t eanc 0 VOL. 44, NO. 34 • Friday, September 8, 2000
FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS
FALL RIVER, MASS.
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Annual Red Mass honorees announced ~ Mass and celebrations on Sept.
24 will pay tribute to four members of the justice system.
legal profession, said Father Hession. The celebrations are held just as October begins in accord with the traditional and now the American principle of the opening of the court year. "It is an ancient tradition that we are now celebrating for the fourth year in our diocese," Father Hession explained. The Red Mass is so named because of the color of the vestments worn at the Mass of the Holy Spirit, Father Hession pointed out. "And it is the invocation of the Holy Spirit on people of all faiths, not just Catholics," he said. The coveted awards are named for St. Thomas More, a 16th century English layman who was a lawyer and who was martyred for opposing the divorce of England's King Henry VIII and for refusing to renounce papal authority. Designed specially for the diocese, the three-inch circular bronze medallion with enameled co"lors bears on the front an image of St. Thomas More and on the reverse an engraving of the recipient's name and date of presentation.
FALL RIVER - The committee planning the fourth annual Red Mass to honor four members of the justice system has announced this year's recipients ofthe prestigious St. Thomas More Award. Following tradition, ajudge, a lawyer, court worker and an ecumenical recipient are honored at the Mass, which will be celebrated Sept. 24 at 3 p.m., in St. Mary's Cathedral by Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, OFM Cap., and at a banquet which follows at White's of Westport. At the dinner and reception at White's the keynote speaker will be Chief Justice Suzanne V. Del Vecchio of the Massachusetts Superior Court. According to Father Mark R. Hession, chairman of the Red Mass Planning Committee, those chosen to receive awards are: Judge James O'Neill, presiding justice of Judge O'Neill the Nantucket District Court; Attorney . A native of New Bedford, Judge James Kathleen A. Snow of Barnstable; Gloria M. O'Neill is the son of the late Dr. Walter J. ST. THOMAS MORE AWARD O'Neill and Elizabeth (Goodin) O'Neill, a Arruda of New Bedford, head administrative assistant of the Probation Department; and the ecunurse. He and his wife Maureen (O'Connor) menical recipient, Fall River District Court Judge Aileen O'Neill reside in Barnstable and attend Our Lady of Victory ParHirschman Belford. ish in Centerville and St. Francis Xavier Parish in Hyannis. They The purpose of the Mass is to honor those who work in the Turn to page 13 - Red Mass
Popes, others beatified VATICAN CITY (CNS) - At a jubilee liturgy that followed weeks of controversy, Pope John Paul II beatified two very different popes: the universally popular John XXIII, who convened the Second Vatican Council, and Pius IX, who the pope said was "much loved, but also hated and slandered." Celebrating Mass Sept. 3 in St. Peter's Square in front of about 80,000 people, the pope also declared as "blessed" French Father William Joseph Chaminade, founder of the Society of Mary religious order; Abbot Joseph Columba Marmion, an Irish-French Benedictine; and Italian Archbishop Tommaso Reggio, known for his service to the young and poor. The ceremony brought together supporters of the five figures from every continent, who applauded as the pope pronounced the beatification decrees and as tapestry portraits of the new blesseds were unveiled. But the majority of the huge crowd - including pilgrims from Asia, South America and Africa - were there for Pope John XXIII. "He opened up the Church and gave it life," said Vietnamese Sister Maria Le, who has read the late pope's spiritual writings in recent years. Father Eduardo Kirombo, a Burundian
priest who was a boy when Pope John died, said he is still known throughout Africa as a "man who listened, a man of the Holy Spirit, a man who trusted in God's work." In a sermon interrupted several times by warm applause, the pope said Pope John had conquered the world with his simplicity of soul, his wisdom and his direct approach to people. The renewals he set in motion with Vatican II did not affect the Church's doctrine, but the way.of expressing it, he said. .The pope said Vatican IJ was a "prophetic intuition" of Pope John, opening a new page in the Church's history and a "season of hope" for the whole world. In apparent response to those who have questioned the joining of the beatifications of Popes Pius and John, the pope said the two figures were more similar than commonly thought, especially on a spiritual and human level. He noted that Pope John thought highly of Pope Pius and wanted him beatified. Addressing recent criticisms of Pope Pius, the pope made it clear that beatification, as the main preliminary step toward declaring someone's saintliness, was a judgment on that
person's spiritual virtues, not on the "particular historical options he carried out." The saints are not exempt from human "limits and conditionings," he said. Catholic, Protestant and Jewish groups had voiced disappointment with the beatification of Pope Pius, who in the 19th Turn to page 13 - Beatified
BLESSED POPE JOHN
XXIII
THE VATICAN on a warm August night. (Anchor/Gordon photo)
World Youth Day: Memories for a lifetime By MIKE
GORDON ANCHOR STAFF
FALL RIVER - World Youth Day 2000 was amazing. Rome: Two million young people from around the world. Pope John Paul II. A hands-on history of the Catholic Church. The feeling of brotherhood and sisterhood between so many. A chance to reflect on our Catholic heritage - and to pray. It was exciting and an experience I felt· privileged to have lived. Three weeks ago I had the fortune to travel with more than 80 people from our diocese as they journeyed to Rome, the Eternal City, for what turned out to be a most successful World Youth Day celebration. It was filled with many highlights and moving moments for all of us. I remember on the first day of our pilgrimage the enthusiasm, especially the young people whose excitement and anticipation was evident in their smiles and their eyes. I saw it when I talked to them and when they shared with one another on the plane what they looked forward to. After unloading our bags at the hotel on the Tuesday morning, our group joined thousands of others in the streets of Rome as the pope opened the week's festivities. There were people from other countries everywhere we walked and we made it a point to wave and greet those that passed us. We watched the Holy Father on a big screen in St. Peter's Square and young people were captivated by images of the 80-year-old pontiff. Some climbed speaker Turn to page 13 - Rome