FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS VOL. 37, NO. 40
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F ALL RIVER, MASS.
Friday, October 15, 1993
Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly
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$11 Per Year
Migration Week observance in :Fall River Nov. 6·
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IT WAS EXACTLY II :45 a.m. Italian time on Pope John Paul's wristwatch when the pontiff present~:d gifts to Bishop Sean O'Malley on the occasion ofthe latter's ad limina visit to the Vatican. (Fdici photo)
Bish()~p reports By Pat McGowan
on ad limina visit
1870 to 1929, when the Italian Fresh from his third "ad limina" government seized it as part of the visit to Pope John Paul II, Bishop former Papal States. "While we waited for things to Sean O'Malley concurred with other New England bishops in say- happen, we enjoyed a leisurely ing that the fact they met with the breakfast [at Castel Gandolfo l," pope at Castel Gandolfo made for' said Bishop O'Malley. "It amounted to a regional meeting of the a relaxed atmosphere. Castel Gandolfo, 13 miles south- New England bishops." As with other groups of U.S. east of Rome, has been the papal bishops visiting him this year, the summer residence since the 17th pope expressed gratitude for their century except for the period from
part in preparations for World Youth Day, noting especially the contributions of host Archbishop Francis Stafford of Denver, delayed by Youth Day wrap-up duties, who joined the New England contingent. . In his formal address to the bishops, the pope reminded them that "the youth of America look to you to lead them to Christ, the only adequate response to the de. Turn to Page 13
With the theme"Many Pilgrims, One Family of God," the Fall River diocese will observe National Migration Week'on Saturday Nov. 6, with a multicultural Mass at Bishop Connolly High School, Fall River. The Mass, to be offered by Bishop Sean O'Malley, will be at I:30 p.m. and will be followed by a social hour featuring pastries of various countries and entertainment by groups representing the Portuguese, Polish, French-Canadian and Cape Verdean communities. All are welcome and there will be no refreshment or entertainment charges. "This is the first time that the diocese will have celeb.rated National Migration Week so extensively," said Father John J. Oliveira, a chaplain at Charlton Memorial Hospital and parochial vicar at St. Anthony of Padua parish, both in Fall River. Father Oliveira is diocesan coordinator of the Migration Week program, at which the Mass will mirror the cultural and linguistic diversity of the diocese in its music and at the Prayer of the Faithful, which will be in Portuguese, Spanish, French, Polish, Crioulo, italian, Lebanese, Ukrainian and English. The priest said the offertory procession will have as gifts breads from the various, nations represented. The bearers will be children from New Bedford Catholic schools and hymns in English and Portuguese will be by members of the choirs of Mt. Carmel, Immaculate Conception and 5t. John Baptist parishes of New Bedford; and in Spanish and Crwulo from Our Lady of Guadalupe and Our Lady of the Assumption parishes, also in New Bedford. . Entertainment following the liturgy will be by Portuguese and
Polish folkloric groups in the Connolly auditorium and by FrenchCanadian ar.d Cape Verdean musicians in the school's cafeteria. Also a component of Migration Week will be presentations in all diocesan Catholic schools on the rich diversity of the many nations that are represented in and contribute to the diocesan community. In the planning since last January, arrangements for the observance have been made by a large committee drawn from all participating ethnic groups. said Father Oliveira. He said the event will celebrate the roots of all diocesan Cathoilcs, highlighting the gift of faith which has come to them through many cultures and languages. It will also be a gesture of welcome to the most recent refugees and immigrants in the area. Father Oliveira said he feels the Migration Week program will emphasize that in a national environment ir,creasingly hostile to newcomers from other lands, the Church continues to insist that all people are to be received with respect. "God himself came to us as a pilgrim and refugee," declared the priest. He no!ed as signs of a positive attitude within the diocese the welcome extended to several Polish seminarians who worked in parishes this summer and the fact that two re::nained for a year of pastoral ministry. On Cape Cod a large number of Brazilian immigrants are served at St. Francis Xavier parish, Hyannis, where Father Freddie Babiczuk and Tom Loughlin, a member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, minister to their needs. (See picture on page 13.)
LED by the statue of Our Lady, over 2,000 persons participated in the annual Columbus Day diocesan procession and Mass for world peace. Marchers walked from St. Mary's Cathedral to St. Anne's Church, Fall River, joining worshipers already there for the Mass. Bishop Sean O'Malley headed the procession and was principal celebrant and hOinilist for the Mass. "What a wonderful thing it would be if the whole world observed the 10 Commandments for 24 hours," he said, citing as a model the absence of any disorder at World Youth Day because of the commitment of participants. There is no peace without justice, he declared, but people are reluctant to accept God in their lives because he makes too many demands. (Kearns photos) .