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VOL. 42, NO. 34 • Friday, September 4, 1998
FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly
FALL RIVER, MASS.
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As U.S. Senate readies to vote on partial-birth abortion ban veto:
Bishop O'Malley urges prayer and action •
Nine-day novena, intercessions at Mass, letters to U. S. Sens. Kennedy and Kerry urged as vote on veto of heinous late term abortion act nears.
FALL RIVER - A prayer campaign aimed at changing the minds of U.S. Senators Edward M. Kennedy and John F. Kerry of Massachusetts so that they will oppose a veto, thereby allowing the partial-birth abortion ban to become law, will begin in all parishes in the Fall River Diocese, starting this weekend. Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, along with the bishops of the other Massachusetts dioceses, is calling for the prayer campaign to begin in all parishes beginning at this weekend's Masses and continuing until the Senate vote on HR 1122 is taken sometime after Labor Day. At the same time, Church leaders are urging all concerned citizens to press Kennedy and Kerry to renounce their insistence on protecting a late term method of abortion often described as a brutal form of infanticide. HR1122 bans partial-birth abortions with a life-of-the-mother exception. A tally of senators indicates that the U.S. Senate vote will fail unless three senators change their minds and oppose the veto. Kennedy and Kerry have opposed the ban and supported a presidential veto in the past. Thousands of postcards, letters and calls have reportedly already arrived in the senators' offices urging them to override the veto. While the Senate has until Oct. 9 to vote, it most likely will take up the ban issue during the second or third week of September. "I ask you to urge all members of your parish to join in this effort," Bishop O'Malley said in a letter sent to all pastors in the Fall River Diocese. "Enclosed you will find a Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows to be reproduced and distributed to parishioners. Please encourage your parishioners to pray the novena ... and to contact Senators Kennedy and
Kerry as soon. as possible regardless of whether they have contacted them in the past." The nine-day novena for life will take place between Sept. 7, which is the vigil of the feast of the Birth of Mary, and Sept. 15, the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. It seeks the intercession of Mary as the mother of our life, our faith and our hope. The bishop asked that the following intercession be included in the Prayer of the Faithful at all Masses starting this weekend and continuing through the Senate vote:
Prayer of Intercession "For the success of the override vote on a ban on partial-birth abomon currently before the U.S. Senate. We pray in particular for Senators Kennedy and Kerry that they receive the grace of courage and wisdom to defend unborn human life." "Only through God's intercession will we succeed in restoring the law's respect for human life," Bishop O'Malley asserted. 'The stakes are high, the lives of the unborn are at
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• NEW BEDFORD - The first anniversary j)f,$~Jdeath of Mother Teresa ofCalcutta will be obser~ed with a Mass, Saturday, Sept.!5; a.m., in S~. La~erice Ch\Jrc~ cd:' ebrated by Bishop Sean P. O'Malley. ~ I ;, ;1 . .".;. .' " ". Members of th.e ~issionaries ~f Ch~ity,1t1je;Q.r~er founded by Mother Ter~s~~ wh<;>.! ~e.currently serv10g 10 the Fall RIver DlOces~" w,I11{attend the Mass. The pUbl~c is also i!lVIted to attend. Tum to page 13 - ¥Qt'!ter Tere~a; , ' . '.
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risk, as well as the lives and health of women victimized by abortion." . Partial-birth abortion occurs thousands of times a year in the United States. It is done mainly on healthy babies of healthy mothers. The American Medical Association, former U,S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop and other medical authorities agree that partial-birth abortion is never medically necessary. In fact, the procedure can significantly threaten a mother's health and her ability to carry future children to term. Catholics and all concerned citizens can contact their senators by letter or telephone. You must include the message: "Please vote to override the President's veto of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, HR 1122." Mail letters to: The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510 or call in Boston at (617) 5653170. The Honorable John F. Kerry, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington D.C. 20510, or call: Fall River (508) 677-0522; New Bedford (508) 994-7651; Boston (617) 565-8519.
Refurbished St. Patrick Church ready for the millennium ahead •
glass window dedicated to Our Lady of St. Patrick. Comprising 7,000 square feei, the downwe realized that it was time to do the things needed," he said. "Msgr. James E. Gleason stairs now boasts of eight classrooms, two was the pastor at that time, and in the 34 years conference rooms and offices to meet the since we've realized that changes - really it demands of religious education programs. Since 1964 it had utilized portable classroom complete renovation - had to be made." Some of the dramatic changes include a walls that went from one wall to the other new sanctuary, redesign and remodeling of and they served well for several years, Msgr. the religious instruction classrooms and ar- Regan said. "The problem was that whenever you eas downstairs; rebuilt entranceways and air' Turn to page J3 - St. Patrick's conditioning; modern sliding kneelers; new with additional photos on pages eight and nine Stations of the Cross and a circular stained
"The last time the church was renovated Cape Cod church rededicated was when it was doubled in size in 1964 and after a $1.5 million renewal.
By JAMES N. DUNBAR FALMOUTH - Recent rededication ceremonies at St. Patrick Church here capped a $1.5 million, yearlong renovation of the vintage 1899 structure, preparing it to meet the millennium and the future needs of its growing Catholic community. It was in anticipation of the upcoming100th anniversary of the original church that the structure was entirely renovated upstairs and d.own, reported pastor Msgr. John J. Regan.
1998 Catholic 'Education Convention set for Sept. 19 at Bishop Connolly FALL RIVER - The annual Catholic Education Convention, with a theme "Holy Spirit: Source of Unity," will be held Sept. 19, 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m., in Bishop Connolly High School. The fall convention, sponsored by the Fall River Diocese's Office of Religious Education, which yearly attracts hundreds from across the diocese and region, will include the traditional offerings of workshops and displays and Mass celebrated by BishQp Sean P. O'Malley. Known in former years as the Religious
Education Convention, Its now more diverse nature has led its committee to change its name. , Deacon Bruce J. Bonneau, director of Religious Education, said that the committee felt the new name more accurately represents the total scope and nature of Catholic education and the many ministries it encompasses. The committee welcomes anyone involved in the teaching ministry of the Church, knowing that their participation will deepen Tum to page J3 - Education
NEW SANCTUARY - in St. Patrick Church, Falmouth h;as brilliant stained glass window most fittingly picturing Our Lady of St. Patrick. It is but one of the many new features of the recently remodeled and refurbished house of worship and religious instruction areas.