--~----
..
-----~---
---------~-----.----_._--
-
-
-----------
:~:f~~ .~ ]:(~~<l ~~01J r~ '~;A~·t:- ~;C~;~ £i't
,~
:
VOL. 41, NO. 36 • Friday, September 19, 1997
FALL Kl VJ!;K, MA~~.
"
.........,,
.
Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly
•
w
""
'l
$14 Per Year
Life Athlete Chris Godfrey reaches out to Stang By MIKE GORDON ANCHOR STAFF Chris Godfrey is a big guy, standing about six three and weighing well over two hundred pounds, but even bigger than this former right guard for the Superbowl champion New York Giants is the message he brings to young people around the country. He brought his message to the students at Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth recently: that message, the mission of the Life Athletes, is to live a life of virtue and abstinence (chastity) and respect all life. Godfrey was invited to speak to students as school opened. He is the president of the Li fe Athletes Inc., a group of some 200 professional and Olympic athletes who are committed to living lives that reflect the message of virtue and who bring that message via public speaking to schools, sports camps, and youth rallies. Other members of the group include Andy Pettite of the New York Yankees; Curtis Martin and Scooter McGruder of the New England Patriots; and Reggie White of the' Green Bay Packers. These athletes may not be involved in sports for their entire lives, but they will be respecting life and bringing their message to youth long after their professional careers are oyer. Godfrey spoke to stUldents about his rise in professional sports and as students listened they did not hear of an athlete who was a number one draft pick or earned millions of dollars a year but instead the story of a man who worked hard, failed as often as he succeeded, but because he believed in himself and developed a strong faith in God, was able to find success in his career. Success has continued now for Chris who lives in South Bend, Indiana with his wife Daria and their five children.
He told students at Stang that although he was a successful defensive lineman from Michigan early in his football career
would eventually cut him prior to the season and he was beginning to give up hope of playing professional football. Arriving
home, he found a message from the Green Bay Packers who said they were interested Turn to page J3
A GROUP of students from Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth ask Chris Godfrey questions after his presentation about positive living. Godfrey is a member of the Superbowl champion New York Giants football team and the president of Life Athletes Inc. and now spends time speaking to young people around the country. (Anchor/ Gordon photo) he felt something was missing. Illness led to his missing the NFL draft his senior year, but he was eventually picked up as a free agent by the Washington Redskins. But both the Redskins and the New York Jets
PRESIDENT OF STANG THERESA Dougall, Father Stephen Fernandes and Marian Desrosiers, both from the pro-life office of the diocese stand with Chris Godfrey. An NFL player for nine seasons, Godfrey brought to students a pro-life and positive living message. (Anchor/Gordon photo)
St. Therese to be. honored, declared doctor of church A Solemn Pontifical Mass in honor of the first centenary of the death of St. Therese of Lisieux will be celebrated by the Most Rev. Sean P. O'Malley, OFM Cap., on September 29 at 6 p.m. in St. Mary's Cathedral, Fall River. The bishop will be homilist for the Mass which will be followed by a reception in the parish hall for those attending the celebration. It was declared by His Holiness, Pope John Paul II at the recent World Youth Day in Paris that the heroic sanctity, love and humility of St. Therese, who died at age 24, rendered her most worthy of bearing the title Doctor of the Church. The Holy Father will make the official declaration on October 19, 1997, making her the third woman to receive such an honor and placing her in the company of St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and many other saints. She will be the youngest person to be declared a Doctor of the Church. A Doctor of the Church is defined as one whose influence is felt throughout the whole Church as a teacher and holy person. "The criteria and conditions for recognition as a Doctor of the Church are eminent doctrine, outstanding holiness of life, and the declaration of the Church herself," said Cardinal
Pietro Palazzini on June 21, 1981. Therese, therefore, is richly deserving to be named Doctor Ecclesiae like her Carmelite sister, St. Teresa ofAvila, and St. Catherine of Siena of the Dominican Order. Therese was born in Alencon, France on January 2, 1873 and given the name MarieFrancoise-Therese Martin. She was the ninth and youngest child of Louis and Zelie Martin, who were lace makers. Four years later, her mother died and Therese chose her sister, Pauline, as a second mother. In October of 1882 Pauline entered the Lisieux Carmel. This 'Ioss caused Therese much anxiety and repeated illness. Before her entry into Carmel in 1888, Therese had been taught the Catholic faith by her father, sisters, and extended family members. She had been catechized by her own parish priest and the religious sisters at school, but her exposure to Sacred Scripture had been limited to the texts at Mass and those she found in Imitation of Christ and other spiritual works. She would come to discover the hidden treasures of the Gospels which came to be her one source of meditation and contemplation. Turn to page J3