VOL. 49, NO. 33 • Friday, September 2, 2005
FALL RIVER, MASS.
Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly • $14 Per Year
Diocesan priest finds Honduran Mission assignment rewarding By MIKE GORDON ANCHOR STAFF
FALL RIVER - Nearly a year into his assignment on the Mission Team in Honduras, Father Craig A. Pregana returned to the Fall River diocese recently to visit local churches and tell of his experiences at the Mission Church. He brought that news to The Anchor to share with its readership. He is serving as the parochial vicar at the parishes ofSt. Rose of Lima in Guaimaca and St. Francis of Assisi in Orica. Father Paul Canuel is the pastor and together
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they meet the sacramental needs of 30,000 parishioners. The parishes cover an area the size of the entire Fall River diocese. Father Pregana said his experience at the mission has been enriching to his priesthood and in a word was "rewarding. Some days I can't imagine leaving," he said. Part of the reason why. it is so rewarding for Father Pregana is that the people of Guaimaca have a "profound respect for the clergy and what the priesthood brings in the sacraments and the Eucharist," Turn to page eight - Mission
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DIOCESAN PILGRIMS attending World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany, found a bit of time for shopping and sight-seeing as well.
Dioces.an WYD pilgrims. return with renewed faith By MIKE GORDON ANCHOR STAFF
FALL RIVER - As diocesan pilgrims returned to the United States from World Youth Day the sentiment was the same: the event had impacted their lives and their Catholic faith in a very positive way. Chaperone Osvaldo Pacheco from Santo Christo Parish, Fall River, said the young people from the diocese had a great experience in Germany and "the World Youth Day trip had a huge impact on them and their faith." The pilgrims spent nine days in Germany arFATHER CRAIG A. Pregana tries out one of the most com- riving in Cologne on the morning of their mon modes of transportation at the diocesan mission in second day. They took an orientation tour Guaimaca, Honduras. ofthe city and attended some ofthe opening ceremonies. Pacheco said that he could not believe how many people were in Cologne and estimated that the population of the city doubled during World Youth Day to about two milThemed: "Year of the Eucharist - Stay with us, Lord." lion. "It was an awesome experience," NEW BEDFORD - An esti- Henry S. Arruda, pastor of St. said Pacheco. "There were so many mated 400 people are expected to Anthony's Parish in Taunton, who attend the upcoming annual Por- is chairman of the event planned Catholics there to worship and just betuguese Charismatic Renewal by the Diocesan Portuguese Re- ing in the same city with the pope was an amazing .thing." Conference at the Kennedy Cen- newal Service Committee. On one of the days, the diocesan pilgrims waited ter on County Street near St. John "All are welcome and invited the Baptist Church. to join us for these sessions of in- in the streets of the city for several hours in hopes of This year, the conference will spiring music, praise, intercession catching a glimpse ofPope Benedict XVI. They were be for three days, beginning on and healing, true and special en- eventually rewarded as he passed by in the Friday, September 9, from 7 to 10 counters with Jesus-the-Eucha- popemobile only about 10 feet from them. Chaperone John S. Gregorek ofOur Lady ofMount p.m.; continuing on the Saturday, rist," Father Arruda said. September I0 at 8 a.m. and c1osThe teaching sessions and con- Carmel, Seekonk, said the World Youth Day trip was ing at 10 p.m.; and following up ferences on the three days will be "fantastic," and he now knows what it's like to go on on Sunday, September 11 at 8:30 presented by special guests, in- a pilgrimage. "We had a great group ofyoung people a.m., and ending with Mass at 11 c1uding Franciscan Father Luis de to travel with and to be in the presence of the pope a.m., at the center celebrated by Sousa of the Friars' residence in was terrific," Gregorek declared. Prior to the World Youth Day vigil, the pilgrims Bishop George W. Coleman. Angra do Heroisomo, Terceira, attended several catecheses including one by the ArchThe entire program will be of- Azores; and singer musician bishop ofWashington Cardinal Th~odore McCarrick. fered in Portuguese, said Father Turn to page 13 - Renewal
Portuguese Charismatic Renewal Conference setfor September 9-11
Those sessions, attended by thousands of young people, were opportunities for them to learn more about their faith and the Church. Father George E. Harrison, parochial administrator of Holy Name Churcp, Fall River, 'said the sessions were great because "they challenged our young people to go forth and evangelize. They helped them discover more things about the Catholic faith and embrace the Eucharist." Father Harrison said one thing that stood out for him on the trip was the seriousness of the young people who came to worship Christ. "They showed that in their lives they know that Christ is counting on them and they are very reverent. The new evangelization was right there and I was very encouraged," he declared. The pilgrims began each day ofthe journey with prayer led by Father Harrison and he said the trip "was very special. To share the celebration of Mass with Pope Benedict in his homeland was wonderful." Another highlight for the travelers was a visit to the cathedral in Cologne where they met up with Bishop George W. Coleman and toured the church. The cathedral is said to contain the remains of the Three Wise Men or Magi, and the gilded sarcophagus holding the relics dates from the 13th century. The remains were taken from Milan, Italy by Holy Roman Emperor Fredrick Barbarossa and given to the Archbishop ofCologne, Rainald of Dassel in 1164. To house the relics, construction of the cathedral began in 1248 and was completed 632 years later. It is the largest Gothic church in northern Europe and the city's coat of arms contains three crowns to symbolize the kings. "When we saw Bishop Coleman in the crowd, that was special, and I could see the excitement in our youth," said Pacheco. "We walked through the caTurn to page 12 - WYD