• New Role Happy Missionary Nurse In
Nun to Serve African Lepers
By Patricia McGowan , "We 'dance and sing before the Blessed Sacrament." "Goqd!" said Bishop Fulton J. Sheen heartily. "Come and tell everyone about it." :And he led tiny Sister Helen Wil.. liam before the entire staff of his Propagation of the Faith office in New York City to exptain her unique voeation,which has called her from the active life of a relig ious of the Holy Union of the Sacred Hearts to the hidden way of a cloistered Poor Clare nun. Not only is Sister H~len Wil liam's action in changing from one
community to another rare in the extreme, but the particular Poor Clare Monastery she is joining is the only one of its kind in the world. Located in Sangmelima, Camer oun, West Central Africa, the Mon 'astery of St. Damien is the first contemplative women's community in Africa, intermingling the Poor Clares' spirit and rule with the preservation of African customs and primitive poverty. Sister Helen William, daughter. of Mr. and Mrs. William Cullen, St. Mary's parish in
Mansfield, was until six months ago a nur!'le at a Holy Union mis sion in Dschang, Cameroun. Pre vious to entering religion she had been an operating room nurse at Union Hospital, Fal River. But the call to contemplative life persisted through her busy days at Dschang, where for 10 years she labored for nearly 200 African infants, mainly orphans, and also assisted in operation of a dispensary and girls' school
staffed by the Holy Union Sisters. At last, six months ago, she answered the call, and is now on a combined home visit and fundra-is. ing tour for her monastery before entering upon her canonical year as a Poor Clare novice. Sister Helen William will not remain at St. Damien's, however. She explains that Mother Marie de Jesus, foundress of' the com munity, plans to establish a new Turn to Page Eleven
The
ANCHOR
Fall River, Mass., Thursday, Sept. 24, 1964
Vol. 8, No. 39
©
1964 The Anchor
PRICE lOe $4.00 per Year
POOR CLARE'S F AMIL Y: Family congratulates Sister Helen William as she pre pares to depart for Africa and contemplative life of Poor Clare nun. From left, Mr. and Mrs. William Cullen, her father and mother; Sister Helen William; Mrs. Leslie Waite of Little Compton, a sister.
Council's Procedure,s Assuring Speedy Results
. By Kev. John R. Foister'
"The Fathers assembled in Rome have now come upon deep waters ••• i.e., those penetrating 'questions which "'ill most greatly affect the life ef the Church for many years
.. come'" '" "',We can't miss a
confrontation with extremely vital problems. Personally, I am looking forward to fireworks as we get d.own to beating outllOffie highly explosive issues like the world collegiality of bishops, religious liberty, the Jews and 90 forth." Such are the thoughts of an American prelate at the Council (Bishop R. A. Tracy.
Diocese Pays Final Tribute To Beloved Msgr· Ward Most Rev. James J. Gerrard, D.D., V.G., Auxiliary :Bishop of the Diocese, celebrated a Pontifical Requiem Mass in St. Patrick's Church, Fall River, Tuesday for Rt. Rev. Edmund J. Ward, pastor emeritus of the Church, wbo died last Friday after a pro longed illness. Msgr. Ward, a priest over 51 years, was eulogized by Bishop Gerrard,
.
, )l8GK. EDMl1ND WARD
who was associated with him in the Curia when Msgr. Ward was Diocesan Chancellor, as a priest whose love of God and people was evident to all those to whom he ministered. The sick found in Msgr. Ward a kindness that is still remembered in the parishes where he served even after the passage of almost half a century. Msgr. Ward's genuine love for people sprang from his love of God and child-like trust in God in Whose service he spent him self. He willingly accepted the sacrifices he was called upon to make knowing that this was God's Will for him and a source of grace for himself and people. Assisting Bishop Gerrard at the Solemn Pontifical Mass of Bequiem, were: Rt. Rev. Magr. Turn to PaBe Twelve
Baton Rouge, La.) Whether they are fireworks or not is one thing. However, this Third Session is much dif ferent from the other two that .................................
Day of Prayer . VATICAN CITY (NC)-Pope Paul VI has asked that Sunday, Sept. 27 be set aside as a day of worldwide prayer for the suc cess of the Vatican Council's third session. preceded it. This session's sud den burst of speed, its greater efficiency and its current multi plication of fruit should have been anticipated. Finally, the Fathers have
Stonehill College To Install New Head on Oct. 9 The Very Rev. John T. Corr, C.S.C., will be inaugu rated as president of Stone hill college on Friday, Oct. 9, with delegates representing more than 100 colleges and uni versities and associa'tions of higher learning taking part in an academic procession preced ing the installation ceremony. The former president of the college, the Very Rev. Richard H. Sullivan, C.S.C., now Provin. cial of the Eastern Province of the Holy Cross Fathers, will per form the ceremony. The inaugural address will be clelivered by Dr. George H. , Turn to Page Fifteu
mastered the council mechanics. Finally, the council's many and varied adivities have converged -results are at hand.
At one and the same time, Ute Fathers are voting on a re written expression of their past debates and they are exploring practical ways of putting the
past di9cussions on Ilhe Church
into practice.
The Fathers agreed 21'70 to 31
to vote on the re-written sche mas they had discussed in the pa-st sessions. A whole series of votes concern paragraphs 21, 22, 23 deal with the' bishops sharinB Turn to Page Six
New Bedford Bishop Offers Vatican Council Mass Most Rev. Frederick A. Donaghy, M.M., New Bedford born Maryknoll prelate, celebrated the Mass that opened the 84th general congregation of Vatican Council II on Monday last in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City. Bishop Donaghy is the exiled Bishop of Wuchow, China, and is now marking his twenty fifth year as a Bishop wJ1ile serving as a missionary in For mosa. Bishop Donaghy, born Jan. 13, 1903 in New Bedford, was edu ,cated at Holy Cross College, Worcester, St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore and Maryknoll Sem inary, Maryknoll, N.Y. He was ordained Jan. 27, 1929 at Maryknoll. On Sept. 21, 1939, Bishop Donaghy was consecrated in St. Mary's Cathedral, FaU River, by the late Bishop Cas sidy. While he was serving as the Bishop of Wuchow, he was a house prisoner for, many years under the Chinese Communists. His brother, Rev. William S. Donaghy, S.J.. is lItationed • Boston College. Tl&l'1l ~
Paie 'l'weJltr.
lUSIIor
DONAGIII