the city was tearing up the street to repave it later. There’s a lot going on.”

In addition, the North Attleboro school, which is one that has seen an increase in enrollment, is expanding its cafeteria to make room for the additional students.

Other diocesan schools experiencing an expansion are St. Mary’s in Mansfield which is adding a pre-school for the first time; St. John the Evangelist in Attleboro is expanding its kindergarten program from one to two classes; Our Lady of Lourdes in Taunton is adding a new pre-kindergarten program for three-year-olds; and All Saints Catholic School in New Bedford has created separate classes for its three-year-old and four-year-old students.

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News From the Vatican

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August 22, 2014

Pope meets and honors Korean lay people, religious and disabled

KKOTTONGNAE, South Korea (CNS) — Pope Francis visited a set of Korean Catholic institutions exemplifying some of his highest priorities for the Church, including engagement of lay people and dedication to the needy.

The pope’s recent visit to the hilltop complex of the Kkottongnae community, about 60 miles south of Seoul, included time with disabled children and adults, speeches to members of religious orders and lay activists, and a moment of silent prayer at a symbolic cemetery for aborted children. It took place on the third day of his five-day visit to South Korea.

“To assist the poor is good and necessary, but it is not enough,” the pope told about 150 leaders of various Catholic lay organizations. “Multiply your efforts in the area of human promotion, so that every man and every woman can know the joy which comes from the dignity of earning their daily bread and supporting their family.”

Such dignity, the pope warned in an off-the-cuff addition to his prepared text, was currently under threat from a prevalent “culture of money.”

Pope Francis paid tribute to the Korean Church’s unique tradition of lay leadership. All but one of the 124 martyrs he beatified earlier that day in Seoul were lay Catholics.

But the pope alluded to the possibility of tension with clergy, asking his audience to “work in complete harmony of mind and heart with your pastors, striving to place your own insights, talents and charisms at the service of Church’s growth in unity and missionary outreach.”

The Kkottongnae community was founded in the 1970s

by Father John Oh Woong Jin, a member of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, and now operates in 10 countries outside Korea. The complex Pope Francis visited includes a retreat center, a Spirituality training institute, a university specializing in social work and rehabilitation centers for disabled children and adults.

The pope’s first event at the complex was a meeting with about 70 disabled adults and children, some of them in wheelchairs or hospital beds.

Before going inside, he removed his shoes as a sign of respect, according to custom at the center. He stopped and greeted the patients one by one, embracing

them or placing his hands on their heads for a blessing, and watched a brief dance performance by the children.

A small boy in a wheelchair greeted the pope with a bouquet of flowers, which the pope placed at the foot of a statue of Mary. For the rest of his visit to the rehabilitation center, he wore a necklace of flowers he had been given.

Pope Francis spent the better part of an hour with the disabled, longer than planned, then visited the Garden of Aborted Children, where crosses mark the symbolic graves of the unborn. The pope prayed there with Brother Lee Gu-won, a missionary who was born without arms or legs and was abandoned at birth.

To get back on schedule, the pope canceled a celebration of vespers with members of religious orders, at which he had been scheduled to read an opening greeting and a closing benediction in Korean.

“There is no time,” the pope told the religious, almost all of them women, as he pointed to his watch with a smile.

But in a speech to the religious, the pope urged them to reaffirm their vows of chastity, poverty and obedience.

“Mature and generous obedience requires that you cling in prayer to Christ Who, taking the form of a Servant, learned obedience through what He suffered,” he said. “There are no shortcuts: God desires our hearts completely.”

“Chastity expresses your single-minded dedication to the love of God,” the pope said. “We all know what a personal and demanding commitment this entails. Temptations in this area call for humble trust in God, vigilance and perseverance.”

The pope’s strongest words concerned threats to the vow of poverty, as he warned against “all things which can distract you and cause bewilderment and scandal to others.”

“The hypocrisy of those consecrated men and women who profess vows of poverty, yet live like the rich, wounds the souls of the faithful and harms the Church,” the pope said. “Think, too, of how dangerous a temptation it is to adopt a purely functional, worldly mentality which leads to placing our hope in human means alone and destroys the witness of poverty which our Lord Jesus Christ lived and taught us.”

Pope Francis baptizes Lee Hojin, the father of a victim of the April South Korean ferry accident, at the nunciature in Seoul. Lee took the baptismal name Francis in honor of the pope. (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano, pool)

Pope tells Asians to witness to Christ in all aspects of life

SEOSAN, South Korea (CNS) — Pope Francis told young Asian Catholic leaders to witness to Christ in everything they do.

During his homily on the muddy grounds of Haemi Fortress, Pope Francis urged more than 40,000 people — including young Catholic leaders from 22 Asian countries — to “reflect God’s love.” He reminded them it was their “right and duty to take part in the life of (their) societies.”

“Do not be afraid to bring the wisdom of faith to every aspect of social life,” the pontiff said. He also urged them to discern “what is incompatible with your Catholic faith and what aspects of contemporary culture are sinful, corrupt and lead to death.”

Young people are always choosing their social lives over other things, and this makes it complicated to “grow up in their faith also,” said Montira Hokjareon, a youth coordinator in Thailand’s Udon Thani Diocese.

She said it was especially hard for young Thai Catholics to practice their faith in a predominantly Buddhist country where less than half of one percent of the population is Catholic.

Hokjaroen, 34, was one of 20 participants who had lunch with Pope Francis. She told Catholic News Service it was good he nudged the youth leaders to evangelize, “because I think the people will learn (about) Jesus through us.”

Rain threatened the closing Mass for Asian Youth Day, which, unlike the massive international World Youth Day events, focuses more on youth leaders. At one point, the wind whipped off the pope’s cap.

Pope Francis emphasized the theme of this year’s gathering, “Asian Youth Wake Up, the Glory

of the Martyrs Shines on You.” “It’s no good when I see young people who sleep,” said the pontiff. “No. Wake up! Go! Go!” Haemi Fortress was where thousands of Catholics were killed during a 100-year period in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In the 1700s lay people formed the Church based on Catholic writings that they got hold of from China. The original founders pledged loyalty to God rather than the Korean king, which was socially unacceptable. The government pursued them for carrying out Catholic rites and Baptisms, killing 10,000 faithful in the century beginning in 1791.

A day before the closing Mass, Pope Francis beatified 124 of the founders of the Korean Catholic Church, moving them a step closer to sainthood.

Michael Hwang of Seoul said being on these grounds was “exhausting emotionally,” because his ancestors were among those executed. But he told CNS he was glad to be a part of Asian Youth Day because it brought him closer to other Catholics from Asia. “(The pope) said to wake up and a lot of people can come together, and we could be like one nation,” said Hwang, a 17-yearold high school student.

Hwang said his friends are not Catholic, “but I think Catholicism is a great thing and I can tell my friends about how (being) Catholic is great, and this event will be a great background to teach or tell other people.”

Stephen Borja of Manila, Philippines, told CNS the founding of the Church in Korea “is such a unique story, and it really touched me. How passionate they were about receiving the faith, standing up for it, even giving up their lives for it.”

Borja, 34, works with the youth commission of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. He said the pope’s words inspired him to show his faith to others, which is still a challenge in his predominantly Catholic country.

The three characteristics the pope identified for the Church in Asia are “holier, more missionary and humbler,” he said. “Those are words I would carry with me and also with my work in the Church.”

Pope Francis celebrated Mass at an altar made up of 16 wooden crosses that locked together like wooden blocks and were decorated by the youth. Readings and intercessions were in Filipino, Indonesian, Korean and other languages.

“As young Christians, whether you are workers or students, whether you have already begun a career or have answered the call to Marriage, religious life or the priesthood, you are not only a part of the future of the Church, you are also a necessary and beloved part of the Church’s present,” said the pope. He told young Asian to build “a Church which loves and worships God by seeking to serve the poor, the lonely, the infirm and the marginalized.”

Bishop Peter Kang U-il of Jeju, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, noted that this was the first Asian Youth Day attended by a pope.

“The young Asians may have experienced an extraordinary moment of grace, and they also may have acquired the seed of courage and hope for their future, because Your Holiness shared a great affection and intimacy with them,” he told Pope Francis at the Mass.

Organizers announced Indonesia would host the 2017 Asian Youth Day.

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August 22, 2014

Catholic aid official: Agencies try to ‘pick up the pieces’ in Gaza

AMMAN, Jordan (CNS) — A senior Catholic aid official said humanitarian agencies are “trying to pick up the pieces” of Gaza’s badly destroyed infrastructure, desperately hoping that the declared truce between Israel and the militant Hamas will hold.

“It’s difficult to explain the gravity of the situation,” said Sami El-Yousef, regional director of the Jerusalem office of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association.

El-Yousef told Catholic News Service in a phone interview that the initial ceasefire in early August allowed aid workers to get out for the first time in more than a month to assess the extent of the damage from intensive bombardment and shelling.

“We’re trying to pick up the pieces of the infrastructure, water, sanitation, electricity. Food

and water supplies are running low, there is significant damage to the infrastructure, homes and other buildings,” he said. “It’s going to take a very, very long time before Gaza gets back on its own two feet.”

The CNEWA official said he and others are “clinging to the hope” the cease-fire “will hold and eventually we get to the root cause of all this mess. Otherwise, we will enter this cycle again and again.”

As the extent of the devastation wrought on the coastal strip emerges so, too, have some of the stories unfolded of both bittersweet miracles and tragedies.

El-Yousef said that, in March, CNEWA had just completed restoration of the Gaza City residence of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word, damaged in an earlier conflict.

During the most recent con-

flict, the bedrooms were struck by shelling.

“But there was actually a miracle in the making,” he said.

“Had the Sisters been in the house at the time — they were evacuated a bit earlier — something very bad would have happened.”

Still, the nuns, the handicapped children in their care and Father Jorge Hernandez, the lone parish priest in Gaza, are all safe. Father Hernandez travels throughout the strip helping with aid distribution and carrying out pastoral visits, El-Yousef said.

Many others have been less fortunate.

El-Yousef recounted learning about the recent death of a nurse serving at the Anglican Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, the only Christian hospital in Gaza, which serves the entire community.

Sacred Heart Parish in Fall River to close; Soup kitchen and food pantry will continue ministering to poor

FALL RIVER — Father Raymond Cambra, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Fall River, at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Parish Pastoral Council on June 17, 2014, began to discuss the difficult but inevitable conclusion that the parish can no longer be maintained given the many challenges it faces.

Sacred Heart Parish has been diminishing in size over many decades, has mounting accumulated debt and, bringing this already difficult situation to a head, recently learned that its church boiler is beyond repair and in need of replacement.

As Father Cambra shared with his Pastoral Council members, the parish cannot survive another winter.

The decline of the parish has been chronic and is owed to a combination of changes in its neighborhood demographics and an aging parishioner base with few younger members, resulting in an overall decrease in the number of active, participating Catholics.

A review of Sacramental statistics and other quantifiable parish data since 2000 indicate steadily decreasing numbers. Last year, the parish’s two weekend Masses drew an average combined total of only 206 persons (the church seats 900). In 2013, there were 10 baptisms, three weddings, five children receiving First

Communion and no teen-age parishioners to receive Confirmation.

Fewer active parishioners results in diminishing financial resources for the parish.

For several years, Sacred Heart Parish has been accumulating significant debt because of its inability to pay for ordinary expenses like property and health insurance.

Earlier in June Bishop George W. Coleman, Father Michael K. McManus, Moderator of the Curia for the diocese, and Paul Kawa, diocesan Finance Officer, met with Father Cambra to discuss the parish’s dire condition. Father Cambra told them that the parish could not make it through another winter.

He was asked to meet with his Parish Pastoral Council to consider another parish of which they could become part, a time frame for closure and ways to help parishioners with the transition.

Since that time, Father Cambra has been meeting with Diane Rinkacs, the acting director of the Office for Pastoral Planning, for those purposes. The Parish Pastoral Council has decided that the closure will occur on the feast of Christ the King, Nov. 23, 2014, and that the welcoming parish would be St. Mary’s Cathedral.

Since 2004 Sacred Heart Parish has sponsored a weekly

soup kitchen and bi-monthly food pantry, providing hot meals, food items and more without charge to those in need. This ministry offers a significant contribution to the community as a whole and will be maintained. The soup kitchen and food pantry will be re-located to Holy Rosary Chapel, and it will maintain the name “the Sacred Heart Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry.” Its continuation going forward will serve as a testament to the dedicated efforts of Sacred Heart Parish to live out its mission in this way over the past decade despite its own precarious situation.

Bishop George W. Coleman, apostolic administrator of the diocese, commends Father Cambra for his pastoral leadership under difficult circumstances.

Father Cambra was the driving force behind the soup kitchen and food pantry. Bishop Coleman likewise thanks the parishioners for their willingness to face the reality of present circumstances. Bishop Coleman has assured Father Cambra and the parishioners that they will remain in his prayers.

Sacred Heart Parish was established in 1872 and its church completed in 1883. At this time no decision has been made about the future of the church building or any other parish property.

“She had been working for a long stretch and was released to go for a home rest for two days,” he said. “The day she went home her house was targeted by a missile. She, her motherin-law and father-in-law were killed in the attack. Only her two young children survived. I felt awful to hear this news.”

El-Yousef said Jeries Ayyad, a Christian injured when a missile struck his house in July, was clinging to life after being transferred to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Jerusalem. Jeries had burns on approximately 90 percent of his body. He has had amputations to both of his legs and has had three strokes.

During the cease-fire, ElYousef said CNEWA hoped to provide psychosocial support, particularly to children served

by Gaza’s Christian institutions.

The United Nations reports that some 373,000 Gazans are in need of psychosocial intervention because of the losses of immediate family members, homes, and traumatic events.

Immediately, CNEWA’s focus will be to provide emergency medicines, medical supplies, and fuel for generators to the Al-Ahli hospital and to Middle East Council of Churches clinics.

“Gaza’s electricity supply is nearly gone so refueling for the generators is needed to ensure near uninterrupted power supply,” El-Yousef explained.

CNEWA also is covering costs for medical treatment for conflict-related diseases.

Planning is underway to fix damages sustained by Christian institutions and some homes within Gaza’s Chris-

tian community.

Auxiliary Bishop William Shomali of Jerusalem said the Church was helping provide emergency items as well as some cash to help some families buy basic necessities, such as food.

“We need to inject a bit of hope into the hearts of the people,” Bishop Shomali said in a phone interview from Jerusalem.

“For one month, they haven’t slept because of the shelling and the bombing. They need to heal from their fatigue and stress,” he said.

Both Catholic officials expressed concern that with most of Gaza’s schools sheltering perhaps up to 400,000 people, children will be unable to start classes any time soon.

Some U.N. schools as well as the Holy Family Catholic School in Gaza City have also been partially damaged in the airstrikes. The school has helped host some displaced people who have lost homes.

“It’s been quite a challenge because they don’t have the official structures in place to deal with emergency situations,” ElYousef explained.

Despite that, these Christian institutions have provided meals, clean water and hygiene kits, opening their doors to thousands, mainly Muslims, who do not have a safe place, he added.

“We are trying to help. But it’s small in a sea of needs,” the CNEWA official explained.

“We are doing a lot, but the needs are so incredible. We keep at it.”

Diocese of Fall River

OFFICIAL

His Excellency, Most Reverend George W. Coleman, Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Fall River, has accepted the nomination of the Reverend Johnathan Hurrell, ss.cc. Provincial Superior of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts – United States Province, and has made the following appointments: Rev. Robert Charlton, ss.cc., Pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Fairhaven Rev. Sudhir Christodas Nayak, ss.cc., Pastor at Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in New Bedford Effective: August 1, 2014 Rev. Benny Kosasih, ss.cc., Parochial Vicar at St. Joseph and St. Mary Parishes in Fairhaven Effective: September 1, 2014

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The Church in the U.S.

August 22, 2014

‘We need actions, not words’ to stop militants, says Chaldean leader

PHOENIX (CNS) — As the heart-rending images of Christians and Yezidis fleeing for their lives continue to pour in from Iraq, the Vatican called on Muslim leaders to condemn the “barbarity” and “unspeakable criminal acts” of Islamic State militants in Iraq.

From 7,000 miles away, Msgr. Felix Shabi, a native of Iraq serving the Chaldean Catholic community in Arizona, said the demise of Christianity in his homeland seemed imminent.

“We’ve lived through difficulties before, but not to this extreme,” Msgr. Shabi said.

“All of us — we have cousins, friends, brothers there. We are in agony for them. They are starving, without food or water.”

Msgr. Shabi said the refusal of Iraq’s Christians to abandon their faith in the face of annihilation is something that ought to open the eyes of those in the West. Islamic State militants, who gained control of Mosul in early June, have captured several Christian villages and cities in the surrounding area.

The inhabitants were given a choice: convert, pay an exorbitant “infidel tax,” or die by the sword. Many were killed — even children — but some 100,000 fled, refusing to renounce Christianity.

“They remained faithful,” Msgr. Shabi told The Catholic Sun, newspaper of the Diocese of Phoenix. “They left their homes, their gold, their businesses, but not their faith.”

In Arizona, there is a Chaldean Catholic parish in Scottsdale and a Chaldean Catholic mission church in Glendale.

Msgr. Shabi and the Chaldean Catholic community are part of the Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle, based in El Cajon, Calif.

The Chaldeans were once the largest group of Christians in Iraq, but since the U.S. invasion of that country and subsequent war there, more than half the Christian population has left the country.

“It looks like the end of the road for us,” Msgr. Shabi said.

“But thank God, people’s faith is strong. They are relying on God and the Virgin Mary.”

One aspect of the tragedy that few in the West understand is the sense of betrayal the Christians of Iraq feel.

When Muslims first came to the Christian villages centu-

ries ago, Msgr. Shabi said, they were beggars.

“They came with nothing and we accepted them and took care of them,” Msgr. Shabi said.

Muslims and Christians became neighbors who looked out for each other’s children.

That, he said, has ended.

“Now, for the Christians, non-Sunni Muslims and the Yezidis, even your neighbor that you knew for 30 years is leading the ISIS to your home or your business, everybody is betraying us. They want to cleanse Iraq of its original inhabitants.”

Msgr. Shabi said he and members of his community think constantly about what is happening back home.

“We are praying constantly, day and night. Even our dreams turn to nightmares,” Msgr. Shabi said.

The local congregation, numbering about 1,000 families, also has been collecting funds to send to the Catholic Church in Iraq. Msgr. Shabi said he is heartened by the news that the Knights of Columbus have committed $1 million to helping the Christians and other religious minorities of Iraq.

“We need actions, not words,” Msgr. Shabi said.

Even as the news that many fleeing persecution are dying from hunger, thirst and illness, Msgr. Shabi finds hope.

“In every event, we have to see the Salvation of God, His plan and His mercy,” Msgr. Shabi said. “Even with this genocide, our Christians are still the successors of the Church of the East that has endured persecution for 2,000 years and never left the faith.

We are the Church of martyrs.

Some of our people have died so that the people in the West can wake up.”

Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, head of the Knights of Columbus, said the organization was asking its members to pray for those being persecuted and contribute to the fund.

“It has shocked the conscience of the world that people are systematically being purged from the region where their families have lived for millennia — simply for their faith,” Anderson said. “It is imperative that we stand in solidarity with them in defense of the freedom of conscience, and provide them with whatever relief we can.”

Graphic designer John Stobbe of Tucson, Ariz., stands in front of a poster he recently designed for the Colibri Center for Human Rights using images of possessions found on the bodies of border-crossers who have died in the Arizona desert. The poster, titled “The Things They Carried: A Memorial to Lives Lost on the Border,” features more than 100 of the most common items found on or near the bodies of those who died while attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border between 2000 and 2009. (CNS photo/ Gary O’Brien)

Aim of poster to show bordercrossers ‘are real people,’ not ‘illegals’

WASHINGTON (CNS) — A human rights center in Tucson, Ariz., has released a poster with the hope that it will bring a human face to those who cross the border between the United States and Mexico.

The poster, titled “The Things They Carried: A Memorial to Lives Lost on the Border” and sold by the Colibri Center for Human Rights, features more than 100 of the most common — and some not-so-common — items found on or near the bodies of men, women and children who died when they attempted a border crossing near Arizona from 2000 to 2009.

The poster features some “special” or unusual items found on the dead bodies of the migrants, said John Stobbe, who drew the poster. They include a dead hummingbird, a Barney the dinosaur stuffed toy, 28 sets of dentures and many religious items that some Catholics tend to carry.

Stobbe, a graphic artist, worked on the poster with his wife, Robin Reineke, who cofounded Colibri. Reineke keeps a spreadsheet of the items, based on photos of objects recovered by the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner. In some cases, they’ll be the only clues to help families identify the remains of loved ones who made the trek north and were never heard from again.

“We’re constantly on the phone with the families” trying to find the bodies of missing family members, Reineke

told Catholic News Service in a phone interview. “We get as much detail as possible to help us distinguish remains.”

When families call the center asking for help, staff members ask when they last spoke to the family member, what the person was carrying and if the person was wearing an unusual item.

That’s when objects, such as the ones on the poster, come in handy. Not many will be carrying a Barney stuffed animal when they cross the border so perhaps it belonged to a child, or perhaps the missing person was last seen wearing an unusual belt buckle now documented by the medical examiner’s office.

The poster also says a lot about the difficulties faced by those making the trip. The medical examiner’s office found 250 water jugs, 53 sticks of lip balm, asthma inhalers, feminine pads. It also says a lot about their religious identity.

“There’s a lot of religious items,” Reineke said. “That speaks to the Catholic and highly religious nature of migrant population.”

Among some of the objects the medical examiner’s office recovered are 51 crosses, 73 “religious necklaces,” 10 Bibles, 206 prayer cards, 43 Rosaries, 54 scapulars and four images of Jesus.

“They’re carrying a lot of protection in the form of Bibles, some of them heavy, amulets, prayer cards — quite a few,” Reineke said.

Popular saints depicted on

the medals or figurines include Mary under her various titles, such as Our Lady of Juquila (from Mexico), or the Holy Child of Atocha, an image of the Child Jesus.

And then there’s the mundane: Some carried Scrunchies, used to keep the hair tied, a photograph of a dog, foot powder and playing cards.

“There are items that any of us will travel with,” Reineke said.

Stobbe, the artist, said he usually uses a computer to work on projects, but the intimate nature of the items that belonged to those who had died probably under distress called for something different.

“I made a choice to handdraw them,” he said. “It crossed my mind to do a modern graphic. I did, but I realized it doesn’t convey the human aspect of what we’re talking about. I realized hand-drawings were really working to give respect to the human part of this.”

About 400 posters have been printed so far and sold through http://colibricenter. org/things-carried. Each costs $20, including shipping and handling, and proceeds will to go help the center’s mission of helping identify the human remains of migrants.

“I hope anyone who sees it, regardless, whatever their stance on immigration is — that it will help these people take a minute and acknowledge that (those crossing the border) are real people and not just something they call illegal,” Stobbe said.

The Church in the U.S. Archbishop says workers, especially young adults, need decent jobs, pay

August 22, 2014

WASHINGTON (CNS) — In their 2014 Labor Day statement, the U.S. bishops denounced the fact young adults have “borne the brunt” of unemployment and underemployment in this country and around the world.

“Our younger generations are counting on us to leave them a world better than the one we inherited,” wrote Miami Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development.

Writing the statement on behalf of the bishops for Labor Day, which is September 1, the archbishop spoke of Pope Francis’ teaching against an “economy of exclusion” and applied it to the millions of unemployed young adults in the United States.

Some Americans, he said, have found “stability and security” in an economy that has seen some improvements. There are signs the country “may finally be healing economically after years of suffering and pain.”

“For those men and women, and

their children, this is good news,” he said, but a little digging shows there is an “enduring hardship for millions of workers and their families.” And the poverty rate remains high, he said, with 46 million Americans struggling “to make ends meet.”

“For those fortunate enough to have jobs, many pay poorly. Greater numbers of debt-strapped college graduates move back in with their parents, while high school graduates and others may have less debt but very few decent job opportunities,” he wrote.

The statement notes that in the United States, the unemployment rate for young adults exceeds 13 percent and is more than double the national average. In other countries, it says, unemployment among young adults is as high as three to four times the national average.

“Pope Francis has reserved some of his strongest language for speaking about young adult unemployment, calling it ‘evil,’ an ‘atrocity,’ and emblematic of the ‘throwaway culture,’” Archbishop

BARREN RIVER STATE PARK, Ky. (CNS) — About 120 men, nearly all of the seminarians for the seven dioceses that make up the province of Louisville, recently met for a first-of-its-kind gathering at Barren River State Park in Kentucky.

The gathering was the brainchild of Bishop David R. Choby, who has seen a tremendous growth in vocations during his time as the Bishop of Nashville, Tenn. After ordaining nine men to the priesthood earlier this summer, the diocese currently has 28 men in seminaries and anticipates that as many as six to be ordained to the priesthood next summer.

“I spoke with the bishops of the province about having our respective groups of seminarians meet. It seemed to me that when individual groups of seminarians were given the opportunity to realize how many other men were preparing to serve as a priests, that it would be a source of affirmation, a source of support, a source of inspiration for them,” Bishop Choby told the Tennessee Register, Nashville’s diocesan newspaper.

“Because so often as seminarians encounter the contemporary opportunities for them to experience a secular point of view of life it raises a question about the value or importance of something like the priesthood,” he said. “For 120 men to be together in one time, one place, praying together, eating together, talking together, I just felt like it would be a source of mutual support, and that’s important.”

The seminarians met as a group for meals, Mass, and a few talks. Individual dioceses held meetings with their seminarians, and the gathering included free time for recreational activities at the lakeside state park in south-central Kentucky.

“There is great merit that we’ve expe-

rienced for years and years of the bishops coming together in a province and then once a year the priests who are in the priest councils of the various seven dioceses also come together,” said Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville.

The archbishop is metropolitan of the ecclesiastical province, which includes the four dioceses in Kentucky — Louisville, Covington, Lexington and Owensboro — and the three in Tennessee — Nashville, Knoxville and Memphis.

“It has been a source of mutual fraternity, of union with Christ and a sense of communion and then of support of one another as we do the work of Christ within the dioceses. It keeps us from seeing the diocese as a silo unto itself and makes us be aware that the particular Church has an obligation to the Universal Church and we begin that obligation by helping our neighbors and that’s what the province gathering is.”

The gathering reflects the strength of vocations across the dioceses in the province.

“What a great gift just to see them all in one room for Mass, for meetings, and for the meals,” Archbishop Kurtz said.

“It’s a chance for them to come to not only know each other within their own diocese but to know each other within the province and I think it builds a spirit of fraternity, an esprit de corps so to speak so that we are working together. I can already sense it going on right now.”

“Couldn’t you also see the expression of the Universal Church with men who are coming to serve all of the pastoral needs here from Latin American countries, from Africa, from Vietnam and Asia?” Archbishop Kurtz said. “It is that great sense of universality of the Church serving Christ.”

Regional gathering offers seminarians source of ‘affirmation, support’

Wenski said in the statement.

He also pointed out that the pope has called young people a source of hope for humanity. “We need to do more to nurture this hopefulness and provide our young adults with skills, support and opportunities to flourish,” he said.

Archbishop Wenski said meaningful and decent work is “vital if young adults hope to form healthy and stable families.”

He also said policies and institutions “that create decent jobs, pay just wages and support family formation and stability” help honor the dignity of workers. “Raising the minimum wage, more and better workforce training programs, and smarter regulations that minimize negative unintended consequences would be good places to start.”

The archbishop called for greater solidarity, noting that “each of us is made in the image of God and bound

by His love, possessing a profound human dignity; we have an obligation to love and honor that dignity in one another, and especially in our work.”

“Our challenge this Labor Day is to rise to the challenge of solidarity posed

by Jesus when He commanded, ‘Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another,’” he said.

“What would our communities, parishes, and country look like if we all recommitted to each other and the common good?” he asked. “If, instead of lamenting the dwindling hopes of our young people, we create institutions,

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relationships, and an economy that nurture human flourishing? If, instead of bickering about ideologies, people acknowledged the human dignity of others and worked together?”

He praised labor unions for advancing the common good by helping workers.

“Yes, unions and worker associations are imperfect, as are all human institutions,” he said. “But the right of workers to freely associate is supported by Church teaching in order to protect workers and move them — especially younger ones, through mentoring and apprenticeships — into decent jobs with just wages.”

Archbishop Wenski also made a plea for fixing “our broken immigration system to stop the exploitation and marginalization of millions of people as well as address the development needs of other countries.”

In this nation of immigrants, “a vibrant and just economy” needs everybody’s contribution, he said.

“Those who come seeking decent work to support their families by and large complement, rather than displace, American workers,” he added.

The full text of the 2014 Labor Day Statement is available online in English: www.usccb.org/issuesand-action/human-life-and-dignity/ labor-employment/labor-daystatement-2014.cfm; and in Spanish: www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/ human-life-and-dignity/laboremployment/declaracion-del-dia-deltrabajo-2014.cfm.

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August 22, 2014

Anchor Editorial

The Queenship of Mary today

Today (Friday) we celebrate the Queenship of Mary. This feast is celebrated a week after the Assumption of Mary into Heaven — not that we believe that God made Mary wait a week to be crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth. Pope Pius XII instituted this feast in 1954 (although not on this date back then) and said that “the purpose of the feast is that all may recognize more clearly and venerate more devoutly the merciful and motherly sovereignty of her who bore God in her womb” (Ad Caeli Reginam — in this encyclical the pope spelled out how saints from ancient times on called Mary the Queen of Heaven and Earth).

After speaking about honoring Mary in our prayer in an early part of the encyclical, in paragraph 49 Pope Pius wrote, “All, according to their state, should strive to bring alive the wondrous virtues of our Heavenly Queen and most loving Mother through constant effort of mind and manner. Thus will it come about that all Christians, in honoring and imitating their sublime queen and Mother, will realize they are truly brothers, and with all envy and avarice thrust aside, will promote love among classes, respect the rights of the weak, cherish peace. No one should think himself a son of Mary, worthy of being received under her powerful protection, unless, like her, he is just, gentle and pure, and shows a sincere desire for true brotherhood, not harming or injuring but rather helping and comforting others.”

What he wrote here is seen being put into practice in the generosity of our Knights of Columbus towards the people of the Philippines (see pages one and 20), in the care of the disabled (see page two), in the dignity with which the people of Sacred Heart Parish serve their brothers and sisters in need (page three), in the Church’s accompanying people in war zones (pages three, four, 11, and 13), in our compassion to people searching for a peaceful life (page four), in our outreach to youth looking for work (page five), and in our work to build bridges between races (page 14).

In the next paragraph of the encyclical, Pope Pius described a situation from then (1954) which seems like something out of today’s news. “In some countries of the world there are people who are unjustly persecuted for professing their Christian faith and who are deprived of their Divine and human rights to freedom; up till now reasonable demands and repeated protests have availed nothing to remove these evils. May the powerful Queen of creation, whose radiant glance banishes storms and tempests and brings back cloudless skies, look upon these her innocent and tormented children with eyes of mercy; may the Virgin, who is able to subdue violence beneath her foot, grant to them that they may soon enjoy the rightful freedom to practice their religion openly, so that, while serving the cause of the Gospel, they may also contribute to the strength and progress of nations by their harmonious cooperation, by the practice of extraordinary virtues which are a glowing example in the midst of bitter trials.”

He was mainly speaking about the oppression behind the communist “iron curtain.”

Given that freedom of religion did eventually come to Eastern Europe, thanks to the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima, this should give us hope that our prayers for our fellow Christians being persecuted throughout the world are not in vain. We need to be patient, but persistent, in offering our prayers and sacrifices for them, realizing that they are our brothers and sisters, that in every Mass we are joined to them through Christ.

Pope Pius wrote that Mary is a queen due to her relationship with Christ, the One true Monarch. When our world thinks that it can do without following Him, then more and more problems arise. In paragraph two the pope noted, “Following upon the frightful calamities [World War II] which before our very eyes have reduced flourishing cities, towns, and villages to ruins, we see to our sorrow that many great moral evils are being spread abroad in what may be described as a violent flood. Occasionally we behold justice giving way; and, on the one hand and the other, the victory of the powers of corruption.

The threat of this fearful crisis fills us with a great anguish, and so with confidence we have recourse to Mary Our Queen.” Genevieve Kineke on page nine describes how what the Holy Father wrote 60 years ago is still sadly true today.

When we lose our moral compasses, when we decide to be “in charge,” instead of letting God reign, then our respect for human dignity “goes out the window.” Pope Francis, flying home from South Korea, said, “Today torture is one of the almost ordinary means of acts of intelligence services, of judicial processes. And, torture is a sin against humanity.

It is a crime against humanity. And, to Catholics I say that torturing a person is a mortal sin. It is a grave sin. But, it’s more. It’s a sin against humanity.”

One of the great defenders of human dignity in the 20th century was Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador. In his aerial press conference, Pope Francis said that the beatification and sainthood process of the slain archbishop had earlier been put on hold “for reasons of prudence,” but that now his cause has been “unblocked and has passed to the Congregation for Saints and it is following the normal path of a process. It depends on how the postulators move. That’s very important to do it quickly. What I would like is that it’s clarified when there is martyr in odium fidei (for the hatred of the faith) both for confessing the Creed and for doing works that Jesus commands with our neighbor. This is a work of the theologians, who are studying it. Because behind him is a long list and there are others. There are others who were killed but weren’t of the same height as Romero. We have to distinguish this theologically, no? For me, Romero is a man of God. He was a man of God. But we have to run the process and the Lord has to give His sign there. But, now the postulators have to move because there are no impediments.”

We beseech Mary, the Queen of Martyrs, Queen of Confessors (this refers to people who give witness to Christ, i.e., who “confess” the faith, not to priest-confessors), to intercede for all of us, to help us be true citizens of Heaven (St. Paul to the Philippians, 3:20) by the ways we live, love and respect each other here on earth.

Pope Francis’ Angelus address of August 15 Dear brothers and sisters, At the end of our Mass, we turn once more to Our Lady, Queen of Heaven. To her we bring all our joys, our sorrows and our hopes.

We especially entrust to her all who lost their lives in the sinking of the Se-Wol ferry, as well as those who continue to be affected by this great national disaster. May the Lord welcome the dead into His peace, console those who mourn, and continue

to sustain those who so generously came to the aid of their brothers and sisters. May this tragic event which has brought all Koreans together in grief confirm their commitment to work together in solidarity for the common good.

We also ask Our Lady to look with mercy on all those among us who are suffering, particularly the sick, the poor and those who lack dignified employment.

Finally, on this day when KoOFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER

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rea celebrates its liberation, we ask Our Lady to watch over this noble nation and its citizens. And we commend to her care all the young people who have joined us from throughout Asia. May they be joyful heralds of the dawn of a world of peace in accordance with God’s gracious plan!

The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary, and she conceived by work of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary ...

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy Word.

Hail Mary ...

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary ...

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

Pope Francis poses for a selfie while eating lunch with youth recently at the major seminary in Daejeon, South Korea. (CNS photo/ L’Osservatore Romano, pool)

August 22, 2014

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very Tuesday night, the Church has all priests, religious and lay people who pray the Liturgy of the Hours ponder before bed St. Peter’s words to the early Church, “Stay sober and alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, solid in your faith” (1 Pet 5:8-9).

Since the devil never sleeps, we’re called perpetually to be vigilant and, with the strength that comes from faith, resist and reject him, his empty promises and his evil works.

This obtains on an individual level, in recognizing and repelling the subtle ways that Satan seeks to tempt and devour us.

But, as we heard on the Assumption, it also pertains on a macro scale, to the way the “huge red dragon” seeks to attack “the woman about to give birth, to devour her Child when she gave birth” (Rev 12:4), a phrase that refers to Mary and Christ as well as to the Church and her progeny.

Back in May, many of us were reawakened to the reality of the devil and those on whom he is feasting when a cultural club at Harvard’s extension school sought to collaborate with New York’s Satanic Temple to stage a re-enactment of a satanic “black mass” on the Harvard campus.

With only four days to mobilize, intrepid Catholic students at Harvard were assisted by colleagues on other campuses, priests at the Harvard Catholic Center, faculty, alumni, 70,000 people who signed petitions, and scores of parishes and

Anchor Columnist Rebuffing once more the prowling lion convents around the counfluids” to “mock the Cathotry and world all working lic Mass” and “deprogram together to shut it down. people from their ChrisThe massive, joint effort tian background.” They say succeeded. Harvard Presithey’ve “toned down” what dent Drew Faust condemned they will do on September the satanic mass, set in 21 so that they won’t break motion the chain of events state laws on “nudity, pubthat killed it on campus, lic urination and other sex and attended a packed holy acts” — which are a routine hour of Eucharistic Adoration and reparation.

Putting Into But the prowling the Deep lion never remains recumbent for long.

Another provocative

By Father black mass has been Roger J. Landry scheduled for September 21 at Oklahoma City’s Civic Center part of satanic worship — Music Hall and it’s time to but emphasize that they will mobilize again, solid in our still commit the Eucharistic faith, to resist these efforts. desecration designed to help The Archdiocese of them “receive a ‘blessing’ Oklahoma City has begun from the devil.” a period of prayer, penA spokeswoman for the ance and public action to Civic Center Music Hall raise awareness about the stated that because it’s a upcoming black mass and city-owned facility, it can’t urge the faithful to contact turn away productions the Oklahoma City mayor “based on their content” and charitably urge him to provided that they “comply use his office to help shut it with our policies and ordidown. The neighboring dio- nances and have paid the ceses of Tulsa and Wichita established rental fees.” have joined in these efforts.

Legally, that seems Massachusetts Catholics, hogwash. Oklahoma state who were helped by so many law bans blasphemy and from around the country the OKC Municipal code in May, can now return the protects against degrading favor by our prayers and any individual’s religion or participation. vandalizing any religious The Dakhma of Angra Mainyu, which paid $420 to rent the Civic Center’s 88seat City Theater to stage the sacrilege, doesn’t mask on its website what they intend to do. “The modern form of the black mass” celebrates, they state, the “perversion of the Catholic Mass.” A consecrated Host is “corrupted by sexual

property, and what could be more degrading to Catholics’ religion than publicly vandalizing Catholicism’s most Sacred treasure of all, the Eucharist?

It’s impossible to believe that if the same group were trying to rent the City Theater next April to “celebrate” the 20th anniversary of Timothy McVeigh’s terrorist attack on OKC’s Murrah Federal Building, the Civic Center would not be feigning impotence, but would find the will to refuse the event and defend itself against a potentially frivolous lawsuit in response.

Like with the black mass at Harvard, a petition has been started urging cancellation of the event (www.tfpstudentaction.org).

As of August 18, there were 56,000 signatures. I would urge you to sign the petition.

The more names it receives, the more civic officials will grasp that the world is paying attention and that the reputation of Oklahoma City and its leaders are on the line.

It would also be wise to send an email to OKC Mayor Mick Cornett (mayor@ okc.gov) courteously asking him to use his office to do

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the right thing. The more tens of thousands of people reach out saying that they’re praying for him to shut down this offensive event in tax-supported public space, the easier it will be for him to exercise his political skills and will.

The most important thing we can do is to join those in Oklahoma in praying and doing penance for this event to be cancelled.

Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley has asked that the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel be prayed daily and that people and parishes make Eucharistic holy hours “to avert this sacrilege and publicly manifest our faith in the Lord and our loving gratitude for the gift of the Holy Eucharist, the source and summit of our lives.”

God always seeks to bring good out of evil. The plans of satanists to desecrate the Holy Eucharist shows how seriously they take the Real Presence.

It ought to help Catholics rediscover Eucharistic vigilance and piety and all those who are not sober and alert to reawaken to the devil’s ever prowling maleficence.

Anchor columnist Father Landry is pastor of St. Bernadette’s Parish in Fall River. fatherlandry@ catholicpreaching.com.

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have to smile. I remember the first time I heard it. I was listening to the hissing and clanking of the heating pipes in an old church basement classroom where I sat, daydreaming during CCD class. Not everything back then held the attention of a 10-year-old boy. But I heard it, and it snapped me back; did she really say “a rock?” Did I hear it correctly?

Jesus just turned someone into a rock? And now He wants to build a Church on top of him? Only Peter, in a leap of faith dares to imagine the new identity of Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” This is the big question, the one which causes us to squirm a bit in the pews. You hear the voice, the question, then the long pause, “But

August 22, 2014

The toughest question you’ll ever love who do you say that I am?” that all along?

I have seen the faces of the Many at that time, even faithful when the masterful His own disciples, believed preacher pauses for effect.

Jesus to be a prophet or, at There is a collective gulp as best, a holy man. Was not the we respond silently with few King of Israel, the Messiah, words. the Anointed of God supHow can we possibly answer in brief what has taken us a Homily of the Week lifetime to contemTwenty-first Sunday plate? There are, for in Ordinary Time us, too many answers and, ironically, not

By Deacon enough tangible David Boucher answers. We want to reach out and grasp the one that makes us feel we know who Jesus really posed to arise as a warrior is, and pull in to our chest. king to redeem the nation We want the surety of clutchand restore Israel to greating the answer so tightly it ness? Did they gawk at Pestrains our fingers as we shout ter’s profession of faith? Mesloudly, “You are my God.” siah, yes; the Anointed One, How could those standing OK; but, the Son of God? around Peter not have known How could one man have

answered the question thus, unless the Holy Spirit filled his mind and heart? How are we to understand the power which surged through Peter at that moment? What was there is his relationship with Jesus whereby God would entrust such revelation to him?

We each have had our lifetime to learn about Jesus; His life, His experiences and teachings through the words of Scripture.

Jesus inspires us to perform charitable works, to reach out to others in mercy, and to give us direction in life every day. In all we know about Him, and all we think we know about Him, there still exists a gap between Jesus and ourselves.

The only way to close that

distance, to fill the void that exists between us, is to take time each day to develop our relationship with Him. We have to stop what we are doing, to sit quietly, undisturbed. We close our eyes and feel the warmth and know we are loved, no matter what, and that we are being drawn near. There comes a moment when we talk to Him, when we actually feel Him looking directly at us.

Only then, when we feel the security of His love, do we dare look back into His eyes as He asks, “but who do you say that I am?”

This is perhaps the most tender question we will ever be asked, and it will probably take the longest to answer.

Deacon Boucher serves at St. Francis Xavier Parish in Hyannis.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. Aug. 23, Ez 43:1-7ab; Ps 85:9ab,10-14; Mt 23:1-12. Sun. Aug. 24, Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, Is 22:19-23; Ps 138:1-3,6-8; Rom 11:33-36; Mt 16:13-20. Mon. Aug. 25, 2 Thes 1:1-5,11-12; Ps 96:1-5; Mt 23:13-22. Tues. Aug. 26, 2 Thes 2:1-3a,14-17; Ps 96:10-13; Mt 22:23-26. Wed. Aug. 27, 2 Thes 3:6-10,16-18; Ps 128:1-2,4-5; Mt 23:27-32. Thurs. Aug. 28, 1 Cor 1:1-9; Ps 145:2-7; Mt 24:42-51. Fri. Aug. 29, 1 Cor 1:1725; Ps 33:1-2,4-5,10-11; Mk 6:17-29.

T

here are few people who do not like to receive gifts. Whenever they come, or for whatever occasion they are presented, they are gratefully received.

Yearly, I receive a package for Christmas containing a gift from a friend. I know who it is before I open the package, and I usually guess what the gift might be. This does not take away, however, from the enjoyment of the gift or my gratitude to the giver.

It is in this context I would like to suggest, that we have, as a diocese, received a gift. It has been sent to us by Pope Francis. The gift arrives on September 24 when Bishop Edgar da Cunha becomes the eighth Bishop of Fall River. It is then that we will begin to fully appreciate the gift that we have received.

Although the installation of our new bishop is weeks away, we have already gained some insight into what the gift will be. He is a young bishop filled with much energy. He has been a bishop for more than 10 years and has served as vicar general of the Newark Archdiocese. He knows how to be a bishop and how to be a leader.

His biography tells us that he speaks many languages and is, therefore, able to speak in the

The package an interview of a reporter and native language of those in our Bishop da Cunha. The opening diocese who hail from Brazil, shot showed the bishop playSpanish-speaking countries, ing soccer and demonstrating and Portugal. He comes from a outstanding skill with his fancy religious order whose goal is to foot-work. foster vocations. It will be his One of the retired priests notpriority to assist us in finding seminarians to carry on the mis- ed how they were going to form sion of the Church in the future.

Living In our diocese, you will find many Brazilthe ian-speaking members.

Faith While many live on Cape Cod, other enBy Msgr. claves can be found. On John J. Oliveira the Island of Martha’s Vineyard, there are so a team of retired priests to play many Brazilians that the passoccer and even get uniforms. I tor, Father Michael Nagle, and Deacon Karl Buder, travelled to stated that while that was good, they had better be careful that Brazil last winter. They wanted this new endeavor did not cause to be versed in the language many heart attacks. and traditions of many of their The interview with the parishioners. bishop disclosed a pastoral and Immigrants in our diocese will find in Bishop da Cunha an caring person — one who loved understanding man who himself the Church and wanted to reach out to those who had abanat one time immigrated to the doned the faith, a bishop who United States. wanted to teach.

We will come to understand The final segment of the brief other gifts and talents as the gift presentation showed the bishop is opened for us. and interviewer in front of the Naturally, we want to altar of his parish in Newark welcome and understand our and concluded with both praynew bishop. Recently, a Faceing together. Our new bishop is book posting referred some a man of prayer. in the diocese to a YouTube But let me note one of the presentation. Entitled “Gorealities that may be undering to the Chapel,” it showed

estimated in our appreciation of this gift. Bishop da Cunha is a human being. While we will concentrate on his role as our bishop, as a leader, as the first teacher of the faith in our diocese, as a successor to the Apostles, let us not forget that he is human, with feelings, hopes, and desires.

Having lived with Bishop Daniel Cronin and Bishop Sean O’Malley, I have had the opportunity to see that side of a bishop.

We should appreciate that Bishop da Cunha will be leaving a place where he serves now and loves. He will be leaving his family and friends to undertake the challenge of being a bishop in this time and age.

The problems he will face did not deter him from saying his yes to our Holy Father when he asked him to be the next Bishop of Fall River. But I imagine there may be some apprehension and anxiety as he undertakes responsibility of a large diocese.

We do know that God will give him the graces he needs.

We do know the Sacrament of Holy Orders will provide him with the graces he needs. We know that the Holy Spirit will guide him in his deliberations.

We do know, as our retreat master said, “If God puts you in

the place, He will give you the grace.”

As we anticipate the gift of our new bishop; as we unwrap the gift; and as we begin to appreciate its fullness; we should all become a powerhouse of prayer for this man, this gift, this bishop given to us. We must pray that he listens to many, but that he is able to discern the best way to lead. We ought to pray for Bishop da Cunha’s good health and happiness as he ministers among us.

Perhaps we can recite this prayer daily for our new bishop: “O God, Eternal Shepherd of the faithful, Who tend Your Church in countless ways and rule over her in love, grant, we pray, that Edgar, Your servant, whom You have set over Your people, may preside in the place of Christ over the flock Whose Shepherd He is, and be faithful as a teacher of doctrine, a priest of Sacred worship and as one who serves them by governing.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.”

Anchor columnist Msgr.

Oliveira is pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in New Bedford and director of the diocesan Propagation of the Faith and Permanent Diaconate offices.

August 22, 2014

Friday 15 August 2014 — Homeport: Falmouth Harbor — 45th anniversary of Woodstock ou know me, dear readers. When it comes to Church management, I try to make the most of what we have.

In my current assignment, the situation was more complicated than I had previously encountered. It took two years of study.

I began in the Sanctuary.

The tabernacle was tucked in a corner, its view obstructed by an organ. The lovely Sanctuary lamp was hidden behind a flag. The Sanctuary lamp stand was intricately carved oak.

Unfortunately, those entering the church had to look hard to find the reserved Eucharist.

The solution was to move the tabernacle, the Eucharistic pillar, and the lamp stand back to its central location. Father Peter John and I did so one afternoon. It took less than 15 minutes. It cost us nothing. The response of the parishioners was overwhelmingly favorable.

The space formerly occupied by the Eucharistic shrine was reassigned to the very appreciative musicians, cantors and choirs who previously had no space at all.

Next came the issue of the baptismal font and Paschal can-

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hile many pious people are wringing their hands over the popular culture and wondering if God will save His people, I find that the moral decay and preposterous incongruities we witness daily actually reinforce all I believe about Divine Revelation. What else is to be expected when God is removed from the public square?

It nearly goes without saying that a country that sanctions more than 4,000 abortions a day has lost its bearings — this in a materialistic world that puts science on a pedestal, but cannot decide what the unique DNA of the unborn child might portend. This is the culture that considers exposing children to sexual perversion to be openminded while exposing them to Biblical morality repressive, and the very schools that have long rejected prayer and education in virtue host playgrounds rife with bullying, sexual acting-out, and existential anxiety.

Children who come from increasingly dysfunctional homes — including problems such as addictions, poverty, and abuse — are reminded to believe in them-

Anchor Columnists Trading spaces: Part II Then there was the isdle. The candle was of carved sue of the Sanctuary crucifix. oak, matching the Sanctuary It was too small to be seen. lamp stand. It was a nice large Our church aisle is 200 feet font but took up much-needed long. The original crucifix was Sanctuary space. There was, meanwhile, an unused area near hanging out of view to three quarters of the assembly. So, a main entrance of the church. that was a no-brainer. Move Father Peter John and I moved the font to the main entrance of the large crucifix back to the Sanctuary. The problem was the church. Now all who pass the font can dip their fingers into the waters The Ship’s Log of Baptism. But there was still one thing missReflections of a ing — the Holy Oils.

Parish Priest We had no ambry.

By Father Tim I found a wooden Goldrick tabernacle from a longgone side altar. It was being used as a statue we couldn’t hang it. The space pedestal. A neighborhood furniture maker took the discarded was now occupied by a beautiful stained glass window. Again oak tabernacle, replaced the wooden door with one of glass, someone stepped to the plate and crafted a stand to hold the and installed interior lighting.

Voila — a lighted ambry for the crucifix. As an added bonus, the crucifix could be easily removed Holy Oils. from the stand and used for Now we needed something veneration on Good Friday. on which to place the ambry. I found the original Baptism font The return of the crucifix was by gently lifting a wooden cover applauded by parishioners. An anonymous donor paid for the on the credence table. There was a matching oak pedestal for custom-made stand. The whole thing cost us nothing. We were the ambry. Since the craftsman reusing what we already had. donated his work and since we Now, it’s on to the rectory were recycling what we already and church office. Originally, had, the Baptism area cost us the parish records were stored nothing.

in a dank little room in the rectory basement. Back in the day, there was no such thing as a parish secretary (only a housekeeper). There was one tiny office shared by the priests. When Religious Education coordinators came into vogue, the coordinator was assigned a space off the rectory kitchen. Classes met in the basement of the church — the church hall — separated by flimsy accordion walls.

A forward-thinking predecessor of mine, Msgr. John Regan, remedied the situation by building a light-filled addition to the rectory.

Now, the parish secretary had a station, both priests had offices, as did the coordinator.

The same pastor went on to completely rehabilitate and modernize the church hall. Finally the children had suitable classrooms and the Religious Education coordinator had multiple offices (three).

Over 30 years, functions evolve and the use of space changes to meet emerging needs. Parish secretaries morphed into administrative assistants. The rectory reception area became too small and too busy. There were no closet

Moral chaos should strengthen your faith

selves. These young persons (the denounced the sexual abuse of children within the Church random result of natural selection and just one species among simultaneously turns a blind eye to the rampant promiscuity many) are no longer offered served up to youngsters from heroic examples from the Bible, secular history, or great literature, a very early age, and straddles the impossible divide of seebut instead — having run the ing children as victims in the gauntlet of “choice,” in which former setting while mature their very survival was contingent on whether they were wanted — are asked to look deep within for their self-esteem.

Children who are discouraged from believing in the possibility of lifeBy Genevieve Kineke long Marriage (and who will later be encouraged enough to navigate the chalto cohabitate as a means of trylenges of gender-identity and ing out potential relationships) the sexual marketplace everyare also encouraged to make where else. life-long decisions about their Violence permeates social sexual identity, with hormonemedia, gaming, and pornograreplacement therapies being phy, but “trigger warnings” are foisted on younger and younger necessary so that consumers gender-confused persons. don’t unwittingly encounter The entertainment industry (which includes movies, televi- opposing views without strong caution, because such anachrosion, and music) glorifies vice nistic ideas can prove traumatic without consequences, derides to persons who champion divermoral guidelines as oppressity while assuming that theirs sive, and dismisses guilt as a tool to enslave the masses. The are the only salient ideas.

Personal well-being is fueled same media that [rightfully]

The Feminine Genius

by advice on exercise, fitness, yoga, stress-relievers, feng-shui, chakras, balance, healthy eating, vitamins, and regular medical check-ups. But while the wrong oil on movie popcorn constitutes a dreadful assault on unsuspecting patrons, most people refuse to consider how immorality affects body and spirit.

If one gauged the merit of ideas by band-width or ink spilled, it becomes obvious that diet wars and contraceptive access are infinitely more important to the average citizen than moral considerations or dangers to their soul. In fact, those who heave themselves enthusiastically on the altar dedicated to coexistence with nature are righteously horrified at the suggestion that natural law could have anything to do with peace of soul.

“Straining at gnats and swallowing camels” comes to mind, but the overall effect can be quite alarming when members of the “me-oriented culture” refuse to probe their origins — or ultimate end. Such blindness

9

and no counter space. There was little privacy for any of us.

One side room, furnished with a dining room table, was used occasionally for counter space.

Nobody ever ate there.

This summer, we traded spaces. The church office moved from the rectory to the church — into the largest office in the undercroft. The former rectory office became a meeting room for various parish councils, study groups, and commissions.

I call it the council chamber. The lonely “dining room” became a comfortable visitor’s parlor. One of the downstairs offices was repurposed as the cemetery office (we had none).

There is now plenty of room for the safe storage of important parish records. Lastly, we scrubbed, shampooed, or otherwise sanitized every inch of space.

All of this cost surprising little. Then a generous donor came forward and paid for the office transfer. It cost us nothing in the end. It was simply a matter of efficiently using what we already had. And that, dear readers, is the story I call “Trading Spaces.”

Anchor columnist Father Goldrick is pastor of St. Patrick’s Parish in Falmouth.

is to be expected when man is uncoupled from his Creator, and any consideration of Christian anthropology is rejected out of hand. Doesn’t this actually serve to reinforce our faith — since the consequences of Spiritual obstinacy have been repeated throughout history? As Our Lord said, “If a blind person leads a blind person, both will fall into a pit” (Mt 15:14).

If we repeatedly choose cultural and political leaders who discard Godly principles, and allow our schools to sideline all references to Judeo-Christian ethics, it only stands to reason that the prevailing culture will be built on lies and distortions about the human person — for if agnostics and atheists could lead a country to prosperity and fulfillment, what need would there be for God? As things stand, the current affairs, following such a recognizable pattern, should actually strengthen our faith, and force us to our knees for the good of all.

Anchor columnist Mrs. Kineke lives in Rhode Island, and can be found online at femininegenius.com.

10

I

’m not sure if folks around here realize just what holy ground we have at the northern end of our diocese. On the western end of the beautiful Stonehill College campus in North Easton, just a stone’s throw from bustling Washington Street (Route 138), lies the Holy Cross Fathers and Brothers Cemetery.

Unless you know where it is, you would never find it — enclosed within a tall brick wall, with a large white wooden gate held closed by a wrought-iron handle.

I’ve been to the cemetery several times — to pray at Father Peyton’s grave, and also to pay respects to a dear friend, Holy Cross Father Thomas Feeley, who died in 2004. Father Tom was also an Anchor friend, having written a number of Lenten and Advent reflections for our readers.

Also among the dozens of Holy Cross Fathers and Brothers with a grave maker there is Holy Cross Father Francis Grogan who was on board United Flight 175 when it crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001.

Recently I took the ride up Route 24 toward North Easton to visit with Holy Cross Family Ministries’ new president, Holy Cross Father Willy Raymond. The HCFM world headquarters is located just off the Stonehill Campus, just up the road from the cemetery.

August 22, 2014

Holy ground After visiting with Father Willy, I made my way over to the cemetery. It was midday and Route 138 was bustling with the usual weekday traffic.

I pulled off the road and parked in front of the unassuming cemetery. As I did several cars were entering and leaving the campus, part of a baseball camp that was taking place there that day, I assumed.

I took the short walk from the road to the big old white

By Dave Jolivet gate. I pulled open the iron latch and it creaked like an iron latch should. The gate creaked as I opened and shut it; also as a big old white wooden gate should. After that it was total silence.

I couldn’t hear the traffic just a couple of hundred yards away. I couldn’t hear the traffic on campus. I immediately felt a sense of peace — but I wasn’t surprised.

I’ve felt that peace each time I’ve visited the site.

I paid a visit to Father Tom and Father Grogan. All of the stones are exactly the same, row after row. I find that most beautiful and fitting, since after we’re called home, we’re all the same in our Father’s eyes. I made my way to Father Peyton’s grave.

My View From the Stands

I still find it unbelievable that this great man, who led millions on Rosary pilgrimages, who was friends with the “stars” of Hollywood, and who made famous the sayings, “The family that prays together stays together,” and “A world at prayer is a world at peace,” and who may be very close to sainthood, should be buried in our own diocese.

Often Father Peyton’s stone is covered with Rosaries; where visitors will take one and leave another, seeking his intercession.

I went that day with the main purpose of taking one set of Rosaries for my wife Denise, and leaving another.

Denise, who’s heart is as good as gold; who always raised her family as God wanted, is being treated like cattle at the place she’s worked for more than 25 years.

She’s disrespected and belittled by people half her age. Yet she completes each shift. It’s not easy on her, so I wanted to seek Father Peyton’s help for

her — his intercession to ask God to find a new livelihood for my wife.

There was one single Rosary on his marker that day — more beautiful than the one I was to replace it with. I felt guilty, but promised this holy man that I would return that particular Rosary to his stone once Denise was through with it.

The guilt disappeared. I stood for awhile simply looking around at the stones in neat perfect rows. What great things all these men did — the men who lived their vocations to the fullest without notoriety and fame.

I glanced up at the pristine crucifix that stands guard over these men 24/7. It was just too peaceful to leave. But I had a story to write and pages to lay out and copy to edit.

I made my way through the creaky fence and was greeted by the sounds of everyday life.

I would encourage anyone reading this to visit this peaceful haven of prayer. It truly is holy ground — which can be hard to find in the chaotic world in which we live.

Dave Jolivet can be contacted at davejolivet@anchornews.org.

The grave of Servant of God Holy Cross Father Patrick J. Peyton lies in the Holy Cross Cemetery on the grounds of Stonehill College in North Easton. His marker, like the man, is simple and humble, no different than his brother Holy Cross priests and Brothers also buried there. (Photo by Dave Jolivet)

11

August 22, 2014

Cardinal, patriarch call for international action to liberate Iraq

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis’ personal envoy to the suffering people of Iraq recently joined the Chaldean Catholic patriarch in launching an appeal to the international community, pleading for help to liberate villages controlled by the Islamic State terrorists and to provide the displaced with international protection.

Cardinal Fernando Filoni, who has been in Iraq since August 13 at the pope’s request, and Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Louis Sako of Baghdad said international action is necessary to provide the displaced with basic necessities like food and water, but also to guarantee the possibility of their survival in Iraq.

In their appeal, the cardinal and patriarch asked nations to “take their moral responsibility seriously” by helping to liberate villages in northeastern Iraq captured by the Islamic State militants.

The Christians, Yezidis and other minorities forced out of their villages because they would not convert to the militants’ idea of Islam just want to return to their homes and live in peace, the cardinal and patriarch said. “The hope of these people must not be allowed to die!”

During his recent Mass for “peace and reconciliation” in Seoul, South Korea, Pope Francis offered special prayers for Cardinal Filoni and for Iraq. The cardinal, the pope told the congregation, “was supposed to be with us here,” but instead had been sent “to the suffering people of Iraq, to help the persecuted and displaced, and all religious minorities who are suffering in that land. May the Lord be with him in his mission.”

Cardinal Filoni has been talking about his trip with Vatican Radio each day. He spent August 15 with displaced Christians in a camp in Duhok and meeting Yezidi community leaders.

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The Yezidi community is “suffering terribly because of the deaths they have had, the kidnapping of their women and their houses being stolen. They don’t know where to go,” the cardinal said.

Chaldean Archbishop Amel Shamon Nona of Mosul, Iraq, told Vatican Radio the Islamic

State militants “think that anyone who is different from them does not deserve to live,” which is why, under the threat of violence, they tell Christians and Yezidis to convert or flee.

“They (militants) represent a great threat to humanity,” the archbishop said. “These groups don’t just want to conquer a piece

of territory and stay there. Their objective is the whole world.”

Cardinal Filoni spent August 16 in Manghes with displaced Christians and Yezidis from Qaraqosh and other villages in the Ninevah Plain. The question the people raised over and over, he said, was “What have we done to deserve death?”

12

August 22, 2014

‘Moon over Molokai’ makes brief return to Fairhaven continued from page one

Not only is Father Killilea walking in the footsteps of St. Damien, he is living the words of Pope Francis, who is encouraging Catholics to appreciate other faiths and who told visitors during a recent trip to Korea; “We must continue to walk together, walking with God and going forward together,” said the pope.

“One of the interesting things I’ve seen during Sunday service at St. Francis Parish is enjoying the Mass alongside non-Catholics,” said Father Killilea. “The Sunday Mass involves those who are not Catholic and some who are not Christian. They are some of our most faithful persons in the congregation; there is a National Park worker who is Congregational but attends our Mass quite regularly. We have another man who is Episcopalian and he’s a lector every Sunday, and very dependable. We have another man whose wife is Catholic and lives in Oahu; he’s a National Park worker and he’s Buddhist. When he’s in the settlement, he’s in church on Sunday for Mass.”

These non-Catholic National Park workers — “They call them kokua (helpers),” said Father Killilea — have accompanied patients to celebration the canonizations of SS. Damien and Marianne Copeland.

Father Killilea also gets a chance to talk about St. Damien to tour groups visiting Kalaupapa via specialized Damien tours, who visit six days a week; the tour groups either fly in, hike or take a mule ride down from the topside of the island.

Father Killilea welcomes them in, invites them to be seated in the church, introduces himself and as part of his introduction will joke; “I grew up in a western part of Ireland on a small farm, so like Damien I was the son of a farmer, though I’ve been called other things.”

The settlement has been lived in for at least 900 years prior to the 1800s and St. Damien’s arrival, and as the leprosy patients were dumped on the island, the healthy inhabitants were transferred out. Father Killilea said he shares with visitors all that St. Damien did to take care of those suffering from the disease.

“The first part of the tour is the present settlement, which we call Kalaupapa, and then after they complete that, [the tour group] travels to the original settlement, Kalawao, which is two to three miles away to

about a utopian world that, on the surface at least, is free from suffering, hunger, and visit the church that Damien mas dinner with us each year,” violence arrives on the big twice-enlarged, St. Philomena said Murphy. “He has seen screen, directed by Philip Church. That’s where Damien each of our children grow and Noyce. A daily injection of evreally spent years there,” said baptized our son, CJ. He also ery citizen ensures that memFather Killilea. “He had to be renewed our wedding vows in ories and emotions are supabout everything to the patients a church that St. Damien had pressed, along with freedom, — nurse, doctor, carpenter, stuff built on Molokai. Carrie [my choice, individuality, religion like that.” wife] and I celebrated our 20th — and temptation. When of Father Killilea also speaks year with our family in Hawaii age, each child receives a role about St. Marianne Copeland, and spent some time with FaNEW YORK (CNS) — to play in society, and the time a Franciscan nun who arrived ther Pat. The following are capsule has come for a mother (Katie shortly before Damien’s death “Father Pat is a member of reviews of movies recently Holmes) and father (Alexand carried on his legacy in car- our family and we have a long reviewed by Catholic News ander Skarsgard) to present ing for the leprosy patients. He history. When he came back Service. their son (Brenton Thwaites). then fields questions from visi- to St. Mary’s years ago, he had “The Expendables 3” Sensing something unusual tors, including the most com- asked me to stay on parish (Lionsgate) about the teen, the Chief mon question: “Is Damien bur- council and to start the child The principal amusement Elder (Meryl Streep) selects ied there?” said Father Killilea. ministry program at St. Mary’s. factor for viewers of this sec- him to inherit the position “Of course he was; he was bur- I did as he requested and the ond action sequel — which of Receiver of Memories, a ied in 1889 next to his church program took off, more than is, thankfully, considerably kind of repository of the past, (St. Philomena). His body was 10 years and going strong. Adless gory than its predeces- from the current holder ( Jeff taken to Belgium in 1936, and ditionally, Father Pat was a part sors — is to marvel at how Bridges). Experiencing love then when he was declared of our Human Rights Commitdirector Patrick Hughes and joy but also cruelty, war, Blessed in 1995, his right hand tee for MOLIFE, Inc. (www. keeps its shoot-’em-up for- and death, the protege, reachwas returned and interred, with molifeinc.com) and took the mula, harkening back to the es an epiphany: Without the the grave sealed so that it can- time and effort to ensure that 1980s, from crashing resound- knowledge of suffering, one not be taken up again.” the rights of people with disingly onto the shores of ennui. cannot appreciate true joy.

Father Killilea customarily abilities were the highest priorSylvester Stallone (who also Discovering the utopia is travels to his homeland of Ire- ity. Father Pat would also meet co-wrote) returns as Barney, based on a culture of death, land on an annual basis, but de- with the folks from MOLIFE leader of an ensemble of gov- he is determined to restore cided not to go home last year if they needed him for spiritual ernment vigilantes, while Ar- the proper balance to society. because being newly-arrived in direction.” nold Schwarzenegger, as his A disturbing scene involvHawaii, he was not only getting When Murphy’s daughter ally Trench, has just enough ing euthanasia may upset settled in, “the summer schedule Alyssa gave birth to her daughscreen time to blurt out “We younger viewers. For mature would have made it awkward,” ter Alanah, she could think of must get to the choppah!” teens and their parents, howhe said. “There were things al- no one better-suited to baptize Frequent gun, knife and phys- ever, it can spark a necessary ready on the schedule that I had her daughter than Father Killiical violence as well as numer- conversation on the sanctity to be there for.” lea. ous explosions, a few uses of of life at all ages, winningly This year, though, Father “She has grown up Catholic profanity and pervasive crude endorsed by this worthy film.

Killilea carved out more than and was very clear on her decilanguage. The Catholic News Mild action violence. The three weeks to visit his family in sion to keep her baby and reService classification is A-III Catholic News Service clasIreland; “It was wonderful,” he spect life and personally asked — adults. The Motion Picture sification is A-II — adults said of his long, overdue visit. “I Father Pat,” said Murphy. “AlysAssociation of America rating and adolescents. The Mofelt that absence last year.” sa has always had a very special is PG-13 — parents strongly tion Picture Association of Hailing from County Gal- bond with Father Pat and he cautioned. Some material may America rating is PG-13 — way in the province of Con- has always been a listening ear be inappropriate for children parents strongly cautioned. nacht, about 35 miles from Gal- for her. Alyssa, along with our under 13.

Some material may be inapway Bay, Father Killilea stayed whole family, have been to Ha“The Giver” (Weinstein) propriate for children under at his original family home waii a few times to visit with Lois Lowry’s 1993 novel 13. where his brother still resides. Father Pat.” Though his sister passed away Seeing Father Killilea bapseven years ago from cancer, he tize his granddaughter was an was still able to visit with his amazing experience, said Murremaining three siblings, two phy, an experience made even of whom have children of their more special since Father Killiown. lea hadn’t performed a Baptism “It was very low key,” said since leaving for Hawaii.

Father Killilea of his visiting “It was very special for all of his relatives and neighbors. “We us,” said Murphy. had Masses with the family, at Father Killilea said he was my brother and sister’s homes. able to see many familiar facAt the local nursing home, my es during his short time in sister-in-law is on staff; I did Fairhaven, and while he may their first of the month Mass be heading back to a small conSunday, August 24, 11:00 a.m. there.” gregation that due to age has a The plan was to spend a hard time hearing him during month in Ireland, but thanks Mass — “I don’t get anyone to to a special wish by longtime laugh at my jokes,” said Father St. Mary’s parishioner and Killilea. “Either they don’t get it Celebrant is Father Kevin J. Harrington, friend, Charlie Murphy, Father or they don’t hear, but they sing pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Killilea stopped by his former to the best of their ability” — he New Bedford parish in Fairhaven to grant said he truly enjoyed being back the request. in Fairhaven.

“Father Pat is a part of our “It was lovely visiting here,” family and would share Christ- he said.

CNS Movie Capsules

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6

13

August 22, 2014

Religious genocide in Iraq?

L

ast week the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue issued an extraordinary statement about the situation in Iraq. There, in the name of Islamic religion, a group of jihadists are attempting to restore the Caliphate by forcefully suppressing other religions. President Barack Obama has rightly authorized American bombing to protect the persecuted Yazidis, but has not addressed the similar situation of the Christian minority in Iraq.

Pope Francis spoke up forcefully on their behalf at an Angelus address in July: “Our brothers and sisters are persecuted, they are pushed out, forced to leave their homes without the opportunity to take anything with them. To these families and to these people I would like to express my closeness and my steadfast prayer. Dearest

“the choice imposed on brothers and sisters so perChristians and Yazidis besecuted, I know how much tween conversion to Islam, you suffer, I know that you are deprived of everything. I payment of tax (jizya) or am with you in your faith in exodus “the forced expulsion of Him Who conquered evil!”

The statement of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue had a detailed catalogue of shameful behavior. “Despite most

By Dwight G. Duncan Muslim religious and political institutions contesting that ‘restoration,’ it has tens of thousands of people, not prevented the jihadists’ including children, the ‘Islamic State’ [calling itself elderly, pregnant women and ISIS] from committing and the sick; continuing to commit un“the kidnapping of girls speakable criminal acts: and women belonging to the “the slaughter of people Yazidi and Christian comsolely because of their relimunities as war booty; gious beliefs; “the imposition of the “the abhorrent practice of barbaric practice of infibulabeheading, crucifixion and tion; hanging corpses in public “the destruction of places places;

Judge For Yourself

Franciscan Spirituality and Pro-Life Retreat March 2015 HARVARD — Pro-Lifers and Franciscan Spirituality lovers, this opportunity is for you! A Pro-Life Retreat March 20-21-22 (Friday evening through Sunday morning) at St. Benedict Abbey in Harvard, Mass., conducted by Franciscan priests.

Harvard is located 20 miles west–northwest of Boston, not far from the former Ft. Devens. St. Benedict Abbey is at 252 Still River Road in the Still River village area of Harvard. It is only a few miles from Route 495.

The Pro-Life Retreats at St. Benedict’s Abbey have been on-going every year since 1998, and attract ProLifers and those just looking to experience a special retreat and others from the greater Boston area and all of New England. Pro-Lifers have founded, developed, and promoted these retreats which St. Benedict Abbey has graciously hosted, and Franciscan priests have conducted the past several years.

The retreat is during the Lenten period. This retreat weekend would make a great Lenten gift for one of your Pro-Life friends. People may attend the full weekend, Friday evening through Sunday morning, or just all day Saturday and early Saturday

evening. An equal number of people choose either option.

Celebrate Franciscan Spirituality with us.

The Pro-Life Retreat is loaded with opportunities for Spiritually uplifting presentations, the Sacraments of Mass and Confession, and prayer sessions of the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet.

These moving experiences are interspersed with hearty meals prepared by the monks, time to walk the peaceful grounds or countryside, or time to participate in abbey Spiritual monastic chapel activity. The Saturday evening meal is a meal of feast and celebration, not to be missed.

One may also spend free time in the extensive library in the Retreat Guest House while enjoying the ever-ready coffee, tea, or fresh water.

St. Benedict discovered that God is the only real God, the only true love, worth the price of complete surrender.

The abbey here in Still River, Harvard Mass. is reflective of the tranquility realized by the Benedictine life.

Should you desire a special experience, all prayer activity of the monks is open to our guests! The monks — priests and Brothers — invite our guests to participate in their own monastic schedule to

whatever extent they desire.

Seven times each weekday, and four times each Sunday, the monks gather in chapel for common prayer, matins and lauds, community Mass, meditation, noon prayer, Rosary, Vespers and compline — most of which is sung in Gregorian Chant and all of which is open to guests.

The full weekend two nights and six meals is only $175, if a $75 non-refundable deposit is paid before Jan. 31, 2015. All day Saturday — early evening with two meals — lunch and dinner — $60. To reserve these low rates a non-refundable deposit is due before Jan. 31, 2015. The Saturday-only deposit is $30. After January 31 the full weekend is $190, deposit $95.

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Fall River area people interested in going for the full weekend can carpool with Daryl Gonyon, 508-6724822. The distance one-way from Fall River to the Abbey is exactly 80 miles.

of worship and ChristianMuslim mausoleums; “the forced occupation or desecration of churches and monasteries; “the removal of crucifixes and other Christian religious symbols and those of other religious communities; “the destruction of the invaluable Christian religious and cultural heritage; “the abject violence that terrorizes people into surrendering or fleeing.”

What are we to make of such abominable behavior in the modern age? Crucifixions, beheadings, ostensibly in the service of religion?

As the Vatican correctly notes, “No cause can justify such barbarity and certainly not a religion. This is an extremely serious offense to humanity and to God Who is the Creator, as Pope Francis has often said.”

The background, of course, is that, as the council observes, “Christians and Muslims have lived together — it is true with many ups and downs — over the centuries, building a culture of friendliness and a civilization of which they are proud. Moreover, it is on this basis that in recent years, the dialogue between Christians and Muslims has continued and deepened.”

The Catholic Chaldean Patriarch of Babylon and president of the Catholic Bishops in Iraq on August

13 urged the United States, the European Union and the league of Arab countries to “clear the Nineveh plain from all the elements of Jihadist Warriors and help these displaced families return to their ancestral villages and reconstitute their lives so that they can conserve and practice their religion, culture and traditions. If the situation does not change the whole world should take the responsibility of a slow genocide of a genuine and entire component of Iraqi Society and of losing its heritage and age-old culture. ISIS tries to erase all traces!”

As the Pontifical Council concludes: “The plight of Christians, Yazidis and many other religious and ethnic minority communities in Iraq demands a clear and courageous stance on the part of religious leaders, especially Muslims, those engaged in interfaith dialogue and everyone of goodwill. All must be unanimous in condemning unequivocally these crimes and denouncing the invocation of religion to justify them. Otherwise what credibility will religions, their followers and their leaders have? Even after patiently pursuing interreligious dialogue in recent years, what credibility will there be?”

Anchor columnist Dwight Duncan is a professor at UMass School of Law Dartmouth. He holds degrees in civil and canon law.

14

August 22, 2014

Calls for peace abound after shooting of Missouri teen-ager

St. Louis, Mo. (CNA/ EWTN News) — Amid protests and heavy police action following the shooting of the teen-aged Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., political and faith leaders have called for peace and just action from civilians and police forces.

“These scenes in the communities of Ferguson and Dellwood reflect the current state of our country and world,” wrote Father Art Cavitt, executive director of the St. Charles Lwanga Center in St. Louis and resident of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Ferguson in a recent column in the St. Louis Review.

Previously, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Parish had held a vigil night of prayer in honor of Brown and the protests surrounding his death.

“These are wonderful times and these are horrible times,” Father Cavitt continued. “There is an abundance of wisdom and advancement in the quality of life, yet there is no shortage of foolishness.”

On August 9, 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot and killed in Ferguson, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis. The AfricanAmerican teen was unarmed, and, according to eyewitness reports, was holding his hands

in the air. ing coverage of the protests, as doned.” He called these actions On August 15, Ferguson has a St. Louis alderman and “unacceptable,” adding that police announced that Brown nearly 20 community members they “do nothing to remember was an alleged suspect in a for participation in “an unlaw- the young man who has died.” convenience store robbery that ful demonstration.”

Holder also stated that the occurred earlier on August 9. law enforcement ought to “seek Demonstrations around the Ferguson Police Chief Thomas country and on social media to reduce tensions, not heightJackson later said that the of- have criticized the Ferguson en them.” ficer who shot Brown did not Police Department’s use of “Those who peacefully know at the time of the con- force, particularly against un- gather to express sympathy for frontation that the teen the family of Michael e must examine the trag- Brown must have their was a suspect in the robbery. ic events taking place in rights respected at all Neighbors began to the St. Louis area, seek to understand times,” he stressed. The protest the treatment of ‘Why?’ and work toward dismantling attorney general also Brown’s body, which had added that local civic been left uncovered after systemic racism,” the clergy wrote. and religious leaders are the shooting, by the poworking together “to lice on August 10, laying plot out steps to reduce rose petals over the scene of the armed civilians, targeting of tensions in the community.” crime. Over the hours, vigils minority communities, and the “I know that many Ameriand protests grew, with some militarized response to what cans have been deeply disdemonstrations turning violent started as peaceful demonstra- turbed by the images we’ve or into opportunities for loot- tions. seen in the heartland of our ing and arson.

Two lawsuits have been filed country as police have clashed On August 11 and in the by the ACLU against the Fer- with people protesting,” Presidays following, protesters guson Police over the contro- dent Barack Obama said, as he marching in the streets were versy. echoed Holder’s comments in a met with police SWAT teams, On August 14, Missouri recent statement, saying he had who tried to stop the demon- Governor Jay Nixon announced spoken earlier with the attorney strations using tear gas and that the Missouri Highway Pa- general. rubber bullets, and confronting trol would take over security in Saying that Brown’s death unarmed protesters. Protesters Ferguson. occurred in “heartbreaking and responded in some cases by tryU.S. Attorney General Eric tragic circumstances,” Obama ing to throw tear gas canisters Holder commented on the warned against using the situand objects such as rocks back situation, saying that “while the ation “as a cover for vandalism towards the police. vast majority of protests have or looting,” and criticized the Reporters covering the pro- been peaceful, acts of violence,” police for using “excessive force testers have been arrested dur- such as looting, “cannot be con- against peaceful protests” and

“W

violating First Amendment association rights.

The president urged that “now’s the time for healing,” asking citizens to remember “that we’re all part of one American family.”

“A basic respect for public order and the right to peaceful public protest,” the president stated. “A reverence for the dignity of every single man, woman and child among us and the need for accountability when it comes to our government.”

Father Cavitt noted that historic racial tensions and “widening gap between haves and have-nots” also contribute to the situation, saying that systemic and interpersonal forms of racism form “violations of the human spirit.”

Healing, he said “must include prayer for peace,” and lead to “ sound investing in our young people.”

“We must inspire them,” Father Cavitt wrote, “to maintain and build their relationship with God for a greater sense of self and their role in this community and the larger world.”

Archbishop Robert J. Carlson of St. Louis, who serves as chairman of the Cabinet of Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis, along with vicechairman Rev. C. Jessel Strong of the African Methodist Episcopal Church offered “compassion, prayers and support for the family of Michael Brown and the city of Ferguson.”

“We must examine the tragic events taking place in the St. Louis area, seek to understand ‘Why?’ and work toward dismantling systemic racism,” the clergy wrote.

“Until the causes are addressed and rectified, there will be no change,” they said, asking for prayers “calm and peace and to be part of healing” as the community works toward solutions.

15

August 22, 2014

Springfield welcomes new bishop — ‘the right man for the right place’

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.

(CNS) — It would be difficult to say who received more applause: newly-installed Springfield Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski or his parents, Alfred and Jean.

The parents of the Springfield Diocese’s first PolishAmerican bishop were recognized at the beginning of the installation Mass August 12 at St. Michael’s Cathedral.

In giving the introductory remarks before the Liturgy, recently-retired Springfield Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell acknowledged the many special guests in the cathedral, including cardinals, archbishops, bishops, diocesan priests and deacons, and clergy from faith communities throughout Springfield.

“I also welcome two people without whom this day would not have come to be,” Bishop McDonnell said, “his parents.”

The remark drew sustained applause from the more than 900 people who had come to the cathedral to celebrate the installation of the ninth bishop of the Springfield Diocese.

“That tells you how welcomed you are by everyone in this diocese,” Bishop McDonnell said, adding jokingly, “especially me!”

Bishop Rozanski was named in June to be Springfield’s ninth bishop. Ordained a priest for the Baltimore Archdiocese in 1984, he was an auxiliary bishop for the archdiocese from 2004 until his appointment to the Massachusetts diocese.

In his homily, he highlighted the responsibility of a shepherd to reach out and bring back lost sheep.

Citing Pope Francis, Bishop Rozanski said all are called to welcome the alienated “by our compassion, joy and witness to the love of God at work in our world.”

“As your bishop,” the 56-yearold Baltimore native said, “I am keenly aware of the need to reach out to those who have stopped practicing our faith for any reason — those who may have been hurt in any way — to bring them back to the rich pasture that is our Church.”

At the beginning of the 140-minute Liturgy, the former Baltimore auxiliary bishop used a large mallet to knock three times on the wooden doors of the cathedral in Springfield.

Msgr. Christopher D. Con-

nelly, cathedral rector, presented Bishop Rozanski with a crucifix, which the new Springfield bishop venerated with a kiss. He then blessed himself and those around him with holy water.

The rite of installation for-

prayers offered in American Sign Language, French, Haitian Creole, Italian, Kirundi, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish and Vietnamese.

Asian and African greetings were offered in song at the start of the Liturgy, and musical se-

op of Baltimore. Both of them are watching this Mass from their respective residences.”

In a nod to his Polish heritage and that of many of the people in the Springfield Diocese, Bishop Rozanski announced he intended to deliver

Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski uses a mallet to knock three times on the doors of St. Michael’s Cathedral in Springfield, before his recent installation as the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Springfield. (CNS photo/ Paul McMullen, Catholic Review)

mally began with a greeting from Boston Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley who welcomed Bishop Rozanski on behalf of the Boston province.

“The faith and enthusiasm of the Catholic community here will doubtless continue to grow under your leadership,” the cardinal said.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, the apostolic nuncio, spoke briefly before formally reading Pope Francis’ letter of the appointment of Bishop Rozanski to Springfield. The congregation applauded with great enthusiasm after the letter was read.

Among the more than 40 bishops, archbishops and cardinals at the Mass were Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori; Cardinal Edwin F. O’Brien, former archbishop of Baltimore and current grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem; Baltimore Auxiliary Bishop Denis J. Madden; and Bishop W. Francis Malooly of Wilmington, Del., also a former auxiliary bishop of Baltimore.

Many cultures were represented at the celebration, with

lections included Spanish and Polish compositions.

About 900 people filled the cathedral, and the congregation included pastors, religious and lay leaders from the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

During the Liturgy, Bishop Rozanski greeted various members of the Catholic, interfaith and ecumenical communities.

Highlighting the growing diversity of his new diocese, Bishop Rozanski spoke in Spanish during part of his homily. In his former role as vicar for Hispanics in Baltimore, Bishop Rozanski said, he had experienced a Church of “great energy and joy in serving the Lord through the great faith of the Latino people.”

“Let us be mindful of the call given to us in Baptism, to serve the Lord with our lives and to bring our faith to others by our example and witness,” he said.

Bishop Rozanski made a special point of acknowledging “two wonderful shepherds of God’s people, Bishop Joseph Maguire, the fifth bishop of Springfield, and Cardinal William Keeler, the 14th archbish-

part of his homily in Polish, prompting surprised applause from some in the congregation. He drew laughter when he warned those who clapped that they hadn’t yet heard his Polish.

Bishop Rozanski noted in Polish that the pectoral cross he wore at the Mass was a gift of Archbishop Lori. It is a replica of one worn by St. John

Paul II when he was the archbishop of Krakow, Poland, and then pope.

“It reminds all of us of the Poland that suffered so much under atheistic regimes and yet thrived because of the Catholic faith,” Bishop Rozanski said.

“We have relied on the help of God in the past and we will continue to do so in the present and in the future, knowing that the Good Shepherd, Who watched over Poland during years of trial, gives us the joy to witness our cherished faith to others.”

Returning to English, the bishop said he would learn other languages spoken in his new diocese “over food.”

Speaking to reporters immediately after the Mass, Bishop Rozanski called the Liturgy a “wonderful celebration” and added, “I am so blessed to be called as the shepherd here.”

He said he will begin his ministry by getting to know the people in the parishes of western Massachusetts, and striving to live out his personal episcopal motto, “Serve the Lord with Gladness.”

Patrice Parke, a member of St. Cecilia Parish in Wilbraham, said he brings a special quality to his episcopacy. “I think his youth will attract a lot of people,” she told The Catholic Mirror, Springfield’s diocesan magazine. “We need to constantly be rebuilding the Church.”

“You could tell in his homily that he really came here with love in his heart for the people,” Diane Barr, Baltimore’s chancellor, told The Catholic Review, the archdiocesan newspaper.

“It’s the right man for the right place.”

16

Youth Pages

August 22, 2014

Knights reel in youths with fishing derby

Bishop Feehan High School seniors and summer volunteers, Emma Champagne (left) and Morgan White, transport school supplies collected by the students from Feehan’s Summer Academic Academy for families in need through the Attleboro chapter of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Students from St. James-St. John School in New Bedford recently celebrated the retirement of Carol Campini, longtime first-grade aide.

Caroline Downey and Chloe Kelleher were recently presented the Hippo Award by Coach John Pope for their first-place performance (highest place Buzzards Bay sailors in the BJR) at Beverly Yacht Club Junior Regatta 2014. The girls have been on the Bishop Stang High School sailing team under the direction of Coach Pope.

DARTMOUTH — The Knights of Columbus, Father John F. Hogan Council No. 14236 in Dartmouth, which serves St. Julie Billiart Parish in North Dartmouth and St. Mary’s in South Dartmouth, recently sponsored the annual “Get Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs Fishing Derby” at Mello’s Pond in Dartmouth.

Approximately 45 kids/ young adults plus parents and relatives participated. The derby was for ages six-16 with trophies awarded to the top three participants in the categories of largest fish, most (number) fish and total weight. The event provided a fun and safe experience for the area youth. Knights and volunteers cleaned and prepared the area around the local pond, assisted the youth, and provided safety and direc-

tion. Many made the morning a family event by bringing relatives and friends to fish.

The first fishing derby was held 24 years ago by Lieutenant Ken Cotta (retired) of the Dartmouth Police Department.

The Dartmouth Police had taken part in previous derbies and some officers were on hand volunteering. The event has been blessed with the attendance of many children and residents throughout the years.

The Dartmouth Knights of Columbus will be sponsoring the derby again next year and thank all of the wonderful kids and volunteers. Special thank you to the Mello’s, Ed Viveiros, Ken Cotta and all sponsors. A full listing of all sponsors is available on the Dartmouth Knights council Facebook page.

Some of the winners in the recent Knights of Columbus fishing derby were: Juliano Rivera, Noah Brum, Matt Furtado, Grace Twomey, Jordan Correia, Aaron Charest, Joshua Correia, Tyler Medeiros,and Jacoby Gago.

St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro is proud of eighth graders Kevin Baker and Colleen O’Brien for receiving the Attleboro Elks’ Club Good Citizen’s Award. They received a certificate of recognition from the Elks, the mayor, the Mass. House of Representatives, the Mass. Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives for their effort and achievements in school, sports, and community. Shown here with Baker and O’Brien is Bridget Baudinet, SJE language arts and eighth-grade teacher.

August 22, 2014

I

Youth Pages Some fatherly advice

17

remember as a little child thinking that my parents knew everything.

Every question that I had they had an answer for it, even if that answer was “because I told you so.” Again, I remember as a teen-ager thinking that my parents had absolutely no clue as to what it meant to be human. I remember thinking that their advice was outdated and they were far away from their high school days. Now as an adult, I look back at so many points in my life and think, “I wish I had believed my parents when they said (insert advice here).”

I mentioned in last month’s article that I was going down to Mississippi to bring my dad’s remains there since that is where he wished to retire. It was an incredible trip. My two best friends and I drove 22 hours straight to Mississippi because I wanted to give my dad one last gift. By the time we reached Virginia I was fully aware that yet again, this was my dad’s advice to me, one last piece of wisdom he could impart upon me.

As I wandered around the campus of the University of Mississippi and thought, “Gosh, my dad was right, I should have applied here” or sat on the bank of the Mississippi River and watched the sunset thinking, “My dad was so right about how beautiful it is down here,” I realized my dad was full of so much good advice. It’s too late for me to tell him that the advice he gave me as a child has become the words I

cling to as an adult. I figure the best way to thank him for all of his little sayings were to pass them on to others.

So let me share some fatherly advice from my dad.

First, live one day at a time. This was one of my dad’s one-liners that I probably heard the most. Whenever I would get upset about something that happened at school, or when I was stressed out about some event that was coming up, he would remind me that there is nothing I could

By Amanda do to change the Tarantelli past and that I can’t dwell on what might happen. We need to live life to its fullest by being present in every moment. When we obsess about the past or get lost in the future we miss the very thing that we do have control over — right now.

We need to live each day for just what it is: a day.

The second phrase that my dad used to annoy me with was insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. This one was probably the most frustrating to hear. For me this was usually when I was upset about something that one of my “friends” said or did. Then I would get the “Amanda, why do you keep putting yourself in these situations? They are not going to change. Do you know

what the definition of insanity is?” Yes, Yes. I know what insanity is, but what am I supposed to do? Change friends?

Let it go? Sometimes we get stuck in a rut of doing things the same way, or stay with the same people even if they bring us down and we have to begin to realize just how crazy that is. As scary as change can be, sometimes that is exactly what we need to do.

The third piece of advice that my dad shared was KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid).

Especially as a girl, I think I over-think things too much. What did they mean when they said that? What was that look about? What did the teacher mean when they said this? I also think we put too much pressure or stress on things that really aren’t that important.

We need to uncomplicate our world as much as possible. The busyness of life, the craziness of social media, and the pressure of culture confuse us enough.

When we can find a way to add less to all of that, we need to take advantage of it.

Lastly, my dad always told me not to sweat the small stuff and everything was small stuff. As much as I would fight him on the fact that what I was dealing with was not small stuff, I

eventually began to see how right he was. We need to let things go. There are so many things in this world that are beyond our control and once we start to realize that, we can start to relax a little bit. We cannot and should not control everything. We need to place them in God’s hands and let Him do His job.

Ours is to love Him the best we can.

He will handle the rest.

My dad was not a religious man but he did have a favorite prayer that he would pray often and that he shared with my brother and me so often that we, too, find ourselves praying it often.

The Serenity Prayer was a staple in my house and I think it really sums up all the advice he gave me. I know we do not always want to listen to our parents but I guarantee two things will happen in life. The first is that a day will come when you realize your parents were right and second is that someday you will hear yourself say the exact same thing you used to roll your eyes at.

The Serenity Prayer God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

Anchor columnist Amanda Tarantelli has been a campus minister at Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth since 2005. She is married, a die-hard sports fan, and resides in Cranston, R.I. She can be reached at atarantelli@ bishopstang.org.

DANGJIN, South Korea (CNS) — About 6,000 young people from 30 Asian countries recently had Pope Francis all to themselves for several hours.

The youths said they felt inspired after Pope Francis went off script to answer questions from pre-selected participants, watched a re-enactment of a modern-day prodigal son and also sat down to lunch with a small group at the Asian Youth Day conference in the Daejeon Diocese.

The tent at the Solmoe Holy Ground crackled with music, cheering and the excitement of teens and young adults. Pope Francis said he would stay beyond the allotted time so he could answer young people’s questions.

To wild cheers, the pope asked the young people whether they were ready to be God’s witnesses.

“Are you ready to say yes? Are you ready?” he asked.

The crowd screamed, “Yes!” Alexander John of Pakistan told reporters his heart started beating “double time” when he learned he was selected for the sit-down lunch with the pope. The youth minister from the Karachi Archdiocese called the meeting a “dream come true.”

“He really made my day, he really made my life,” said John, 27.

Duc Dinh Nguyen, 28, told Catholic News Service that after he arrived in Seoul from Vietnam three years ago to get a degree in biology, he got swept up with how convenient life could be. “It made me (forget) God. I missed Him.” “After this event, my faith will be stronger,” he said.

After the Q-and-A session, a group of South Korean delegates danced to a pop song composed for the Asian Youth Day conference.

Lauren Kim said she “felt very blessed” when Pope Francis asked for a moment of prayer for the unification of North and South Korea.

“What impressed me the most was he said we have the same language,” Kim, a 19-year-old international relations major, told Catholic News Service. “And language has the power (to change the problems) we have in our divided nation. Especially I’m interested in solving those problems.

I’m hoping I can use his knowledge and try to expand knowledge from what he told us.”

The recent Asian Youth Day brought together youth leaders from about 30 countries to focus on formation and Spiritual life. Solmoe

Holy Ground is the birthplace of St. Andrew Kim Taegon, the first Korean priest, who was executed for his faith during a time of persecution of 10,000 Catholics.

St. John Paul II canonized St. Andrew Kim and 102 other martyrs in 1984. The day after meeting the young people, Pope Francis beatified 124 martyrs at a Mass in Seoul.

Be Not Afraid

Asian youths inspired after pope spends extra time with them

Youth delegates from Hong Kong hold banners bearing the recent Asian Youth Day theme in Dangjin, South Korea. The youth said they felt inspired after Pope Francis went off script to answer questions from pre-selected participants. (CNS photo/Simone Orendain)

18

August 22, 2014

Growth, change, enhancements highlight new school year continued from page one

Last year’s expansion at Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth into the former Family Life Center was indeed timely. The school has seen an increase in enrollment, particularly in its freshman class.

“We’re seeing an increase in the number of students entering our younger grades,” said Griffin, “and that is a promising sign. Many parents of these students find what they’re looking for for their children and choose to keep them in the schools past the younger grades.”

“As a former teacher at Espirito Santo School in Fall River, I found that the three-yearold and four-year-old programs served as a feeder program for our school,” said Kane.

Safe, modern facilities and strong curriculums are important factors for the diocesan schools, but those not the most important elements. Developing and maintaining a strong faith development foundation in all the schools is a primary objective.

With that objective in mind, Griffin told The Anchor that all diocesan school faculties will be participating in a development program based on Father Robert Barron’s acclaimed “Catholicism” series. “The pilot for this began with the New Bedford schools last year, where they gathered together to watch and discuss the series,” said Griffin.

“Now all our diocesan schools will be taking part; some in groups where they can discuss and share with other faculties, and others on their own for a more intimate setting. In any event, our teachers will be watching the series, discussing it, and listening to guest speakers. This way our teachers will enhance their own knowledge of our faith and will be better prepared to share that faith, and discuss aspects of the faith and moral issues with their students.”

Other faith-related programs at area schools include a unique “Holy-Wood” program at Holy Family-Holy Name School in New Bedford. The school chose its 2014-15 theme from Daniel 12:3, “Shine like the stars in the heavens.”

During the first week of school, each student at Holy Family-Holy Name will be commissioned into the “HolyWood Stars of Fame,” whereby each student will be called to do their best for Jesus. Each

day will include “Stars of the day, who will it be?” Those selected students and faculty will be prayed for and honored with a special certificate.

Holy Name School in Fall River will include in its Religion curriculum a program called, “Theology of the Body — Middle School Edition,” by parish director of Adult and Youth Faith Formation and Youth Ministry Gregory Bettencourt.

The purpose is to help address various social issues which middle school-age students may face. Additionally, the school’s reading curriculum will be expanded to include some classic Christian literature.

St. Stanislaus School, also in Fall River is including in its curriculum a study of Catholic culture and heritage called, “Sharing the Treasures of Our Faith.”

Students from Our Lady of Lourdes School in Taunton will be traveling to Holy Cross Cathedral in Boston on October 3 to join other Catholic schools in other dioceses for a Children’s Eucharistic Holy Hour.

In terms of academics, this year’s diocesan Professional Development Day for Catholic School Teachers and Administrators will take place October 20, entitled “Teaching 21st-Century Learners in Our Catholic Schools.” The presenter will be Dr. Claire Kilbane, an associate professor at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio.

For the last 10 years Kilbane has consulted with Catholic schools on projects relating to 21st-century learning topics such as: critical thinking, problem-solving, differentiated instruction, digital portfolios, and differentiated instruction.

The event, to be held at White’s of Westport, is sponsored by Sadlier, Inc. Other noted changes this year include Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River introducing a holistic humanities curriculum this fall whereby “an academic environment in which students will be challenged to understand every individual achievement is incomplete unless it involves the advancement of the entire community.”

The school has also created a new Peer Ministry program comprised of students who have been defined as strong Spiritual leaders who exhibit a consistent practice of prayer and who put their faith into daily action, and adult members of the Service and Leadership Team. The in-

dividuals will work together to meet the Spiritual needs of the student body through participation in Sacramental life, increased catechesis and other social justice initiatives and retreat programming.

Connolly will again welcome visiting students from China. Joining them will be Pope John Paul II High School in Hyannis, which will welcome four students from China this fall. The school, which has teamed with St. Francis Xavier Preparatory School, will be offering Mandarin Chinese for students in grades six through 12.

“I am greatly impressed by the courage and initiative taken by Chinese students and families who will be studying at Pope John Paul II High School,” said principal Christopher Keavy. “Not only am I confident that they will receive an excellent education, but they will bring benefit to our American students.”

Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth, whose new academic year slogan is “Come follow Me” (Mt 4:19), will utilize a new website and marketing campaign, and beginning with the Class of 2018, math will be mandatory in all four years to better prepare students for the rigors of college.

Coyle and Cassidy High School and Taunton Catholic Middle School combined to create Coyle and Cassidy High School and Middle School Division, which will provide students in grades six through 12 a college preparatory education.

Extensive renovations took place this summer in anticipation of the change.

“We are thrilled with the establishment of this new entity that will allow us to maintain the integrity of the middle school and high school experiences while preparing students of a younger age for the rigors of a college preparatory eduction,” said school president Dr. Mary Pat Tranter. Longtime Coyle and Cassidy High School teacher Kathleen St. Laurent is the new principal. St. Laurent has also been very active in the diocese in the Pro-Life movement and educating voters on the perils of physician-assisted suicide.

Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro also welcomes a new principal this year, Sean Kane; as does St. Joseph’s School in Fairhaven with Faith Piazza as the new principal;

and St. Mary’s School in Mansfield, which will welcome former diocesan assistant superintendent for personnel, Kathleen Simpson, who will take over as interim principal and will be involved in securing a permanent principal at the school in the future.

All Saints School in New Bedford will welcome new assistant principal Matthew Bourque.

St. Margaret’s School in Buzzards Bay will continue its fine academic curriculum and plans on further developing the use of modern technology in the classrooms with the purchase of Chromebooks and adding an extra class per week devoted to learning Web 2.0 learning tools. In addition, the school is further developing its drama, fine arts and children’s choir programs.

St. James-St. John School in New Bedford will introduce a redesigned Portuguese class and a new photography and sports club.

Espirito Santo School in Fall River has improved and updated its computer lab and will introduce a new music program allowing students the opportunity to learn to play an instrument.

A number of new teachers have also joined the diocesan school system team, and they gathered on August 20 at Bishop Connolly High School for an orientation day.

Many diocesan schools have tweaked their curriculums, enhancing the learning experience for their students in various ways.

And it’s not all academics and Faith Formation. Many schools have added or enhanced their sports and extracurricular activities for the coming year.

“Many good things are happening this year,” said Griffin.

“We’re very excited.”

Kane added that many pastors and parochial vicars at parishes with schools have become very involved with the students.

“We have good cooperation with our priests,” she said. “Our principals work very hard to establish a working bond with them. The priests are so wellreceived by the students.”

“Many of the priests in our diocese enjoy the Spiritual dimension and connection with the students,” added Griffin.

“Having and active priest is important for the life of the school, for the kids and for the parish,” said Kane.

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19

August 22, 2014

Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese Acushnet — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Parish on Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Evening prayer and Benediction is held Monday through Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

ATTLEBORO — Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the St. Joseph Adoration Chapel at Holy Ghost Church, 71 Linden Street, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

ATTLEBORO — The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette holds Eucharistic Adoration in the Shrine Church every Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. through November 17.

ATTLEBORO — There is a weekly Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration Thursdays from 5:30 to 6:30 pm at St. John the Evangelist Church on N. Main St. Brewster — Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the La Salette Chapel in the lower level of Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road, on First Fridays beginning at noon until 7:45 a.m. First Saturday, concluding with Benediction and concluding with Mass at 8 a.m. buzzards Bay — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Margaret Church, 141 Main Street, every first Friday after the 8 a.m. Mass and ending the following day before the 8 a.m. Mass.

East Freetown — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. John Neumann Church every Monday (excluding legal holidays) 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Our Lady, Mother of All Nations Chapel. (The base of the bell tower).

EAST TAUNTON — Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the chapel at Holy Family Parish Center, 438 Middleboro Avenue, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. On First Fridays, Eucharistic Adoration takes place at Holy Family Church, 370 Middleboro Avenue, from 8:30 a.m. until 7:45 p.m.

FAIRHAVEN — St. Mary’s Church, Main St., has Eucharistic Adoration every Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Chapel of Reconciliation, with Benediction at 11:30 a.m. Also, there is a First Friday Mass each month at 7 p.m., followed by a Holy Hour with Eucharistic Adoration. Refreshments follow.

Fall River — Espirito Santo Parish, 311 Alden Street, Fall River. Eucharistic Adoration on Mondays following the 8 a.m. Mass until Rosary and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.

FALL RIVER — St. Bernadette’s Church, 529 Eastern Ave., has continuous Eucharistic Adoration from 8 a.m. on Thursday until 8 a.m. on Saturday.

FALL RIVER — St. Anthony of the Desert Church, 300 North Eastern Avenue, has Eucharistic Adoration Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

FALL RIVER — Holy Name Church, 709 Hanover Street, has Eucharistic Adoration Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Our Lady of Grace Chapel.

FALL RIVER — Good Shepherd Parish has Eucharistic Adoration every Friday following the 8 a.m. Mass and concluding with 3 p.m. Benediction in the Daily Mass Chapel. A bilingual holy hour takes place from 2 to 3 p.m.

Park behind the church and enter the back door of the connector between the church and the rectory.

Falmouth — St. Patrick’s Church has Eucharistic Adoration each First Friday, following the 9 a.m. Mass until Benediction at 4:30 p.m. The Rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

MANSFIELD — St. Mary’s Parish, 330 Pratt Street, has Eucharistic Adoration every First Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with Benediction at 5:45 p.m.

MASHPEE — Christ the King Parish, Route 151 and Job’s Fishing Road has 8:30 a.m. Mass every First Friday with special intentions for Respect Life, followed by 24 hours of Eucharistic Adoration in the Chapel, concluding with Benediction Saturday morning followed immediately by an 8:30 Mass.

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.

Please use the side entrance.

NEW BEDFORD — There is a daily holy hour from 5:15-6:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1359 Acushnet Avenue. It includes Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Liturgy of the Hours, recitation of the Rosary, and the opportunity for Confession.

NEW BEDFORD — St. Lawrence Martyr Parish, 565 County Street, holds Eucharistic Adoration in the side chapel from 7:30-11:45 a.m. ending with a simple Benediction NORTH DARTMOUTH — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Julie Billiart Church, 494 Slocum Road, every Tuesday from 7 to 8 p.m., ending with Benediction. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available at this time.

NORTH DIGHTON — Eucharistic Adoration takes place every Wednesday following 8:00 a.m. Mass and concludes with Benediction at 5 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration also takes place every First Friday at St. Nicholas of Myra Church, 499 Spring Street following the 8 a.m. Mass, ending with Benediction at 6 p.m. The Rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 8 a.m.

OSTERVILLE — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 76 Wianno Avenue on First Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

SEEKONK ­— Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish has perpetual Eucharistic Adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the chapel at 984 Taunton Avenue. For information call 508-336-5549.

Taunton — Eucharistic Adoration takes place every Tuesday at St. Anthony Church, 126 School Street, following the 8 a.m. Mass with prayers including the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for vocations, concluding at 6 p.m. with Chaplet of St. Anthony and Benediction. Recitation of the Rosary for peace is prayed Monday through Saturday at 7:30 a.m. prior to the 8 a.m.

Mass.

Taunton — Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament takes place every First Friday at Annunciation of the Lord, 31 First Street. Exposition begins following the 8 a.m. Mass. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed, and Adoration will continue throughout the day. Confessions are heard from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. Rosary and Benediction begin at 6:30 p.m.

WAREHAM — Eucharistic Adoration at St. Patrick’s Church begins each Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. and ends on Friday night at midnight. Adoration is held in our Adoration Chapel in the lower Parish Hall. ~ PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION ~ East Sandwich — The Corpus Christi Parish Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 324 Quaker Meeting House Road, East Sandwich. Use the Chapel entrance on the side of the church.

NEW BEDFORD — Our Lady’s Chapel, 600 Pleasant Street, offers Eucharistic Adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day. For information call 508-996-8274.

SEEKONK ­— Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish has perpetual Eucharistic Adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the chapel at 984 Taunton Avenue. For information call 508-336-5549.

WEST HARWICH — Our Lady of Life Perpetual Adoration Chapel at Holy Trinity Parish, 246 Main Street (Rte. 28), holds perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. We are a regional chapel serving all of the surrounding parishes. All are invited to sign up to cover open hours. For open hours, or to sign up call 508-430-4716.

Pope says forgiveness key to reconciling divided Korea

SEOUL, South Korea (CNS) — Addressing young people from Korea and other Asian countries on their concerns about the future, Pope Francis said the best hope for reunification of the divided Korean peninsula lay in brotherly love and a spirit of forgiveness.

“You are brothers who speak the same language,” the pope recently said. “When you speak the same language in a family, there is also a human hope.”

The pope’s remarks came in response to a question from a young Korean woman, Marina Park, attending an Asian Youth Day gathering in Solmoe, about 60 miles south of Seoul. Park asked the pope how young South Korean Catholics should view communist North Korea after six decades of “reciprocal hatred” between the two countries. “Are there two Koreas?” Pope Francis asked in response. “No, there is one, but it is divided, the family is divided.”

To promote reunification, the pope said he had one piece of advice to offer and one reason for hope. “My ad-

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks Aug. 17 Rev. Cornelius O’Connor, Former Pastor, Holy Trinity, Harwich Center, 1882 Rev. Msgr. Maurice Souza, Retired Pastor, St. Anthony, East Falmouth, 1996 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 Aug. 21 Most Rev. Lawrence S. McMahon, Bishop of Hartford, Former Pastor, St. Lawrence, New Bedford, 1893 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 Chaplain, 2003

vice is to pray, pray for our brothers in the north,” he said, “that there might not be victors and defeated, only one

family.” He then led the audience of some 6,000 people in silent prayer for Korean reunification.

Around the Diocese The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attleboro will host Polish Pilgrimage Day on Sunday. Polish Pilgrims will walk from St. Joseph’s Church in Central Falls, R.I. following the 8 a.m. Mass to the shrine, arriving by noontime. Confessions will be available at 1:30 p.m., followed by Rosary and Mass at 3 p.m. Father Arkadiusz Saternus from Poland will be the homilist and Polish food will be available at the shrine bistro after Mass.

The Diocesan Health Facilities seventh annual Golf Classic will be held August 25 at LeBaron Hills Country Club in Lakeville. All proceeds will benefit the more than 900 individuals served in the skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers and community programs in the diocese. For details on how to participate, call the Diocesan Health Facilities office at 508-679-8154 or visit www.dhfo.org.

A Mass of Healing will be celebrated on August 26 at 6 p.m. at Our Lady of Victory Parish, 230 South Main Street in Centerville in the Msgr. Perry Parish Center. If you are coping with any physical illness, dealing with worries, fears or anxieties, struggling with a life crisis or just feeling lost spiritually — or if you are concerned about a friend or family member and don’t know how to help them — then please come and join this special Mass of Healing to pray for these concerns. An ice cream social will follow the Mass and all are welcome.

The Healing Mass is offered every month on the fourth Tuesday at 6 p.m. and is sponsored by Our Lady of Victory Catholic Cancer Support Group. For more information call 508-362-6909.

St. Mark’s Parish, 105 Stanley Street in Attleboro Falls, will host its annual fair on September 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day will include a variety of activities, music and food. DJ Nate Adams will provide lively music throughout the day and there will be all kinds of food including hot dogs, hamburgers, doughboys, chowder and clam cakes, meatball grinders, pizza and more. There will also be arts and crafts, a “what-not” shop, and raffle with prizes including an Apple iPad Air Wi-Fi. St. Mark’s Fair is a traditional “end of summer” ritual.

A Healing Mass and Blessing with St. André’s Relic and Anointing with St. Joseph Oil will be held at St. Joseph Chapel at Holy Cross Family Ministries on September 14, the Solemnity of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, with Rosary at 1:30 p.m. and Mass at 2 p.m. St. André’s relic will be available for blessings and veneration. Don’t miss this special opportunity to bring your family and friends for a blessing. St. André was known as the “Miracle Man of Montréal” for healing thousands of the faithful at the St. Joseph Oratory in Montreal. More than two million people visit his shrine each year. For more information call Holy Cross Family Ministries at 508-238-4095 or visit www.FamilyRosary.org/Events. The event will take place at the Father Peyton Center, 500 Washington Street in Easton.

A Healing Mass will be celebrated on September 18 at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1359 Acushnet Avenue in New Bedford. The Mass will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will include benediction and healing prayers. At 5:15 p.m. there will be a holy hour, including the Rosary. For more information call 508-993-1691 or visit www. saintanthonynewbedford.com.

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August 22, 2014

New Bedford Knights rev-up relief with raffle continued from page one

October 2013 a devastating earthquake had hit the Philippines; then in November 2013, Typhoon Haiyan — which is “Yolanda” in the Philippines — struck the islands.

“I have strong personal ties to the Philippines,” Da Silva said. “My lovely wife Charisma is a ‘Filipina’ and I lived in the Philippines for some time.

Concerned about the magnitude of the disaster, I suggested doing the raffle to support disaster relief in the Philippines.”

The Knights of Columbus has a long history of lending a helping hand in such times of distress.

The K of C was one of the first organizations to provide financial support to families of fallen first responders on 9/11, and they led a multimilliondollar recovery effort in Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Knights were also on the ground with supplies in a matter of hours after Superstorm Sandy devastated the

Eastern seaboard.

In 2013, the Knights had already responded to disasters in West, Texas; Moore, Okla.; and Alberta, Canada, donating more than $3.3 million and 18.4 million hours of their time toward disaster relief efforts.

When Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines, the Supreme Council had approved $250,000 for humanitarian relief and Knights and their families throughout the order were urged to remember in their prayers all the people affected by the massive storm.

As an incentive to raise a little extra relief money, DaSilva thought a scooter might make for an enticing grand prize.

“The prize was a red 2012 Vectrix VX-2 Electric Scooter,” Da Silva explained. “I had worked at Vectrix as an engineer. Vectrix had its engineering facility in New Bedford, but recently went bankrupt.”

Through his former connections at the Vectrix facility,

DaSilva said the K of C was able to get the scooter at a “reduced price” for the raffle.

The two-passenger, 430-pound electric scooter originally retailed for $4,295 according to MotorcyleUSA.com.

But one lucky winner nabbed it for the price of a mere $5 raffle ticket.

“Beth Macaraeg won the prize,” DaSilva said. “She’s from New Jersey. I know her from an international group called Couples for Christ, a Catholic organization established to renew and strengthen the Christian family. The particular group that I belong to consists of all Filipino families, so when I spoke to Beth about the fundraiser, she was eager to purchase a ticket since she has family in the Philippines and this cause was close to her heart.”

Council No. 14557 managed to sell an impressive 300 raffle tickets, netting $1,500 for the Philippine disaster relief fund.

“We have many local chari-

Beth Macaraeg, right, poses with her husband, Bienvenido Jr. (Jun), on the Vectrix VX-2 electric scooter she recently won in a fund-raising effort sponsored by the Father Michael J. McGivney Knights of Columbus Council based at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in New Bedford. The electric scooter, which was engineered in New Bedford, was the grand prize in a raffle to benefit disaster relief efforts in the Philippines.

ties that we support including local pregnancy resource centers, veterans’ organizations, and our annual Coats for Kids drive, which gives out about 100 winter coats to kids of families who visit the St. Anthony of Padua food pantry in New Bedford,” said Grand Knight John Martin.

“However, this was unique for us to participate in an international drive established by our Supreme Council which has brought together councils from around the world to support the fund,” Martin added. “We, of course, have contributed to the Supreme Council’s great effort in Haiti and similar drives, but that was from funds we had already raised through our general charitable fundraising, and not from a specific effort such as this.”

Chartered in 2007, the Father Michael J. McGivney Knights of Columbus council is named after the founder of the Knights of Columbus organization — and it is certainly living up to its namesake’s call to help those in need.

“Father McGivney was a humble parish priest in Connecticut and he was directly involved with helping out the men of his first council and particularly their widows,” Martin said. “The Knights grew when men supported Father McGivney, other parish priests like

him and each other. As a fraternal organization we not only support charities but charities that are supported by our members. Our very successful council effort in Wreaths Across America is due to the fact that we all get behind the U.S. veterans in our council who lead us and we follow.”

“When Father McGivney founded this organization in 1882, he did so with the intention of helping those most in need,” wrote Supreme Knight Carl Anderson on the K of C website. “Today we are happy to continue this legacy in numerous ways through our works of charity. But we honor this vision in a special way with our ministry to those affected by disaster. When our neighbors are left with nothing, Knights are among the first to rush in and help them get back on their feet.”

Having a brother Knight with direct ties to the Philippines really hit home with the local chapter.

“We knew that this raffle was important to Steve — he gave it a face and through him the disasters in the Philippines became more real to us than just a passing news report,” Martin said. “Father McGivney’s example and legacy proves that a humble beginning can have very wide consequences for service and charity when assisted by grace.”