10.03.74

Page 1

The ANCHOR An Anchor 01 the Soul, Sure and Firm-St. Paul

Fall River, Mass., Thursday, Oct. 3, 1974 rIllCE 151: Vol. 18, No. 40 漏 197.4 The Anchor $5.00 per,...

New En.gland Leaders Meet in Conference The Massachusetts Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Church Leaders throughout New England, met in Waltham with members of their staff in a two day Conference. This annual gathering of regional Christian clergymen was sponsored under the aegis of The New England Consultation of Church Leaders. Its purpose was to effect a sustained communication linkup and informal fellowship' among the area's chief ecclesiastical officers, so that greater mutual cooperation in matters related to selected common concerns may be undertaken. Bishop Daniel A. Cronin, past chairman of the Consultation, was accompaniec\ by Rev. Peter N. Graziano, Diocesan Director of Social Services and. Coordi-路 nator of Special Apostolates. The theme of the meeting was the question: "How Does The Word Become Flesh In The Parish In A Changing World?". Rev. Jitsuo Morikawa, a noted Baptist pastor and scholar from Chicago was the keynote speaker. He stressed the importance of each parish praying and acting through a strong Christian hope, rooted in the Resurrection of Christ. This hope, he maintained, while thrust into the future, should, nonetheless, be viewed as a key element which pervades and influences our way of life

in the present. Dr. Morikawa urged that our sense of values reside wholeheartedly in the simplicity of Nazareth and not the pseudo-sophistication of Park Avenue. Specifically, he emphasized the necessity for today's parish to properly relate to crisis situations in the areas of ecology and justice. This dual approach toward nature and neighbor, he called econo-justice, a twentieth century' virtue, which becomes reality through an evangelistic life style on the part of all within the parish setting. The Conference heard from representatives of the clergy and laity from three parishes. The Turn to Page Four

Unborn Lives Must Have Top Priority WASHINGTON (NC) - The U. S. Supreme Court decisions of January 1973 touched off a furore among many Catholics and persons of other faiths-or no faith - who are convinced tha.t the child in the womb is a human being deserving the fullest protection of the law. Those decisions, which removed almost all legal restrictions on abortion, gave new impetus to anti-aborfion groups around the countl'y. They also gave new impetus to the Respect Life Observances instituted by the U. S. bishops the year before. Even before the high court decisions, the right-to-life of the unborn was the top priority in the 1972 Respect Life Observances across the country. The program that year also included concern for the aged, poverty, youth problems, peace, and the family. 'But with American military involvement in Southeast Asia at an end and moves fo legalize abortion afoot in every state in the union, ahortion stood out in the eyes of many Catholics as the number one threat to respect for life. The New York experience with relaxed abortion laws since 1970 backed up that view. In New York City alone 69,000 unborn children were legally aborted in the first six months of the state's new law--'a num0

the sense of crisis among prolifers. Thus, the emphasis is on the unborn in Respect Lffe Observances is certainly understandable. For to many the threat to the unborn is the clearest, most evident threat to respect for life in America today.

bel' far higher than the number of American deaths in a decade of savage warfare in Southeast Asia. Tl1e Supreme Court decisions, which declared even some of the New York restrictions on abortion unconstitutional, heightened

Among the programs suggested by the U. S. bishops to observe respect for the life of the unborn are:

o

Respect Life Symbol

-Pope Gives Specifics Of Evangelization VATICAN CITY (NC)-Pope Paul opened the fourth World Synod of Bishops last Friday with a declaration that the preaching of God's word and the progress of peoples work hand in hand. Only one day after his 77th birthday the ~ope presided over

Two Sisters ~f St., Joseph Communities Prayerfully Enter Into Merger

Sister Estelle sent information A proposed merger of the tel's wrote to over 20 Josephite Sisters of St. Joseph of Spring- communities across the country, about the Fall River community field and the Sisters of St. Jo- explaining that "in keeping with and requested the return of' a se,h of Fall River was officially the directives of numbers 21-22 questionnaire and a copy of the ratified last month by the Vati- of Perfectae Carita'tis which state constitutions of the other Sisters can's Sacred Congregation, ac- that 'communities which do not of St. Joseph. The Fall River Sisters said cording to Sister Mary Dooley, possess reasonable hope for furS.S.J., major superior of the ther development . . . should be that the responses were "most combined with more flourishing encouraging and supportive." community. After all the replies were stud"As one Community, united in communities whose scope and Christ, we shall with joy con- spirit is similar,''' they were. ied, they decided to approach tinue to serve the Church in seeking information from com- the Sisters of St. Joseph of Turn to Page Three various dioceses through the munities open to amalgamation. ministry of all our Sisters," Sister Dooley said. The amalgamated community numbers almost 800 Sisters and serves in the dioceses of Springfield, 'Providence, Fall River, New Bedford Curia of the Le- Worcester, and maintains misgion of Mary will sponsor a liv- sions in Arkansas, Texas and ing rosary at St. Joseph's Louisiana, and Kenya, Africa. Church, New Bedford, Sunday, The Fall River community, Oct. 6. Weather permitting, par- which numbered 96 Sisters, was ticipants will meet at 2:45 p.m. the only U.S. branch of the Si~颅 at the Brooklawn Park duck tel's of St. Joseph of LePuypond to proceed to the church. Velay, France, the "mother" In case of rain the meeting will community to which over 30,000 be in the church basement. Sisters of St. Joseph can trace The unit will sponsor a closed their origins. Two years ago, after projectretreat at Sacred Hearts Academy, Fairhaven, the weekend of ing their future as a community, Oct. 25 through 27. The retreat- and after consultation with the master will be Rev. Roger M.' mother superior in LePuy, the Charest, a Montfort Missionary- order began, according to Sister PRINCIPALS AT MERGER OF COMMUNITIES: Sr. from Bay Shore. L.I., N. Y. Fur- Estelle Santarpia, S.S.J., provin- Estelle Santarpia, S.S.J., fonner member of St. Elizabeth' ther information on the retreat is cial superior, to search for a Parish, Fall River and provincial superior of the Fall River available from Miss Therese community with whom it might Josephite Community and Sr. Mary Dooley, S.S.J., major Baulieu, 882 Belleville Ave., New unite. In December- of 1972, the Sis- superior of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield. Bedford 02745.

Weekend Retreat Living Rosary Set by Legion

-Political education on action needed to institute protection of the unborn at the state and national levels; -Public education on the moral dimensions of abortion and the legal rights of the un路 born; -Social action in a wide va. riety of programs to promote Turn to Page Two

two meetings of this synod on evangelization, preaching at a Mass for the synod's 207 participants in the morning and delivering an address of almost 3,000 words at the synod's first plenary session that afternoon. Despite this long day, the Pope looked fit. Speaking at the Mass in a strong, clear voice, the Pope steered clear of specifics and instead launched without preface into a prayer to Jesus Christ. "We might be tempted to make an immediate analysis of the spiritual needs of this world," he prayed. "We prefer however to turn Turn to Page Five

Shift Mary Feast Not Obligation WASHINGTON (NC) - The United States Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy has announced that since December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, faIls on Sunday this year, the Mass for the feast will be transferred to Saturday, December 7, but without the obligation of Mass on the Saturday. The committee explained that regulations issued from the Vatican in 1969 allow the transfer of feasts which are holy days of ob1'igation but the obligation to attend Mass is not transferred along with the feast. The feast commemorates Mary's preservation from original sin from the first moment of her conception in view of her calling to be the mother of Christ. The Mass of Saturday, December 7, then, will be the Mass of the Immaculate Conception but Catholics are not required to assist at Mass on that day.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
10.03.74 by The Anchor - Issuu