t eanco VOL. 43, NO. 40 • Friday, October 15, 1999
Annual Education Convention set for Oct 23 at ConnoDy By MIKE GORDON ANcHOR STAFF
FALL RIVER - The Catholic Education Convention will be held at Bishop Connolly High School on oei. 23 and Director of Religious Education Permanent Deacon Bruce J. Bonneau sees it as a "great opportunity for people involved in faith formation to come together," for a day of workshops, prayer and presentations. The event hopes to attract school principals and teachers, parish directors, coordinators of religious education and deacons who are involved with the faith formation of the young people throughout the diocese. Attendees will have a chance to attend several workshops during the conference where they will find a variety of subjects aimed to help tqem succeed and reach out to youth. "We have the largest amount of workshops at this year's convention that we've ever had," said Bonneau. More than 27 presenters will offer 60 workshops during the day in addition to the keynote address. "There are no more classrooms available for workshops. They're all used up," the deacon declared. Bonneau has been involved with the convention for years now and said that it has been a staple in the diocese for some 11-12 years. It was originally known as the Religious Education Convention and develops Tum to page 13 - Convention
FALL RIVER, MASS.
FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE IS~NDS Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly • $14 Per Year
Sacred Heart Church celebrates milestone .,..
~ The first French parish
pastor at Sacred Heart for 12 years, will be retiring. Pastor of the parish Sacred will be Msgr. Thomas 1. Harrington, Heart currently the pastor at Holy Name. Church, It was in 1872 when Father New Lawrence S. McMahon, vicar general of the Fall River Diocese, and Bedford, as pastor of St. Lawrence Church in it appeared New Bedford, took the first steps to NEW BEDFORD - A three-day establish a parish for the arriving celebration is set for Oct. 22 through French Canadians. With diminishing 24 as members of Sacred Heart Par- available land to subdivide among ish here take a loving look at where their traditionally large famili~s, a their community came from 125 change in government of the Canayears ago and an anxious, but faith- dian provinces, and the tremendous filled look at what the future has in opportunities being offered in this store. region by the growing textile indusThe events will begin at a reunion try, they flocked here. night on Oct. 22 beginning at 7 p.m.. Initially, Sacred Heart Church was in the parish hall, a dance on Oct. 23 but a mission of St. Lawrence's, and from 7 to 11 p.m., also in the hall, with the nomination of Father ,~ 'I" . and the anniversary Mass on Sun- Georges Pager in 1876 as pastor, it day, Oct. 24, at 10 a.m., with Bishop is said the new parish was offi+ Sean P. O'Malley as principal cel- cially established. He began .. :l ebrant and homilist. A banquet will to gather funds for a new "J follow at Century House in church. Acushnet. In August of _.-, - _.e--~. Father Clement E. Dufour, pastor, 1876 the corner'I J ~., said in an interview this week, that "It will be the final celebration, an R. exciting one in the parish's history, H· ,.*,' as we ready to merge on Nov. 21 with Mass In aMIdnight wooden rJ . ' '. ' -,'I -- ~.; ~ .• 1r Holy Name Church next door as the ",;;"1 I; -::= new Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish." cation was held in "'. ~p.~ i _ ..;;,;· ......r~,~1. Father Dufour, who will be 70 in January of 1877.A , . a few weeks, a priest for 41 years and wooden rectory
in New Bedford and the second in the Fall River Diocese looks back to its roots among immigrating French Canadians.
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Investiture ceremonies for new monsignors at Cathedral Sunday FALL RIVER - Nine priests of the Fall River Diocese will formally receive papal honors at an investiture ceremony Sunday at 2 p.m., in St. Mary's Cathedral. Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, OFM Cap., will preside. The bishop announced the honors following a letter he received August 19 through the offices of the Apostolic Nuncio, the Most Rev. Gabriel Montalvo. Those who were named Prelate of Honor of His Holiness are: Rev. Msgr. Th01:nas J. Harrington, pastor, Holy Name Church, New Bedford; Rev. Msgr. Edmond R. Levesque, pastor, St. Anthony of Padua Church, New Bedford; Rev. Msgr. John J. Steakem, pastor, St. Thomas More Church, Somerset; and Rev. Msgr. Antonio C. Tavares, former pastor of Santo Christo Church, Fall River, and currently retired. Those who have been named Chaplain to His Holiness are: Rev. Msgr. Stephen J. Avila, secretary to the bishop; Rev. Msgr. Edmund J. Fitzgerald, pastor, St. John the Baptist Parish, WestBISHOP ELLIOTT G. Thomas, right, of the Virgin Islands, joins Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, port; Rev. Msgr. John F. Moore, pastor, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton OFM, Cap., and Msgr. Stephen J. Avila in the Annual Peace March held in Fall River last Monday. Parish, North Falmouth; Rev. Msgr. John A. Perry, pastor, St. The marchers walked from the Cathedral to St. Anne's Church where Mass was celebrated. See .John Neumann Parish, East Freetown; and Rev. Msgr. Ronald A. Tosti, pastor, Christ the King Parish, Mashpee. page five for anotller picture. (AnchorlJolivet photo)