By Rev. Edward J. Byington Anchor Staff An old woman appeared at the softball diamond in Kennedy Park at three-thirty in the afternoon and set up her camp chair a few feet behind third base. That should have been an indication that something extraordinary was going to happen. By four-thirty the old woman had been joined by a dozen cohorts and together they ..-Iaved the role of sidewalk engineers for the volunteers from Espiritu Santo Parish who were finishing the construction of the altar. By five-twenty Columbia Street seemed like a reenactmen of VJ Dav as thousands of Santo Christo parishioners were out in the street preparing to proceed to the Cathedral. At five-thirty St. Mary's sch:>olyard was quickly being filled with people representing parishes throughout the diocese. On Rodman Street iust south of the schoolvard five buses would stO'1 and discharge their passengers. drive off. and quickly be replaced by five more. The priests watching were guessing the parishes b" the names of the bus companies. "That's Brander, it must be Holy Ghost, Attleboro." "Look, there's Bloom, must be Our Lady of Lourdes, Taunton"" The variouc; colored buses were approaching the schoolyard from the east across Rodman Street but suddenly like a troop of cavalry eight identical yellow buses appeared from the south on Second Street and the first contingent from Our Lady of the Angels had arrived. By the end of the evening nearly one hundred buses were used to transport a mere fraction of the total crowd. At six o'clock the procession began. The Santo Christo parishioners who were lined. up on South Main Street were in the van. The other parish units moved out of the schoolyard and down Spring - Street to South Main Street. As they passed the front door of - the Cathedral Bishop Cronin welcomed them until he joined the procession himself. The peoDle of Espiritu Santo parish marched from their Church down Pleasant Street carrying with them the statue of Our Lady of Fatima. Around sixthirty they linked up with the main procession. As the procession 20,000 Street, the people filled the strong moved up South Main length and breadth of the street. They sang hymns and chanted the rosary, their candles flicker-
brothers throughout the world who do not enjoy peace, to those whose hearts are not tranquil because of anxiety about their needs, to those whose countries· are in political, civil, or military disorder." Then the Bishop addressed himself to the theme of the evening: "We, here in this Diocese, where so many of our commu· nity have ties of blood and faith with our brothers and sisters in Portugal, look with fear and anxiety on the political events in that beloved nation. We know how the Portuguese people want to be free and want to elect by An Anchor 01 the Soul, Sure and Firm-Sf. Paul themselves the form of free government that will allow them to live their lives in security and Fall River, Mass., Thursday, Oct. 16, 1975 liberty, free to follow their religious convicti<ms according to 'lICE 15c 1975 The Anchor Vol. 19, No. 42 the age-old religion of their an$UG cestors in the land where the Couple receives Comm- tradition of their Roman Cath· ing in the mild breeze, and the Bill Campbell and his one hunspectafors looked on in amaze- dred voice choir serenaded the union at Mass in Kennedy olic Faith is so stron-g. They see a threat from Communism and . Park. ment. Even a veteran newspaper· crowd with hymns to Our Lady. they do not want a communistic man remarked "I have never By seven-thirty the infield, seen anything like this before." outfield, and the areas beyond reading and the Gospel was pro- form of government. We support After the first few contingents were filled with a rippling sea of claimed by Hef1bert Nichols, a them- in their moment of fear and reached the park where a crowd humanity. The Bishop then ap- Deacon from Taunton who will in their legitimate desires by our of ten thousand were already proached the altar surrounded by he ordained a priest in Decem- pJ;:ayerful gathering this evening and we raise our voices in unison waiting for them, Rev. Ernest an honor guard and over sixty ber. Blais, pastor of Sacred Heart priests and the Mass began. In the homilY,Bishop Cronin to beg the interce~sion of Our Church in New Bedford led the Dennis O'Brien, a 15-year-old set the tone of his remarks when Lady of Fatima, that-she will -recitation of the rosary. When sophomore from Bishop Connolly he said "Our thoughts this eve- obtain special protection from the rosary was concluded Father High School, delivered the first ning ,go quickly to those of our her Divine Son for that beloved land of Portugal which she her· self blessed at Fatima." After the homily the events of the Mass so familiar to the faithful; the prayer of petition, the Consecration, the recitation of the Lord's Prayer, the exchange of the handshake of peace, and the distribution of Communion, took on added significance. At the conclusion of the Mass thousands of voices joined in the singing of God Bless America. They sang with an enthusiasm and feeling that can be only understood by those who fl"()m first· hand experience know how -blessed it is to liVe in the land of the free. Then as the final act of the evening, white handker· chiefs were waved by the crowd to Our Lady of Fatima in the traditional European· sign of affection and loyalty. The procession and Mass were a sign of the vibrant faith that exists in our area of this country; aJ sign of strong devotion to Our Lady of Fatima; a sign of concern over the horrible events in Portugal and other oppressed lands. The success of the evening will undoubtedly call for this to an annual event but never THIRTY THOUSAND PRAY FOR PEACE IN PORTUGAL: This picture was taken be more will one -be able to say "I from in front of the altar at Kennedy Park and shows' a portion of the congregation stret- have never seen anything like ching out into the dark horizon.. this."
The ANCHOR
,.r,..
©
,,----In This I s s u e ' - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - An Attleboro Man raises questions about busing. Page 3
Mary Carson talks about Catholic Newspapers Page 6
Pictures of the Procession and Mass Pages 8 &9
_ What is a Person1
The Inquiring
Bicentennial Article
Photographer
Page 12
Page 14