FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS
t eanc 0 VOL. 27, NO. 38
FALL RIVER, MASS., FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1983
$8 Per Year
Gaudette Photo
Bishop Daniel A. Cronin officiates at committal ceremonies for Humberto Cardinal Medeiros. /
THE CARDINAL COMES HOME By Pat McGowan with NC News reports Under .the wide and starry s/?y, Dig the grave and let me lie. . . . This be the verse that you" grave for me: Here he lies where he longed to be. . . Last Friday Humberto Cardi nal Medeiros came home to lie, in the words of poet Robert Louis Stevenson, "where he longed to be," under the wide sky of Fall River and near the graves of his dearly-loved par ents. " Following majestic funeral rites at Holy Cross Cathedral, Boston, attended by five cardi nals, some 50 archbishops and
bishops, hundreds of priests, from Boston to the mill city to earthly remains," said the bishop, addressing those who had ac sisters and brothers and thou-" which he had come as a 15-year companied the cardinal's body. sands of laity, he was buried in old Azorean emigrant. a simple family plot in St. Highway overpasses and rest "We assure you that we will Patrick's Cemetery. areas along the 50-mile route treasure them and pray for his were lined with mourners and immortal soul." The interment, a striking de every entrance ramp on Route Representing iPresident Rea parture from ecclesiastical tra dition, in accordance with which 24 was blocked by state police gan, U.S. Secretary of Health until the 100-car funeral cortege and Human Services Margaret high-ranking prelates are nor " M. Heckler read a message ex mally laid to rest in a cathedral had passed. crypt or other tomb of special "Thousands awaited the cortege pressing the president's "heart honor, fulfilled the of.ten-repeated at the cemetery, where Knights felt condolences" and describing request of the cardinal. of Columbus formed an honor the cardinal as a "constant, hum He died Sept. 17 at age 67, guard as the cardinal's casket ble shepherd" who left a "lasting legacy of kindness and caring." the day after undergoing a was brought to the gravesite. triple coronary bypass oper At the close of the graveside "This is the land where the ation. ceremony, saying "Our Blessed young priest Father Medeiros be Fall River stood still as the gan" his mission to the people of Mother was dear to the cardinal cardinal returned. God," said Bishop Daniel A. and we can honor him by"hon oring her," Bishop Cronin invited Schools and municipal offices Cronin, who conducted the com the mourners to sing the "Salve were closed and flags were at mittal service. "Here you have brought his Regina," a traditional Latin half-mast as his body was borne
hymn asking Mary's intercession at the time of death. As it was sung the bishops ill attendance sprinkled holy water on the cardinal's casket. They included Archbishop Pi" Laghi, apostolic delegate in the United States, flU the auxiliary bishops of the Boston arch~ diocese, Auxili~ry Bisttop Sera phim Ferreira Silva of Lisbon, Portugal, and Bishop Aurelio Granada, Terceira, Azores. All greeted ailing Bishop James L. Connolly, 88, retired bishop of Fall River, whom the cardinal had served as diocesan chancellor and who had ordained him a bishop in 1966. Auxiliary Bishop James G. Gerrard, 86, also retired and in Turn to Page Two