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VOL. 48, NO. 34' • Friday, September 10, 2004
FALL RIVER, MASS.
Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly • $14 Per Year
Pope tells Ne,w England bishops U.S. Church can heal from abuse wounds By JOHN THAVIS CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
He acknowledged that the sex abuse crisis has left behind "significant spiritual and material chalVATICAN CITY - Addressing bishops from lenges," but reminded the bishops of the power of Boston and other New England dioceses, Pope John grace to "inspire wisdom, reconcile differences, heal Paul II said he was confident that the Church in the wounds and point to a future of hope." United States could heal the wounds caused by the Priests deserve particular support from their bishsex abuse scandal. ops during this time of trial, he said. He expressed While the cases of priestly abuse have "cast a his personal gratitude for "the generous and selfshadow" on the Church, they must never be allowed less service which marks the lives of so many Amerito weaken Catholics' public witness of faith and can priests." "In a very real way the renewal of the Church is hope, the pope said September 2. At the same time, the pontiff offered special linked to the renewal of the priesthood," he said, words of encouragement to the many good priests and added, "Tell your priests that I hold them in my he said have "suffered deeply because of the much- heart." Throughout this year's "ad [imina" visits, Vatipublicized failings of some of the Church's miniscan officials have asked groups of U.S. bishops to ters." The pope made the comments in a text that he .encourage their priests in the wake of the abuse scanread in part to some 25 bishops during a meeting at dal. his summer residence outside Rome. The pope had Archbishop O'Malley, who was sent to Boston been meeting individually all week with the prel- last year after the resignation of Cardinal Bernard ates, who were on their "ad {imina" visits to the F. Law, told the pope the Church was still trying to Vatican. bring healing to families who feel betrayed by ESPIRITO SANTO Parish Among the prelates was Archbishop Sean P. priestly sex abuse. 100th anniversary. O'Malley of Boston, who in a short speech to the· "Oftentimes the victims and their families were pope spoke of the "great pain" caused by the sex among those most committed to the life of the abuse cases. The Archdiocese of Boston was the Church, and so the abuse has been experienced as center of the sex abuse scandal, with more than 160 the most serious betrayal," Archbishop O'Malley priests accused of sexually abusing minors over the said. last 50 years. The archbishop also echoed the pope's message The pope told the bishops, "The Church in your of hope, saying good can come out of evil. "We are humbled by our sins and offenses but country has been chastened by the events of the past two years, and much effort has rightly been ex- confident that God does not forsake us and calls us pended on understanding and addressing the issues to strive for healing and reconciliation," Archbishop . of sexual abuse, which have cast a shadow on her O'Malley said. By DEACON JAMES N. DUNBAR Turn to page 13 - New England life and ministry." FALL RIVER - The parish family at Espirito Santo Parish will wind up two years celebrating its 100th anniversary with a Mass and banquet on September 19. Bishop George W. Coleman will be the principal celebrant of the Mass at 10 a.m., in the church on Alden Street. Among the concelebrants will be pastor Father James Ferry, and Father Timothy P. Driscoll, the parochial vicar. Assisting at the Mass will be Deacons John deAmaral Moniz and ThomasJ. Sousa, who are pastoral assistants. Following the Mass, a banquet will be held at White's of Westport. Although July 19, 1904 is the actual spiritual birthday of Espirito Santo Parish - the first parish created after the Fall River diocese itself was created that same year - its history began years earlier, and as a mission in 1902. The parish inaugurated her twoBISHOP GEORGE W. Coleman, second from right, met with Pope John Paul II at the year celebrations on January 11 Vatican last week along with, from left, diocesan seminarian Jay Mello, diocesan priest and 12 of 2003, with events most Father Gerard P. O'Connor, who is at work at the Congregation for the Clergy in Rome for fittingly marking the centenary of the Mission of Santo Christo in the another year, and diocesan seminarian Peter J. Fournier. (Fotografia Felici) .
in Fall River is celebrating its
Espirito Santo Parish to observe centennial on September 19 Flint section of the city. There was a prayer service on January 11 of that year at Santo Christo Church on Columbia Street, followed by a procession of cars to Espirito Santo Church, where Benediction was held, and a social followed. In the lead car of the procession were the traditional Azorean symbols of the crown and banner of the Holy Spirit. The route taken passed Notre Dame Church. It was there that the Mission Church began at eucharistic celebrations with Mass in Portuguese in the parish hall on Basset Street. On January 12, the second day of the celebrations, Mass was celebrated in Espirito Santo Church and the traditional sopas de Espirito Santo, (soup) was served in the hall. In 1902, before the parish was established, Father Jorge S. Silveira, an assistant at Santo Christo Church, would come to the Flint to celebrate Mass. He raised enough money to buy a plot of land with a house on Alden Street. This building, called the Tum to page 13 - Centennial