10.17.97

t eanc 0 VOL. 41, NO.40 •

Friday, October 17, 1997

MARCH FOR PEACEThe statue of Our Lady is carried in last Monday's Peace Procession from St. Mary's Cathedral to St. Anne's Church in Fall River by members of Espirito Santo parish of that city.

The base of the statue is decorated each year by John and Beatrice Angelo, also of Espirito Santo parish, who were instrumental in the formation of the annual peace march 22 years ago. Bishop Sean O'Malley celebrated a Mass for peace at St. Anne's at the conclusion of the procession. At right, members of Immaculate Conception parish in New Bedford participate in the march. (Anchor/Kearns photo)

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TV ratings need definition, enforcemt~nt

THEANCHOR-DioceseofFaIlRiver-Fri.,Oct.17,1997

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impose a ratings system on TV .programming in the absence of a TV-industry system. The FCC also was given the authority to review any system put in place.

But an early-summer review date was postponed after advocacy groups reached a deal with TV networks and producers to provide more detailed information on program content.

Merely basing a TV ratings system on the Motion Picture Association of America's film ratings system is insufficient, Mo-

Planning begins for 1998 Bishop's Charity Ball MonsignorThomas J. Harrington, Diocesan Director, announces that the organizational meeting for the 1998 Bishop's Charity Ball will be held on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 19, at 3 p.m. at the Holy Name Parish Center on Mount Pleasant Street in New Bedford. Members of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women and the Diocesan Council of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul will sponsor the gala mid-winter social event which brings together members of our "Diocesan Family" from all corners of the diocese. Joining these organizations in conducting the Ball this year will be members of Diocesan Young Adult Ministry. The Ball will be held on Friday evening, Jan. 9, at the Venus de Milo in Swansea.

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NEW YORK (CNS) - The media watchdog group Morality" in Media said the new television ratings system will be useless unless specific definitions are put in place for each rating, and such a system is strictly enforced.

"If a rating system is to serve the public interest, rather than the industry's interest, there should be - as much as humanly possible - objective, definite standards for issuance of the various ratings," Morality in Media said in written testimony submitted Oct. 2 to the Federal Communications Commission.

"Those standards should be published. There should also be an independent review/appeals board, and an effective means to enforce the system against violations," the group said. .

A 1996 telecommunications law gave the FCC permission to

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Fr~~clscans Fr. Robert Lynch O.F.M.

P.O. Box 23 Boston, MA 02112-0023 11111111111111111111111111111 TIlE ANCHOR (USPS-545-m0) Periodical fustage Paid at Fall River, Mass. Published weekly except for the first l\W_ weeks in July all! the week after Christmas at 887 Highlaro AvelUJe, Fall River, Mass. 02720 ~ the Catholic Press of the Diocese of Fall River. Subscription price ~ mail, postpaid $14.00 per year. fustmasters send address changes to The Aochor, P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA 02722.

TRUMAN TAYLOR, director of programming and public affairs and interim news director for ABC TV Channel 6 will emcee the third annual Catholic Schools Scholarship Fund dinner Tuesday, Oct. 21 , at White's of Westport. Dinner proceeds help fund partial need-based scholarships for students in diocesan elementary and secondary schools.

Serving 5,881 elementary, and 2,413 secondary students, the 23 elementary, two middle" and four high schools in the diocesa'n system maintain a tradition of academic excellence' and high standards of behaVior. Ninety-two percent of the system's high,school graduates continue to post-secondary institutions.

Further information on the dinner is available from its coordinator, James M. Riley, who may be reached at the Diocesan"Department of Education, 423 Highland Ave., Fall River, tel. 6782828.

rality in Media said.

The movie ratings have "effectively shielded the film industry for 30 years from angry criticism by parent, religious and professional organizations, l~ommu­ nity leaders, public officials and parents," it said.

"While it would clearly be impossible for a single ratings board, similar to the MPAA board, to rate the 2,000 hours of TV programming distributed each day, each studio could have its own ratings board(s) to review programming that is prerecorded," it added.

"The need for an enforcement mechanism should also be obvious. If an entire network can thumb its nose at the American people, why should anyone be so foolish as to assume that some producers and distributors won't do the same?"

NBC and cable's Blad Entertainment Television channel have resisted the more detailed ratings format put into place virtually everywhere else Oct. 1.

Some gaps still exist, according to Electronic Media, an industry magazine.

Most first-run syndicated daytime shows have yet to use the designations "S" for sex, "V" for violence, "L" for language and "D" for suggestive dialo,gue.

The magazine noted that only the TVPG ratings were displayed for installments of: "The New Newlywed Game," which asked sexually suggestive questions; "Jenny Jones," which included lingerie photos of a woman said to be "obsessed with her breasts"; and "Monte I Williams," which featured a conversation with a sexually active I I -yearold who wanted a prescription for birth control pills.

"We need objective criteria applicable to all programmers," Morality in Media said.

"We recognize that if :~he rating system is intended to be used primarily for the 'V-ch:ip,' we cannot expect an involved explanation to appear on the screen for last-moment parental advice."

Morality in Media used the TV industry's definition of the TVG rating for the general. public as an example.

TVG shows are supposed to contain "little or no violence" and "little or no sexual dialogue or situations." '''Little' does not mean none," it said. "We suggest this category be restricted so as to apply only to nonviolent, nonsexual and nonvulgar programming."

Morality in Media launches its annual Pornography Awareness Week Oct. 26-Nov. 2. It will be the 10th anniversary of the organization's "white ribbon" campaign against pornography.

A poll commissioned by Morality in Media showed 80 percent of Americans want federal obscenity laws against hard-core pornography to be vigOt:ously enforced and 68 percent believe the government is not doing its job in this matter.

THE ANCHOR -

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Diocese of Fall River -

Fri., Oct. I7, 1997

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Director of Liturgical Music 1600 household Catholic Stewardship Parish seeks musical director, keyboard and soloist; choir and cantor development; all liturgies, weekends, children's, funerals, weddings. Must be collaborative, long range planner to work in congenial setting. Committee work required.

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WHITE MASS CELEBRATION Bishop Sean P. O'Malley OFM,Cap., presides over Mass at Christ the King il1 Mashpee last Tuesday. The second annual Mass was held to honor and affirm the contributions of health care workers and volunteers throughout the diocese. The Mass was concelE~brated with Rev. Ronald A. Tosti, Msgr. George W. Coleman and Rev. Edmund J. Fitzgerald. Also on the altar was Deacon Robert LeMay.

Weekly General Audience Message Pope John Paul II

Red Mass The annual Red Mass will be celebrated by Bfshop Sean O'Malley this Saturday, October18 at 10 a.m. at Holy Na,.meChurch in New Bedford. The Red Mass is to be offered each year tobless those who work within the legal syst~r;n'i

Dear brothers and sisters, Since the beginning of the church, the Blessed Virgin Mary has always had a special place in the hearts and devotion of the faithful. In choosing Mary as the mother of this only begotten Son and thus as the spiritual I mother of all humanity, the heavenly Father revealed, PLUMBER? as it were, a maternal dimension to his divine tender- NEED A GOOD I ness and concern for the men and women of all times, I For your home or business. I places, languages and cultures. Mary's cooper:ation in I John C. I God's salvific plclln and the mystery of divine motherhood spontaneously evoke feelings of wonder, praise II LINDO & SON II & Heating I and love for thE~ Savior and for the woman who gave II Plumbing Est. 1920 Lic. 10786 I birth to him in the fullness of time. Under the influence I (508) 678-5571 I of the Second Vatican Council, devotion to Mary is deI "The Experienced I veloping hand in hand with a deeper understanding of Plumbing People" I I Pmvidinl: a Full Line of the mystery of the church, of which Mary is the loving I Piumbilll: & Hell/inl: Services I L ':'L1~':V~ 2~~ ~M';:S~ .. mother in the order of grace.

SATURDAY.'OCTOBER 25.1997 - 10 A.M. - 6 P.M. Upon all the English-speaking pilgrims, ,especially §tnen1r~dvuad those from England, Wales, HOLY NAME PARISH Scotland, Irekmd, Denmark, Sweden, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Korea, Japan and the HOLY NAME CHURCH NEW BEDFORD. MASS. United States, I invoke the Children's Bazaar Downstairs joy and peace cf our Lord PARISH CENTER - MT. PLEASANT & MT. VERNON STREETS Jesus Christ.

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THE ANCHOR -

Diocese of..Fall River - . Fri., Oct. 17, 1997 -.

themoorin~

the living word

Divided and Unconcerned As we lumber through the fiascoes of campaign finance hearings and the accompanying arrogance of power, one can only say that divided government is popular. Neither political party is in control and the real issues of national concern have been temporarily put to rest.

Fifteen years ago, had anyone said that international Communism would become a dead issue, that person would have been thought somewhat removed from the real world. For years the main domestic worries had to do with the economy and the balanced budget. These issues, which' held the spotlight for. such a long time, are now mere shadows. The federal budget is in better shape than ever in recent memory, and Americans are enjoying an economic, bonanza. To be sure, there are warnings that we should be wary of the good times but the voters seem to have little use for the doomsayers. The so-called good life is to be savored while it's with us.

As a resuit, few issues are causing serious public concern, so enchanted is the populace by the favorable economy. Most people would rather be looking for a new home or car than searching for answers with regard to political reform. Washington has been abandoned to political and party infighting because most Americans are having such a good time they just do not want to be bothered by politics or politicians.

Yet there are serious concerns that should be national priorities.

The environment, education and problems of health are very real issues that we should be addressing. But the recent White House meeting on the environment generated little interest; indeed, big business has for all practical purposes turned its back on our serious environmental situation, although this is one area that concerns not only our nation but the entire world.

Our ongoing destruction of the gifts of nature is going to place a very heavy burden on future generations. If we continue to abuse these gifts, we can be certain that nature will penalize us. With similar indifference, we refuse to meet the challenge of our educational systems. . Despite the fact that education is the backbone of America, we have fractured and disl.ocated our scholasti~ institutionsand in the process our ideals are becoming paralyzed. The federal government must address this issue for the sake of states and communities. Washington must cease appropriating tremendous sums for pork barrel issues while refusing to provide national testing systems, tuition vouchers and parental tax breaks. These matters must be dealt with if we are to reshape and renew our educational institutions.

Americans are also speaking out on health issues. In a nation enjoying bountiful prosperity, the shambles of managed care are truly disgraceful. To put it baldly, the concern in medicine is not so much for the patient as for the buck. All Americans should have access to equal medical care, but millions lack even health insurance. Helping the sick and dying has become nothing more than big business and this is wrong, wrong, wrong!

Instead of politics as usual and the endless dullness of congressional hearings, let our elected officials roll up their sleeves and begin offering practical and concrete solutions to the problems of our schools, our environment and our health needs. These are vital social concerns far worthier of energy and time than pre-election campaigning.

There is simply too much self-serving by members of Congress and too little response to the daily needs of American taxpayers.

We should be wary of lulling ourselves into political complacency because the times are good and Washington is divided. Indifference has a very funny way of creating its own backlash.

.

The Editor

the'ancho~

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Published weekly by The Catholic Press of the Diocese of Fall River P.O. BOX 7 887 Highland Avenue Fall River. MA 02720 Fall River. MA 02722-0007 Telephone 508-675-7151 FAX (508) 675-7048 Send address changes to P.O. Box 7 or call telephone number above

EDITOR

GENERAL MANAGER

Rev. John F. Moore

Rosemary Dussault .

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L(Al'Y P'RESS - FALL RIVEA

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"Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard the sound of my pleading; the Lord is my strength and my shield.

In him my heart trusts, and I find help; then my heart exults, and with my song ~ give him thanks."

Psalms 28:6-7.

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KIM CRISSINGER EMBRACES ALEXIS WINFIELD, 11, AND KATHRYN' CRISSINGER, 7, DURING A PRAYER VIGIL FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OCT. 1 IN CROWN POINT, IND. THE SERVICE WAS SPONSORED

BY ST. JUDE HOUSE, A SAFE HOUSE FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

Thoughts on children and prayer

By REV. KEVIN J. HARRINGTON Childhood images of God and prayer are formative of one's development in faith. Most children have an innate willingness to trust. It is not surprising that Jesus would exalt this quality of theirs during his public ministry or that he would reserve his harshest criticism for those who led these little ones astray.

The process of maturing often distorts our images of God and prayer and leads us to a sense of loss offaith. This is neither an unnatural process nor need it be devastating.

But unfortunately many adults find such changes within themselves difficult and.refuse to deal with them.

It is helpful for me to consider my image of Greenland. As a child, I believed that maps and globes were infallible and it took me quite a few years to understand why Greenland was not really as large as shown on some maps. Even after it was explained to me that the difference lay in the projection used by the cartographer for a given map, I thought that a better explanation would be that the cartographers were Danish and didn't want their colony invaded!

When a child acquires a false concept, there will always be a sense of betrayal when he or she learns the truth.

I clearly remember in grade school a girl who was taken to task by a religious sister for praying for her dying dog. The poor girl was

practically in tears as Sister explained the theology of the distinction between a mortal and an immortal soul.

Having recently lost my own cat, I told the girl I would pray for her dog and not to bother with what Sister said because there were obviously no pets in her convent.

In the seminary I learned ofIsaac of Nineveh, an 8th-century saint considered one of the most exalted mystics in Christian history. I was happy to read that he believed that a compassionate Christian should even pray for wild animals and reptiles. I considered that advice very useful-and also helpful preparation for following the Lord's mandate to pray for one's enemies!

Unity, variety and balance characterize all great works of art. Prayer is more an art than a science. Sanctity is not something one achieves through sheer exercise of willpower.

The most balanced prayer ever uttered is the Our Father. I know of no other prayer that so splendidly balances the four forms of prayer, which can easily be remembered through use of the acronym ACTS: adoration, contrition, thanksgiving and supplication.

As children we lean heavily on supplication or prayers of petition because of our trusting nature. As a child is dependent upon his or her parents for temporal welfare, it is only natural to extend that trust to

God for one's eternal welfare, In that connection, the fact that many children grow up feeling disappointed in or worse, betrayed by th,~ir parents, can explain why many feel it difficult to pray.

If the only image of a father that a child has is that of an abusive or a physically or emotionally absent parent, the Our Father can become a hard prayer to say; while if a child's only image of a mother is that of an abusive or a physically or emotionally absent person, the Hail Mary can similarly become a difficult prayer.

A prayer I personally find particularly helpful is the Jesus prayer, which I learned on a pre-ordination retreat at the Trappist mon~iery in Spencer, Mass. It was given to me as a mantra or sacred formula: "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner." Although it lacks a thanksgiving component, this prayer encompasses adoration, contrition and supplication in as few words as possible. It seems to echo the sentiments of Pope John Paul II, who has invited the Church to repent of past misdeeds as a penitential preparation for the year 2000.

As the People of God, wI: need to repent not only for the mi!;deeds of the institution but also for our personal transgressions. The papal invitation needs to be taken to heart by all Catholic Christians if we are to move beyond a false piety to an open acknowledgment of our sins.

Second partial-birth abortion ban veto decried WASHINGTON (CNS) - President Clinton's second veto of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act has not resolved the issue and will spark an intensified effort to override it,according to the U.S. bishops' pro-life spokeswoman.

In a statement issued following the Oct. 10 veto, Helen Alvare said the president's action "will only ensure a renewed grass-roots effort by Catholics and other people of good will to win the congressional support needed to override his veto."

Alvare, who is director of planning and information for the bishops' Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities, said the president "ignored an overwhelming consensus of legislators, religious leaders, medical professionals and the American people: the violent killing of children in the very process of being born disgraces our nation."

"We will not rest until everything possible has been done to end the horror of partial-birth abortion," she said.

In a 296-132 vOlt: Oct. 8, the House approved the Senate's slightly amended version of a bill that would ban the controversial procedure except to save the mother's life. The House had passed its version of the ban in March.

The latest House vote is more than the two-thirds necessary to override a veto, but the Senate vote of 64-36 in May was three votes short.

Clinton vetoed an earlier version of the bill in 1996. Responding to the veto, Rep. Charles Canady, R-Fla., chief sponsor of the bill, said Clinton "will go down in history as the president whose veto had to be overridden in order to protect innocent babies from a brutal, heinous death."

He predicted the House will override the veto, adding, 'fWe will work tirelessly to get the last few votes needed in the Senate." Earlier, Canady had said he did not expect a vote to override the anticipated veto until 1998.

In a separate statement Oct. 10, Cardinal Anthony 1. pevilacqua of Philadelphia said he was "saddened and appalled" by the veto.

"It is even more disturbing that the president continues to permit a procedure that the mltiority ofAmericans find despicable," he said.

Recalling that October is Respect Life Month, the cardinal urged prayers for defenders of life and supporters of the ban. He also urged people to pray "most of all, for those like President Clintori who feel it is not necessary to protect our nation's most vulnerable children."

In an Oct. 10statement, Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., expressed "deep disappointment" over the veto of a bill that had bipartisan support and the endorsement of the American Medical Association.

Smith, a Catholic; noted that the same day he vetoed the ban, Clinton issued a proclamation declaring Oct. 12 National Children's Day 1997 and calling for the nurturing of the potential "within each l1ew infant."

"This same president OK'd the slaughter of thousands of babies," said Smith. "What about the potential for them, Mr. president?" he asked.

Douglas Johnson, legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee, said the veto "means that each year thousands of living babies will be pulled feet-first from 'the womb and their hea~s punctured -

unless Congress overrides the veto."

He said Oct. 10 that the veto came "despite lopsided, bipartisan majorities" in Congress and "despite enactment of similar bans by 15 states."

Johnson also commented on Clinton's proclamation of National Children's Day. "Why can't he recognize that it is radically inconsistent with that appeal to permit the brutal killing of a mostly delivered infant in a partial-birth abortion?" he asked in a statement.

THE ANCHOR - Diocese of Fall River - Fri., Oct. 17, 1997 Benedictine Father Paul Marx, founder ofHuman Life International, said Oct. 10 that "partial-birth abortion is infanticide and, like all forms of abortion, it is consummate evil."

In a statement issued at the organization's headquarters in Front Royal, Va., Father Marx said, "Clinton's failure to uphold the congressional ban of this procedure clearly demonstrates his moral depravity and signals the total moral collapse of this nation."

Before the veto, Bishop Anthony

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M. Pilla ofCleveland, president ofthe National Conference of Catholic Bishops, sent Clinton a letter, urging him to sign the ban into law. Similar letters also were sent to the president

by Cardinal Roger M. Mahony ofLos Angeles and Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein of Indianapolis.

And in an Oct. 9 statement, Bishop Edward J. O'Donnell of Lafayette, La., warned that "pro-life people and others who oppose the veto will gear up for a January campaign to enlist support for an override."

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The parish family of St. John the Evangelist Church in the Village of Pocasset, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, vvelcomes you to the

DiOcesan Respect Life Mass Celebrated by Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, OFM Cap., on Sunday, October 19, 11 a.m.

Come and visit our nevv Madonna in her Prayer Garden vvhich Bishop O'Malley vvill bless after Mass.

Directions to St. John's: From the Bourne South Rotary, go 3 miles south on Route 28. Turn right at the POCASSET/BARLOWS LANDING ROAD exit. Go 2 miles on Barlows Landing Road. Our red brick church is at the corner of Shore Road.

Rev. Robert C. Donovan, Pastor Rev. Francis B. Connors, Mass Assistant Deacon Leonard C. Dexter, Jr. Deacon James Marzelli, Jr.

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THE ANCHOR -

Diocese of Fall River- Fri;, Oct: 1-7, 1997

Catholic women begin journey to 2000

By STEVE

PARADIS

ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) - A former U.S. surgeon general and a Catholic bishop urged Catholic women, including several from the Fall River diocese, gathered in Orlando to reach new heights as they prepare for the third millennium.

"Today we are here to tell the world ... I can do anything I want, I can dream of greatness, I am able to take risks, I am able to be assertive and still be feminine, that I have succeeded agai nst all odds, because I am woman, and I am very, very good!" said former U.S. Surgeon General Antonia C. Novello to spirited applause from more than 1,400 Catholic women.

Delegates from around the United States attended the 48th biennial convention of the National Council of Catholic Women. The theme for the Oct. 5-8 event was "Journey to Jubilee: Journey in Faith."

Bishop Norbert M. Dorsey of Orlando addressed the women who filled the church at Mary Queen of the Universe Shrine in Orlando for the convention's opening liturgy.

He based his homily on a prayer from the Mass: "Lord, lead us to seek what is beyond our reach."

He described a hopeful vision of the world at the dawn of the third millennium. In that world, he said, all armed conflicts have ceased, the real needs of the poor have been addressed, Third World debt has been forgiven, and what was outlined by the Second Vatican Council has come together for the Catholic Church.

In her opening keynote address, Novello urged the women to take action, addressing such issues as the feminization of poverty and violence against women.

"In the spirit of this great conference and'as we enter the new millennium, we must search for creative solutions," said Novello, who was surgeon general from 1990-94.

A native of Puerto Rico, sne was

the first woman and first Hispanic to serve in that office.

"Five hundred years cannot be erased overnight," but change will take place with small steps and realistic goals, she said.

Among its many projects, NCCW undertook an education campaign two years ago on domestic violence. The organization has distributed more than 80,000 copies of a 16-page brochure showing the physical and emotional symptoms of such violence.

Novello also talked about the need for women to take care of their own health. Without good health, she said, options are limited, "our families and careers suffer and our future is uncertain."

She urged the women not to practice abuses of power at the workplace when they are the managers, especially of women.

Top management should be held accountable for promoting women, Novello said. She said companies should sponsor day care, programs for elderly p.arents,job sharing and flex time.

She added that society should recognize that the "superwoman" concept is unrealistic, but women must continue to take risks and accept challenges to show their worth.

Women must fight for equal pay when they have equal responsibilities, she added.

Women also need to rediscover the value of fatherhood, she said, and the role that family members play in child rearing.

An important solution, she said, is for women to talk to their children and view them as "resources to be developed rather than problems to be fixed." She also urged that children be given a vision of life worth living and be told they are important.

Equitable partnerships between women and men must be promoted, especially within families, Novello said. .

Finally, she said, ''Take your

children to church on Sundays, and do not forget to follow the Lord's teachings Monday through Sunday at home."

In his homily, Bishop Dorsey described a world that he said believers should dream will come about by the dawn of the new millennium.

Wouldn't it be wonderful, he said, if on Jan. 1,2000, people read in their morning papers that fighting had ended in Northern Ireland, the Middle East, Central Africa and other places.

He also described a world where all the things outlined in the Second Vatican Council have come together for the church, where Christians have unified, and where the

CINDY WOODEN

- ROME (CNS) - Watching a televised Mass can offer spiritual nourishment to the faithful and can give the general public an introduction to Catholicism, said U.S. Archbishop John P. Foley.

The archbishop, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, told European producers of television Masses Oct. 9 that their work can be an evangelization tool.

Archbishop Foley said he disagreed with the late Jesuit theologian, Father Karl Rahner, who discouraged TV liturgies because they went against "the ancient practice of keeping those who had not yet been received into the church from the most solemn parts of the Eucharist liturgy."

Today, he said, anyone can walk into any church, even during services. It happens' all Ihe time all over Europe where many churches serve both as houses of

worship and as custodians of art masterpieces.

"A televised liturgy can be more informative than ... a casual visit because it at least often provides a commentary which can enlighten those who seek to understand and appreciate the sacred mysteries which they are viewing and in which they may one day seek to participate," the archbishop said.

Archbishop Foley said that while watching Mass on TV does not fulfill a Catholic's Sunday or holy day obligation to attend the liturgy, it does have value.

Those who are sick or confined to home receive the consolation of the Word of God, he said. If a eucharistic minister is bringing them Communion, a TV Mass can give them a fuller experience of worship.

"Those who have drifted away from the practice of their Catholic faith have an oppOltunity to be-

Bishop Dorsey said th,;: world has seen a glimpse of such ,:hanges in the fall of the Soviet Union and the Berlin Wall. In our faith in Jesus Christ, we will have life, he said, which is why the pope has called for a three-year period of preparation for the millennium.

The three themes outlined by the pope are: Jesus and a renewed appreciation of catechesis in 1997; the Holy Spirit and the value of unity in 1998; and God the Father and the meaning of charity in 1999.

Jesus said he would be the way, and "that's our center of power for our dream," Bishop Dorsey said.

He asked the women to continue to help the church believe in the dream.

DELEGATES FROM all over the country attended the 48th biennial National Council of Catholic Women October 5-8 in Orlando, Fla. 18 members of the Fall River DCCW, under tQe leadership of president Theresa Lewis (front, second from left), attended the convention.

Katherine Lancisi, immediate past president (back, second from left), was elected to the Nation.al Nominating Committee.

Vatican official says TV liturgies offer spiritual nourishment By

leaders of all nations have put into place policies that address poor people's real needs.

In this world, he continued, even abortion is no longer a problem as the church's pro-life message has been received and acted upon. And monetary systems have seen fit to excuse the heavy debt that oppresses Third World countries.

It seems like a dream, Bishop Dorsey said, but it is the dream of Pope John Paul II and the dream God has put in our hearts.

In a booming voice, the bishop said, it would be a time when all the cynics and pessimists will say: "We know that with our God all things, all things, all things are possible."

come reacquainted and indeed spiritually enriched, even if they watch out of curiosity or nostalgia," he said.

People who have never known the Catholic faith can become acquainted with it in the privacy of their homes, the archbishop said.

And, he said, watching a televised Mass can give priests ideas about their own celebration of the liturgy and ideas for their homilies.

The archbishop encouraged the European broadcasters not only to televise high-quality local Masses, but to increase European telecasts of the main papal liturgies at Christmas, Holy Week and Easter.

The broadcasts, he said, are occasions to reflect on "the unity and universality of the church" and give the faithful of all nations the opportunity to be "united in prayer with the Vicar of Christ, the universal shepherd of the church."

Blue Army plans nationwidte distribution of rosaries WASHINGTON, N.J. (CNS) - The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima has launched a program to provide two free rosaries for every Catholic student in the United States.

Called "The Little Shepherds of Fatima," the program's objectives are to encourage students to recite the rosary and learn about Fatima. Then, in turn, the students are to motiva.te adults to do the same.

The program is composed of a very large poster. The ba.ck side has five lesson plans that can be photocopied by the teacher. .

Three of the lessons tell about the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima. Two o~hers explain how to pray the rosary. The frcmt of the poster has a place where students can sign up to hEllp others pray the rosary.

After being trained on how to approach adults, students will be given two rosaries and a mission to have five adults pra)' a decade of the rosary with them.

"Just think for a moment what might go on in the mind of an adult who, asked by a child路to pray a decade, takes up the rosary and says 10 Hail Marys;' said Blue Army spokeswoman Mary Ann Sullivan.

"We're talking about planting seeds, Hail Mary seeds, all over the United States;' she said. But she added that the program urgently needs financial support.

For further information, write to: The Blue Army, P.t:).

Box 976, Washington, N.J. 07882, or phone (908) 689路1700.

THE ANCHOR - Diocese of Fall River -

7

Fri., Oct. 17, 1997

Teens need to take the right kind of risks

By CAROL ZIMMERMANN I

WASHINGTON (CNS) Teens have been given an undeservedly bad rap, according to a San Francisco psychiatrist and author of a new book called "The Romance of Risk: Why Teenagers Do the Things They Do." "Our culture is afraid of teens," Dr. Lynn Ponton told Catholic News Service during a telephone interview while she was in Washington in late September to promote her book.

She said she has had parents come up to her during book signings desperate for advice.

She assures them it's never too late to help a teen in trouble. She also advises parents of younger children that it's never too early to gear up for the teen years.

A key time to gel ready is when children are between the ages of II and 13, a time when "they're still talking to you," she said.

Bookstores that ai'e filled with child-care books on how to care for every ailment and emotional outburst of toddlers are nearly empty when it comes to advice on raising teens, she acknowledged.

"Parents (of teens) need to shift their role to being more of a guide and mentor," she said. And as the title of her book suggests, parents need to encourage their teens to take healthy risks, to steer them away from the risks that will get them into trouble.

Throughout hc~r book, she points out that teens need to take risks in this period of defining themselves as individuals separate from family members and others.

Ponton writes that risk-taking is one of the primmy tools adolescents use to explore all aspects of their identity, learn how to develop close relationships, gain control of their impulses and learn how to take responsibility for their actions.

Not all risks are inherently bad, she said, pointing out that healthy risks include taking on challenging academic, creative or artistic projects.

Based on her own work counseling troubled teens, her book gives an inside look at her case studies of 15 troubled youths, getting to the root of why they took dangerous risks with drugs, alcohol, sex and eating disorders.

Each story shows how these young people got on a self-destructive track in the first place and how they were able to turn their lives around with the support of their parents, other adu Its and their own determination.

The book, published by Basic Books, came out in early September, the same week a national study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that said teens who feel loved by parents and teachers and feel those adults pay attention to them will avoid dangerous activities.

The story made headlines in major newspapers and confirmed for Ponton her life's work.

Working with teens has almost come naturally for Ponton, whose

mother taught high school and father worked with youths. Now she herself is the mother of two teenage daughters.

Ponton, a Catholic, said teens benefit from belonging to a church youth group. But ba~ed on her own experience, she saY$ youth groups need to keep active, "Sometimes they spend a lot of time talking and not doing enough," she said. "They should talk as they're doing." For example, she said, g'roups need to involve teen members in working with the homeless, volunteering on projects, painting or writing music.

In the pre-teen years, she said, parents should help their children find their own tal~nts and ways

they can challenge themselves.

Unfoltunately, she said, this is the age when kids do not want to try new things. That means the parents have to join in on the bike rides, white water rafting trips or photography~lasses.

Above all, she warns parents who see their teens involved in unhealthy risks to sit down and talk with them. Tell them what you think and get help from a therapist or priest, she advises.

As she sees it, the challenge of

The pre-teen years are also crucial for keeping lines of communication open, she stressed. But even if they become closed, she urges persistence.

Make use of the time spent in the car, for example, to talk about issues.

"Even a 'grunter' will only last three to four minutes," she said.

"Eventually they will say what they think. Often they're afraid to talk because they think that what they have to say is stupid."

raising teens is not nearly as bad as it has been portrayed.

"Society's been sold a bag of goods about teens," she said. And if anything, she hopes her book might change that perception. ~

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THE ANCHOR -

Diocese of Fall River -

Fri., Oct. 17, 1997

news Briefs Catholic Charities USI praises measure , WASHINGTON (eNS) - A bill that would speedthe adop-\ tion of foster children and terminate parental rights in cases' where children are in danger is a "step forward," according to a Catholic Charities USA official. "We're very pleased that it is a bipartisan solution," said Sharon Daly, Catholic Charities USA's deputy to the president for social policy.

She said the proposed legislation - the Promotion of Adoption, Safety and Support for Abused and Neglected Children Act - was a positive compromise "because it works on both problems in the child protection system."

Hearings on the act, known as the PASS Act, were held before the Senate Committee on Finance Oct.

a.

The strong must protect NEW YORK (CNS) - The Catholic Church in Latin America needs more help from the U.S. church,"the most powerful church in the world;' said the president of the Latin American bishops' council. The church in Latin America feels it has more backing in Germany than in' the United States, according to Archbishop O~c~r A. Rodriguez Maradiaga, president of the council, known as CELAM. He also heads the Archdiocese of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. In an address Oct. 9 in New York, he said Latin Americans generally feel that since the danger of communism had ended, the United States had lost interest in them. Now it appears, he said, the U.S. government's only interest in Latin America is to keep drugs and immigrants from there from entering the United States, he said.

SALEM, are. (CNS) - Oregon foes of physician-assisted suicide say they refuse to be characterized by the other side as being all Catholic and all Republican. State Rep. Bryan Johnston, a Democrat who supports legalized abortion, stood on the steps of the state capitol in Salem Oct. 6 and declared his opposition to Oregon's voter-approved 1994 law that made it legal for patients to kill themselves with the help of a doctor. "This isn't about one party," said Johnston, who is from Salem. "This isn't about one church, this isn't about one organization., .. This is about making the right decision." During the week of Oct. 12, Oregon voters were to receive ballots that include Measure 51, which would repeal the Oregon Death with Dignity Act.

lid to flood victims ACAPULCO, Mexico (CNS) - The Mexican'Archdiocese of Acapulco has moved quickly to direct aid to the numerous victims of Hurricane Pauline,said' an archdiocesan official. A major problem is that there are so many poor people in the area that it is difficult for incoming relief workers to distinguish the real victims, said Father Pedro Torres Garcia, archdiocesan financial officer, on Oct. 13. The archdiocese is distributing church aid directly through the parishes, with the parish priests - who know the local residents - personally handling the aid to the people, said Father Torres. The immediate concern is "to take care of the victims, not try to solve the overall poverty problem;' he s a i d . ' ,

Q

STRASBOURG, France (CNS) - A high Vatican official urged European leaders to eliminate capital punishment and to rule out human cloning. Archbishop JeanLouis Tauran, Vatican secretary for foreign relations, told the top representatives of 40 European countries at a summit that the Holy See supports all guarantees "of the right to life and integrity of the person:' The 40 heads of state and government had gathered in' Strasbourg for an Oct. 10-11 meeting of the Council of Europe, an organization formed after World War II to guarantee human rights.

The actress Patricia Neal once said: "A master can tell you what he expects of you. A teacher, though, awakens your own expectations."

I've never heard a definition of teacher better put - and that's how I would characterize the nuns who taught me some 50 years ago. Now some of my former teachers have asked me to visit them and talk about my life and work. I consider that a great compliment.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet staffed the elementary school, high school and college that I attended in my home city of Albany, N.Y. Not many people can say they had such continuity in their education. But I did, and the older I get the more I appreciate the extra value I gained from being in the classrooms of these nuns.

In the decades that followed, ridiculing nuns became the thing to do, sometimes in good humor, like off-Broadway's long-running "Nunsense,"'and sometimes seemingly in bitterness, like Christopher Durang's play, "Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All to You." Yes, the nuns were strict, but they had to be, with 40 to 80 youths in a class. And yes, I'm sure some were tyrants. But I was lucky. My nun teachers seemed to have one goal in mind: to instill confidence in me that I could do good work when I completed my education.

Now many of them have died, but some are active retirees living at the St. Joseph Provincial House in Latham, NY At long last I will have the opportunity to thank them for their great impact on my life. I remember their names and reflect now on the gifts they passed on to their students.

Sister Charles Garnier (now Sister Winifred), my high school Latin teacher, had such a sense of humor that she helped us translate the popular 1940s song "Mairsie Doats" into Latin! She also introduced me to the North American martyrs, the Jesuits who came from France to Christianize Native Americans and

were murdered, a story that fascinated me. (St. Charles Garnier was one of the martyrs.)

It was because of this teacher that 20 years later I researched these Jesuit stories and wrote my !;econd book on "Joseph the Huron," one of the Native Americans converted by the "Blackrobes."

The Bottom Line

By Antoinette Bosco

Sister Jerome Joseph brought me music and introduced me to C.S. Lewis.

Sister Theophane inspired me to care deeply about the social and human needs of people, and understand the role of politics in this.

Sister Emily Joseph had such a smile that you felt joy as you entered her classroom.

Sister Anna Theresa, the librarian, was so human.

She gave me a treasure before she died, her little black book of writings. My favorite is "A hot head seems so much more pardonable than a cold heart."

Admiral H. C. Rickover once wrote, "All great philosophers have understood that the education of youth is the primary function of society - the means by which humanity's inheritance is transmitted from one generation to another.... Each one of us is heir to all of the ideas and accomplishments of every human being who has ever lived:' Those wonderful women who gave me so much to get started on in life will probably be surprised to learn that they are great philosophers.

Is Halloween evil?

Suicide baltle rages

Vatican voice on human rights

Meeting teachers a half century later

Dear Mary: My children came home from school saying that celebrating Halloween is paying homage to the devil, and good Christians miJst not dress up or celebrate. First it was Santa Claus, now it's Halloween. Are we trying to get rid of all the childhood traditions? Personally I can't see anything wrong with the .fun kids have on Halloween. Is there anything to this? - (Mississippi) Your children's friends seem to be coming out of a tradition in some Christian churches which looks for the devil and for signs from Scripture in the everyday events of our time. They are not the first to blame others for our problems. Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the snake.

Personally I lean more toward Pogo's analysis of life: We have met the enemy, and it is us. To live as Jesus lived, we must be concerned about our neighbor, about the lack of justice in our world, about our own failure to live up to the tall order which Jesus gave us: to love others as much as we love ourselves.

In her book "Family Traditions" (pleasantville, N.Y.: Reader's Digest Association, 1992), Elizabeth Berg tells us that Halloween originated with the Celts in the British Isles and France. The day represented the end of summer when, it was believed, the ghosts of the dead came back to earth. The Celts lit bonfires and wore grotesque costumes to scare away the ghosts. .

When the Romans came to Britain, they added their own twist: bringing nuts and apples to Pomona, goddess of the orchards. For this reason we bob for apples on Halloween.

Finally, since the ninth century, when Christianity came to the British Isles, the night before the great feast of All. Saints was known as All Hallow E'en (holy evening, which became shortened to Halloween). Thus Halloween becomes part of a Christian tradition going back more than 1,000 years.

Most children love Halloween and with good reason. First there is dressing up in costumes, a chance to be dramatic, to get outside yourself, to be someone else for a day. Not just children but adults can enjoy the drama of costumes.

Second, Halloween is a time when it is permissible to be scared. Being scared is a love-hate thing.

Adults go to horror movies where they become terrified, then, upon walking out into the familiar world, the terror disappears. Similarly, children can be scared

on Halloween, but upon returning home or waking up the next day, the terror is gone.

Finally and most obvious, Halloween is fun. Parties, candy, treats, all add up to an exciting day for children and families. .

Besides enjoying the fun of Halloween, parents

Family Talk With Dr. James & Mary Kenny

can introduce their children to the drama and significance of the two great feasts that follow, All Saints Day Nov. I and All Souls Day Nov. 2.

All Saints Day puts us squarely within the communion of saints, honoring not only the famous heroes in the Christian tradition but also our own frie.nds and loved ones who lived lives of love and servk:e.

All Souls Day connects our present life with our future life and reminds us that we remain connected and caring about our friends and loved ones who have died.

Celebrating is one of the things families do best.

May you and your family enjoy the fun and the tradition of Halloween.

Daily Readings Oct. 20 Oct. 21 Oct. 22 Oct. 23 Oct. 24 Oct. 25 Oct. 26

Rom 4:20-25; (Ps) Lk 1:69-75; Lk 12:13-21 Rom 5:12,15b, 17-19,20b-21; Ps 40:7-10,17; Lk 12:35-38 Rom 6:12-18; Ps 124:1-8; Lk 12:39-48 Rom 6:19-23; Ps 1:1-4,6; Lk 12:49-53 Rom 7:18-25a; Ps 119:60,68,76-7'7; Lk 12:54-59 Rom 8:1-11; Ps 24:1-6; Lk 13:1-9 Jer31:7-9; Ps 126:1-6; Heb5:1-6; Mk 10:46-52

The first historical mention of Jesus Q. Jesus Christ is surely one of the greatest figures in history. Can you tell us if he is mentioned anywhere other than in the Bible? (Texas) A. I assume you are asking about early Christian history, around the time the New Testament was being formed.

For us Christians, who believe that the coming of Jesus was the pivotal point in human history, it's difficult to imagine how little interest he aroused apart from his own small community of followers.

From any viewpoint other than faith, he was, after all, merely the leader of a tiny offshoot group of Jews, in a spectacularly insignificant corner of the Roman Empire.

The first historical mention of Jesus outside the circle of Christians apparently was by Flavius Josephus, a Jewish historian who eventually won the close friendship of Vespasian and other Roman emperors.

This historian's works, especially 'The Antiquities of the Jews," completed about the year 94, were highly prized resources by St. Jerome and other early church fathers.

Toward the end of the book, Josephus describes how, under the procurator Albinus, there was brought before a group of judges "the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James" (Book XX 9.1).

This would have been James the apostle, one of the three disciples closest to our Lord, who died as a martyr in the year 44.

An earlier mention of Jesus in the "Antiquities" as a miracle worker who rose three days after dying was almost certainly added later by a Christian "copy editor."

The first mention of Jesus by a pagan writer seems to be by the Roman historian Gaius Suetonius. In his Life of Claudius (perhaps about 120 A.D.) he writes, "Since the Jews made continual disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he (Claudius) expelled them from Rome."

This is generally accepted as referring to the early Christians and to Christ, though the timing is rather faulty. Claudius was emperor some years after Christ.

Q. A PBS television program on the Book of Genesis noted that after Cain killed Abel, God banished him from the territory and marked him somehow.

Cain then was afraid that anyone who recognized him would kill him. Who was he afraid of?

Questions and Answers

9

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By Father John J. Dietzen Who was there to kill him? Cain went east and married and built a great city. How could he marry a no.nexistent woman? (Missouri) A. Such biblical dilemmas are another proof that not all, if any, parts of the Bible can be read as straight history in the modern sense of that word.

This is true at all stages, but in a particular way for the "pre-history" portion of Genesis, generally Chapters I to I I. It is the position of the Catholic Church that the scriptural truth of these stories lies not in their scientific accuracy, since the writers did not profess to be giving scientific descriptions of creation and early hum.an history.

They were writing truths of faith: that the world came from the loving hand of God; that humans were created in his image and were meant to live intimately with him; that evil came into creation through human prideful desire to be like God; that even then God had plans to restore the broken unity, and so on.

We can become tied up in endless conflicts and contradictions of this sort if we don't acknowledge that many literary forms were utilized by the biblical authors to convey their message.

At least, as I say, this is what the Catholic Church teaches, as explained in its official documents on biblical interpretation.

.Making room for a little chaos and love I attend Mass just a little bit differently now after listening to an incident shared by Kay Lynn Isca in her recent book, "Catholic Etiquette."

Lynn's husband was out of town. Their three boys were quite young - the oldest 2, the twins about 6 months. The Iscas recently had moved to the area, so they were new to their parish.

Kay Lynn said she had "toyed with the idea of skipping Mass." However, she decided to fly solo with the boys.

As many of us understand all too well, just getting out to the car and then back out of the car and into church was a major production. "A diaper bag slung over one shoulder, I carried a baby in an infant seat under my arm with the other baby strapped into a Snuggli carrier I wore on my chest. My toddler held onto my pocket as we waddled," she recalled.

Because the parish was also young, liturgies were being held in the school gymnasium. Lynn clunked into a folding chair, her toddler next to her. The infant seat with one of the twins sat on the floor between her feet.

"Almost immediately the boys starting fussing. I tried to soothe the babies by jostling one infant on my chest with one arm whik rocking the infant seat with my foot. With my one free arm, I struggled to restrain my toddler," she mused.

Her soothing, shushing and silencing success was minimal. By the end of Mass, she writes, "tears of frustration and embarrassment were threatening to spill down my face."

She tried to exit as quickly as possible. However, an older woman intercepted her. Lynn tried to mumble an apology and move on, but the woman stopped her.

"Never apologize for bringing children to church," the woman told her in no uncertain terms and apologized for not having be<;n able to move near Lynn to help with the boys.

The woman explained that her own daughter rarely attended Mass any mor{: because she felt her children were too much of a hassle.

She told Lynn, "I wanted to come over and say: 'May God bless you and your family. God bless you for making the effort:" That simple gesture deeply moved Lynn and has made a difference in her attitude toward young chil-

THE ANCHOR-Diocese of Fall River-Fri., Oct. 17, 1997

dren and Mass ever since.

"When I find myself getting irritated with my own children or somebody else's children," admitted Lynn, "her words come back to me: 'God bless you and your fam,ily.... Never apologize for bringing children to church.'"

The offbeat world of Uncle Dan

By Dan Morris We can all make that same gesture. We can all make a better effort to welcome new faces, lend a hand to yOl"ng families, make room in our worship of the Lord for a little chaos and love.

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COORDINATOWEDUCATOR The Diocesan Office of AIDS Ministry is seeking a Coordinator!

Educator to implement an educational curriculum that targets 6th grade students. Responsibilities include liaison with Diocesan Departments of Education and Religious Education, all phases of coordination, teacher assistant training, program implementation and evaluation.

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COFFEE HOUSE: LIZ BOEHMKE Saturday, October 18 - 6:30 p.m.

PORTUGUESE HEALING SERVICE Sunday, October 19 - 2 p.m.

Father Manuel Pereira Portuguese Confessions - Oct. 18, 2-4 p.m.

COME HOME, WE MISS YOU October 19

October 19, 26, November 2 & 9

1928, Rev. Manuel A. Silvia, Pastor, Santo Christo, Fall River

Sundays at 7 p.m. - Theater For anyone who feels alienated from the Church

October 21 1937, Rt. Rev. Msgr. Edward 1. Carr, PR, Pastor, Sacred Heart, Fall River; Chancellor of Diocese 1907-21 1942, Rev. Francis E. Gagne, Pastor, St. Stephen, Dodgeville (Attleboro) 1979, Rev. Walter 1. Buckley, Retired Pastor, St. Kilian, New Bedford

October 22 1940, Rev. John E. Connors, Pastor, St. Peter, Dighton 1983, Rev. Jerome F. O'Donnell, OFM, Our Lady's Chapel, New Bedford

October 23 1970, Chor Bishop Joseph Eid, pastor, St. Anthony of the Desert, Fall River

October 24 1982, Rev. Marc Maurice Dagenais, aI', Retired Pastor, St. Anne, Fall River

"DO WHAT YOU HAVETHE POWER TO DO" A New Look at New Testament Women Tuesdays, Oct. 2.1,28 & Nov. 4 - 7:15 p.m.

Shrine Theater - Simonne Romero

COMMUNITY EDUCATION SERIES: "The Basics of Depression" Wednesday, .October 22 - 7 p.m.

Counseling Center/Romero Room - $7.50

10

THE ANCHOR -

Diocese of Fall River,~ Fri., Oct. 17, 1997

Furry friend brings smiles to Marian M~lnor

Activities for seniors abound on Cape Cod A free flu clinic will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 23 and 30 at the Council on Aging, 26 Alden St., Provincetown. Pneumonia vaccine and tetanus diphtheria boosters will also be available.

Another service for seniors is Memory Assessment Testing, offered by Dr. Robert DuWors. Appointments may be made by calling the Council on Aging at 4877080. The Council is also considering a French Club as a winter program for those who have.some proficiency in the language and would enjoy a French-language book discussion group. Those int.erested may call the Council. A self-help support group for the newly blind, the visually handicapped and those with progressive eye problems meets from I to 3 p.m .. each third Wednesday at the Council on Aging headquarters on Long Pond Road, Wellfleet. Residents of Wellfleet, Truro and Provincetown are eligible for membership.

Noting that there is the possibility of an active hurricane season this year, the Council has brochures available listing preparations that should be made if a storm is predicted. Ongoing Council activities include bridge groups and film showings.

If you're a senior citizen on Cape Cod who lives in Chatham, you have it made. The Chatham Senior Center offers no less than 40 programs and services. Available . now are a Friendly Visitor program,

information on Medicare, insurance, food stamps, nursing homes, home care, home owners' grants and fuel, legal and tax assistance.

Also listed are food shopping, transportation and pharmacy programs.

When it comes to health, there's a fitness class, a walking group, blood pressure and flu shot clinics, cholesterol, skin cancer and colorectal screenings, a breathing workshop and various support groups.

Other programs offer police reassurance, access to medical equipment, health care proxy information, Meals on Wheels and congregate meals.

On the lighter side, there's access to a copy machine, library facilities and information on availability of senior discounts. On the even lighter side, how about line, tap or ballroom dancing classes? Or cooking, tennis, painting, bridge or crafts? And how about an occasional bus trip?

The Chatham Senior Center has incorporated the above information into a survey form that it would like filled out and returned by Oct. 31.

Copies are available at the center, at 193 Stony Hill Road in Chatham, tel. 945-5190.

There are Councils on Aging that hold a variety of programs in most cities and towns throughout the diocese. For further information, see your local telephone directory for' individual town listings.

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TAUNTON-On Tuesday afternoons, Marian Manor residents listen for the swoosh of his tail and the pitter-patter of his little feet-four furry ones to be exact.

When Cody, an English setter and certified therapy dog, and his owner Cheryl Karol arrive at the nursing home for weekly pet therapy visits with residents, they are always warmly received.

Cody was certified by Therapy Dogs International when he was one year old. To become certified, a dog must have obedience training and pass temperament tests. Ms. Karol and Cody have been visiting Marian Manor for three years, stopping to visit residents in their rooms on a different floor each week.

"The goal of pet therapy is to give residents an opportunity to interact. with pets like they did when they were horrie. Many residents like to reminisce about having family pets and what they meant to them. Pets are another medium that encourages response and interaction," said Bernadette Mackin, CTRS, director of therapeutic activities at Marian Manor.

"We used to have collies on our farm in Norton. He reminds me of being home with my dogs. 1'm always happy to see him," said Gladys Allsop, a Marian Manor resident. Cody likes to visit residents too. "He loves it here and he knows when he's coming.

When I pour water into his bowl he runs around in circles," explained Ms. Karol. Cody brings a plastic bowl of water with a secure lid to Marian Manor just in case he gets thirsty. "We've met some wonderful people here," said Ms. Karol.

She can visit during the afternoons thanks to a volunteer program offered by her employer, Texas Instruments of Attleboro.

The company offers flex time and a lap-top computer for working at

home to employees who are active volunteers. It also donates $100 a quarter to organizations where employees volunteer.

"Visiting with Cody is an extra activity for the residents during the day. It's great to come in during the afternoon instead of

just at night. Texas Instruments has afforded me the ability to come during the afternoon," said Ms. Karol. So if you a:re visiting the Marian Manor home in the future and hear the pitter-patter of feet, make sure you say hello to Cody the therapy dog.

CODY THE THERAPY DOG gives a warm greeting to Gladys Allsop, a resident of Marian Manor in Taunton. His owner, Cheryl Karol, has been bringing Cody to visit residents each week for the last three years to give them an opportunity to interact with pets.

Promise Keepers and Catholic men

By FATHER

PETER DALY

Promise Keepers, the evangelical men's movement, came to Washington - over half a million Christian men from across America, praying and singing and repenting. But there was very little, if any, official Catholic involvement and not too many Catholic men in attendance. Why? Surely not the official message.

In the seven "promises" that the Promise Keepers make at all their rallies, there is nothing that tradi-tionarCatlfulics ·would· find objectionable. Indeed, it is what the church has been calling men to for years.

The seven promises are directed to four persons or groups: God, family, church and society. The promises seek to recall men to the responsibilities that they too often ignore or leave to women alone - especially the responsibilities to prayer and the church.

Obsessed with t.he movement's political impact, the secular media never actually say just what the Promise Keepers promise. In summary, the seven promises are: -To be committed to Jesus Christ in worship, prayer and obedience to God's word.

-To pursue vital relationships with a few other men to help them

keep their promises.

-To practice spiritual, moral, ethical and sexual purity.

-To build strong marriages and families through love, protection and biblical values.

-To support the mission of the church by honoring and praying for their pastors and giving actively of their time and resources.

-To reach beyond any racial and denominational barriers to build friendships and break down barriers.

-To influence the world by being obedient to Christ in his great commandment (love of God and neighbor, Mk. 12:30-31) and the great commission ("Go teach all nations," Mt. 28: 19-20).

To these seven promises, I think most Catholics, men and women, would say a resounding amen!

From a Catholic standpoint, I don't think the problem with Promise Keepers is the message, but rather the medium and the messengers.

Last June I went with a small group of men from my parish to the Promise Keepers' rally held at RFK Stadium, the old home of the Washington Redskins. The music was great, the speakers entertaining and the sound system overpowering. The sight of 50,000 men assembled peaceably and promising sexual chastity, financial responsibility (to

get and keep a job and stay out of debt), and personal sobriety was very moving.

There was an evident effort to reach across racial and ethnic lines.

Many of the choirs and' speakers were from black and Hispanic churches. The master of ceremonies was African-American.

However, there was a distinctly "non-Catholic" feel about the rally.

For one thing, there was a sense that when they referred to breaking down denominational barriers, Catholics were not included. Indeed, [here was an implied sense that if one "finds the Lord" he will leave the Catholic Church, as Coach Bill McCartney, founder of Promise Keepers, did.

I searched the program in vain for a single Catholic speaker or choir. I searched the crowd for another Catholic priest and saw none. I searched the Promise Keepers book "Building Your Men's Ministry" for a single Catholic congregation as a model, and saw none.

The implied message is that this is a movement for other Christians, not for Catholics.

If the Promise Keepers organization wants to tap into the: largest Christian church in America. for support, they will have to go a bit further in terms of making Catholics feel welcome.

Iteering pOintl PUBLICITY CHAIRMEN are asked to submit news items for this column to The Anchor, P.O. Box 7, Fall River, 02722. Name of city or town should be included, as well as full dates of all activities. Please send news of future rather than past events.

Due to limited space and also because notices of stlrictly parish affairs normally appear in a parish's own bulletin, we are forced to limit items to events of general interest. Also, we do not normally carry notices of fund raising activities, which may be advertised at our regular rates, obtainable from The Anchor business officEl, tel. (508) 675-7151.

On Steering Points items, FR indicates Fall River, NB indicates . New Bedford. All telephone numbers without area codes are (508).

HOLY CROSS, S. EASTON The Holy Cross "Coffee House" wi II present the origi nal music of Anne DeSanto, youth choir director on Oct. 24 at 8 p.m. Free refreshments will be available and an offering basket will benefit Respect For Life. All welcome. Infomlation: 2382235.

ST. MARY, N. ATTLEBORO All Sunday healing services and Thurs. evening prayer meetings with Father William Babbitt have been canceled until further notice.

ST. LAWRENCE, NB Recitation of the rosary and Benediction of the Blessed Sa<:rament at 3 p.m. Oct. 19. Refreshffil~nts will be available after the service. All welcome.

SACRED HEART, NB Vincentians request donations of canned goods and other non-perishable food items for distribution to the needy at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Also needed are winter coats for schoolchildren. Contributions may be left in the church or at the rectory.

ST. FRANCIS XAVIER, HYANNIS Representatives of Bishop Stang High School, North Dartmouth, will be available at 7 p.m. Oct 21 at the parochial school to offer information on the high school. Parents and prospective students arc invited to attend.

STONEHILL COLLEGE, NORTH EASTON Beta XI, the honor society of the college's continuing education division, will induct new members at a dinner planned for Nov. 7. Further information: Pat Brinegar, 565-1470.

HYACINTH CIRCLE, DAUGHTERS OF ISAUELLA Members will hold a business meeting at 7 p.m. Oct. 21 in the CCD Center of Holy Name parish, New Bedford. New oflicers will be installed Oct. 26 at the Century House, Acushnet, following an II a.m. Mass at Holy Name Church.

HIS LAND/BETHANY HOUSE OF PRAYER, LAKEVILLE Dr. Hugh Boyle, a Taunton psychologist, wi II offer a workshop, "Heart Speaks to Heart: Healing God Images," tomorrow at 58 Precinct Ave., Lakeville. Further information: 947-4704.

ST. PATRICK, FR As part of next year's I25th anniversary celebration, St. PatriCk'S is planning a school reunion for those who attended and/or graduated from the school or CCD program. If you are graduate or know someone who is, please send names, including maiden name, address and year of graduation to School Reunion Committee, St. Patrick's Rectory, 1598 South Main St., Fall River.

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BISHOP STANG, N. DARTMOUTH Class of 1972 25th reunion is scheduled forThanksgiving weekend at The Century House in Acushnet.

Reservations should be made by midOctober.

The class of 1977 20th reunion will be celebrated on November 28, at White's of Westport and the IO-year reunion for the class of 1987 on Nov. 29, also at White's.

Information on the reunions can be obtained through the Alumni & Development Office at Stang: 993-8959.

DEPT. OF PASTORAL MINISTRY TO THE SICK, FR A day of prayer and reflection is being held on Nov. 8 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Thomas More Church, Somerset, and O.L. ofYiCtory Church, Centerville. This is a day for all those involved in ministry to the sick: Eucharistic ministers, and pastoral visitors to hospitals, nursing homes and homebound patients. Information: Sister Shirley Agnew 477-6170.

CITIZENS FOR LIFE, HYANNIS The Life Issues Resource Center provides educational material regarding abortion, adoption, legislative issues, pamphlets. videos, speakers, and referrals for anyone needing help with an unplanned pregnancy. Open on Tues.. through Thurs. from II a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sat. II a.m. to I p.m.

Information: 771-2255.

ST. THERESE MASS VIDEO BROADCAST A two-hour video of the Sept. 29th Solemn Pontifical Mass held at St. Mary's Cathedral to commemorate. the 100th anniversary of the death of St. Therese of Lisieux wi II air in Fall River on Oct. 21 and 28 on cable channel 3 at noon and in New Bedford on Oct. 17,24,31, and Nov. 7 on cable channel 98 at 9 a.m.

ST. THOMAS MORE, SOMERSET Everyone is invited to a prayer service for vocations on Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. Join us for an evening of prayer and song before the Blessed Sacrament followed by refreshments in the main foyer of the church. Witness speaker will be Beth Lee, a member of the Order of Consecrated Virgins.

THE ANCHOR -

The support group meets every third Sunday in the Parish Life Center of St. Pius X in So. Yarmouth. The next meeting, Oct. 19, will be on the topic "How Will Things Ever Get Back to Normal?" Welcome is at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting begins at 7 p.m.

All welcome. Inf()rmation: Father Joe 398-2248.

BISHOP FEEHAN, ATTLEBORO There will be an opcn house at 2 p.m. Nov. 2 in thc auditorium for 7th and 8th graders and their parents.

Information: 226-6223.

PAX CHRISTI, CAPE COD Archbishop Oscar Romero is the theme of the Pax ChriSti meeting on Oct. 20 from 7:30 to 9: 15 p.m. Action will be geared towards congrcssional efforts for the closing of the "School of the Americas." The meeting will be held at O.L. of Victory in Centervillc. All welcome. Information: 771-6737.

BISHOP STANG, N. DA.RTMOUTH A program for parents will be offered on Oct. 23 from 7-8:30 p.m. in the cafeteria and will provide assistance in coping with the challenges of raising adolescents. There will be three sessions: substance abuse, contlict resolution, and relationships betwecn parents and teens.

11

Fri., Oct. 17, 1997

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT The Diocesan Office of AIDS Ministry is seeking an administrative assistant to oversee daily operations and to assist in coordinating all phases of AIDS Ministry programs.

Qualifications: College Degree or equivalent experience in human services delivery and/or agency management, strong organizational skills,jlexibility and commitment to the Catholic tradition.

To apply, send a letter of introduction, curriculum vitae, credential documentation and three letters of recommendation to Krysten Winter-Green, Ph.D., Office of AIDS Ministry, Clemence Hall 225, 243 Forest Street, Fall River, MA 02721.

Application deadline: November 14, 1997 LaSALETTE SHRINE, ATTLEBORO The music of Liz Boehmke will be featured on Oct. 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the shrine's continuing Coffee House evenings. All welcome.

A Portuguese Healing Service will be held on Oct. 19 at 2 p.m. It will be led by Father Manuel Pereira, M.S., and will include Mass, music and the opportunity for people to be prayed over and anointed individually.

The Counseling Center is offering an evening talk on the "Basics of Depression," Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. It will answer some of the most asked questions about depression. Information: 226-8220.

A Millennium Day of Recollection wi II be held on Oct. 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Titled "Open Wide the Doors for Christ," the day will invite participants to reflect and pray together on the urgency and need to be open to the word of Jesus and will focus on relationship with God, family, the faith community, and humanity. Pre-registration is required by Oct. 20. Information: 222-5410.

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THEANCHOR-DioceseofFall River-Fri., Oct. 17, 1997

Poll says reds aren't fighting porn enough NEW YORK - More than twothirds ofadultAmericans today believe the federal obscenity laws are not being vigorously enforced, calling into question whether or not President Clinton has reneged on a campaign pledge he made in 1992.

Wirthlin Worldwide reported in September that 80 percent of Americans want federal obscenity laws against hardcore pornography to be vigorously enforced and 68 percent believe the government is not doing the job.

These data were uncovered in a national telephone poll conducted by Wirthlin Sept. 19-21 for Morality in Media and released Oct. 1.

Mr. Clinton made this written campaign pledge in 1992: "Be assured that aggressive enforcement of the federal obscenity laws...will be a priority in a 'Clinton/Gore administration."

Morality in Media President Robert Peters said, 'That simply has not been done, and the Wirthlin data indicate that the American people know it hasn't, even if they don't remember the pledge. We are, quite frankly, trying to send a message to the White House that the overwhelming majority of Americans want the anti-porn laws enforced, and that most believe the government is not getting it done.

Our only desire is for the President now to keep his promise."

Morality in Media has been circulating a petition calling on the President to fulfill his campaign pledge, and

will continue the petition drive through Pornography Awareness Week, Oct. 26 through Nov. 2. .

Morality in Media's petition reads, in part: "Since you took office in 1993...interstate traffic in illegal obscenity is once again 'booming' ...You can begin [to fulfill your pledge] by indicating publicly that aggressive enforcement of the federal obscenity laws is a priority in your administration and by directing the attorney general to instruct the FBI and all 93 U.S. attorneys that aggressive enforcement of these laws is a priority in each fed- . eral district."

Peters believes that, 'The results of the Wirthlin poll, and the signatures of thousands of Americans that have sent petition forms to our office in New York, should encourage every federal and state official concerned about the explosive increase in the trade of illegal hardcore porn. The results should also help dispel the false notion that the widespread availability of porn proves that people and communities accept it."

Pornography Awareness Week is intended to give the public a focused opportunity to make it clear they want federal and state obscenity laws enforced. In the past, about half of the state governors have issued Pornography Awareness Week proclamations.

They, and mayors in hundreds of villages and cities, are being asked to do so again this year.

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Consecration to the Divine Will Oh adorable and Divine Will, behold me here before the immensity ofYour Light, that Your eternal goodness may open to me the doors and make me enter into It to form my life all in You, Divine Will. Therefore, oh adorable Will, prostrate before Your Light, I, the least of all creatures, put myself into the little group of the sons and daughters of Your Supreme FIAT. Prostrate in my nothingness, I invoke Your Light and beg that it clothe me and eclipse all that qoes not pertain to You, Divine Will. It will be my Life, the center of my intelligence, the enrap~urer of my heart and of my whole being. I do not want the human will to have life in this heart any longer. I will.cast it away from me and thus form the new Eden of Peace, of happiness and of love. With It I shall be always happy. I shall have a singular strength and a holiness that sanctifies all things and conducts them to God. Here prostrate, I invoke the help of the Most Holy Trinity that They permit me to live in the cloister of the Divine Will and thus return in me the first order of creation, just as the creature was created.

Heavenly Mother, Sovereign'and Queen of the Divine Fiat, take my hand and introduce me into the Light of the Divine Will. You will be my guide, my most tender Mother, and will ., teach me to live in and to maintain myself in the order and the bounds of the Divine Will. Heavenly Mother, I consecrate my whol~ ~eing to Your Immaculate Heart. You will teach me the doctrine of the Divine Will and I will listen most attentively to Your lessons. You will cover me with Your mantle so that the infernal serpent dare not penetrate into this sacred Eden to entice me and mak~ me fall into the maze of the human will.

Heart of my greatest Good, Jesus, You will give me Your. . flames that they may bum me, consume me, and feed me to form in me the Life of the Divine Will.

Saint Joseph, you will be my protector, the guardian of my heart, and will keep the keys of my will in your hands. You will keep my heattjealously and shall never give itto me again, that I may be sure of never leaving the Will of God. . .My guardian Angel, guard me; defend me; help me in everything so that my Eden may.flourish and be the instrument that draws all men into the Kingdom o~ the Divine Will. Amen.

( In Honor of Luisa Plccarieta 1865-1947 Child oftlie Divine Will)

Archdiocese gives details onl cruise to Cuba for papal Mass

By ANA

RODRIGUEZ-SOTO

MIAMI (CNS) - The Archdiocese of Miami confirmed Oct. 7 that it has chartered a ship to take pilgrims to 'Cuba during Pope John Paul II's visit in January 1998.

The ship, built in 1994, will have a capacity for between 1,056 and 1,250 people. It will sail from the Port of Miami on Friday afternoon, Jan. 23, dock in Havana on Saturday morning and remain there until after the papal Mass on Sunday, arriving back in Miami on Monday morning, Jan. 26.

While on the high seas, the pilgrims - including Miami Archbishop John C. Favalora; Auxiliary Bishops Thomas Wenski and Gilberto Fernandez - will celebrate Mass, take part in prayer vigils, and be able to receive the sacrament of reconciliation.

The ship's casino will be closed for the duration of the trip. In order to comply with the terms of the U.S. embargo, the ship will serve as hotel and provide all meals. Walking will be the only means of transportation available to pilgrims in Havana.

At noon on Saturday, the pilgrims will celebrate a Mass at Havana's Cathedral, then visit some of the city's churches in order to pray and meet with Cuban Catholics from outlying provinces who also will be attending the papal Mass in Havana; On Sunday morning beginning at about 6 a.m., the pilgrims will begin walking nearly three miles from the ship to the papal Mass site in Havana's Plaza Civica. The Mass is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.

Caritas Cuba will provide a limited number of buses to transport the frail, disabled or elderly to the papal Mass.

In order to comply with the

terms of the U.S. embargo, those wishing to travel on the ship must certify - in an affidavit signed by a recognized U.S. Catholic representative - that the purpose of their visit is strictly religious.

They also must adhere to the terms of the U.S. embargo, which limits spending in Cuba to $100 per person, per day. Because the ship will be docked in Havana two days, and port charges are $103.50 per person, pilgrims will only be able to spend a total of $96.50 during their entire stay in Cuba.

At the press conference announcing details ofthe pilgrimage, Miami's bishops emphasized that it will comply in every sense with U.S.laws.

"It's going to be a pilgrimage in every aspect of the word," said Bishop Fernandez, himself a Cuban exile. "We're going to pray all the way from here to Havana. We're going to pray for those who died trying to cross the ocean to freedom.

"It's not going to be a luxury trip.

It's going to be a real sacrifice," he added, noting that since the casinos will be closed, the cost of the trip will be higher than that of a typical cruise.

Miami's other Cuban-born bishop, Auxiliary Bishop Agustin Roman, reiterated his stance that he will not travel to Cuba, the land from which he was expelled in 1961.

But, he said, "I support the pi11 grima ge. I am very happy. A pilgrimage is very good in this moment, to proclaim that Jesus is Lord in a place where people have not been able to say it publicly. I will be here praying in union with this pilgrimage."

Officials of the Miami Archdiocese said inquiries about the pil-

grimage have been coming in from around the country. Pa:rticipation will be open to anyone.

In August, the Archdiocese of Miami obtained two special licenses from the U.S. Tr~:asury Department. The first allows the ship - chartered exclusively for the religious reason of ferryin.g pilgrims to the papal Mass - to travel directly from Miami to Havana and back. Normally, ships that dock in Cuba are not allowed in U.S. ports for 180 days.

The second license streamlines the procedure for obtaining U.S. permission to travel to Cuba, by allowing the pilgrims to certify to the archdiocese and the U.S. government that their sole purpose in traveling to Cuba is religiou:i.

The cost of traveling to Cuba will depend on the type of accommodations requested. Most cabins will cost between $969 and $1,189, double occupancy. Abollt 100 deluxe state rooms will cost $1,239, and about a dozen luxury suites will cost $1,399. Many of those will be reserved for bishops.

All reservations wi11 be nonrefundable. Guaranteed re:iervations must be paid in full at the time they are made. Nonguaranteed reservations. - which mean passengers will be placed on a waiting listwill require a $200 nonr,efundable deposit.

If the pi Igri mage is caJ~celed for political reasons or because the pope does not visit Cuba, no money will be refunded. Instead, the pilgrims will be offered a cruise to another destination during that same weekend.

Information and tra'Vel packets for the pilgrimage may be obtained by calling (800) (i54路4544.

Diplomat says Palestinians also deserve apology

By JOHN THAVIS

jor symposium on th'e Christian VATICAN CITY (CNS) - In roots of anti-Semitism at the end a personal letter to Pope John Paul of October, part of what the pope II, a Palestinian representative to has called an "examination of the Vatican said that if Jews re- conscience" regarding church beceive a "historical apology" from havior over the last two millennia. the Catholic Church, then Pales- The event will be attended by tinians may deserve one for their Catholic theologians and some other Christian observers. treatment at the hands of Israel. . Afi.f.Safieh, .a Catholic who Safieh said he hoped his comheads the Palestinian delegation to ments woulq be taken into conthe Holy See, said it was right that sideration at the symposium. the church should examine its "If Jews were the obvious vicconscience regarding its histori- tims of anti-Semitism, the Palescal treatment of Jews. . tinian people w~re its undeniable But Palestinians have been the indirect victims," he said. "indirect victims" of antiHe added that Nazi barbarity Semitism, enduring 50 years of ended up strengthening the Zionstatelessness, forced expatriations ist movement among Jews and and military occupation, he said around the world, and later came in the letter, dated Oct. 7. the "dispossession and disper"Holy Father, we the Palestin- sion" of the Palestinian people.' ians, the victims of the victims of He said certain circles today try European history, the Jews of the to exploit Jewish suffering. in orJews, we often wonder if some- der to silence criticism of Israeli body owes us one day, hopefully policies and to "trivialize the orsoon, a historical apology. Such deal of the Palestinian people." an apology will undeniably be a Safieh condemned all forms of tremendous contribution to the religious fundamen.talism and badly needed reconciliation in the said that in the eyes of the world, Holy Land," Safieh wrote.

Islamic militancy is often singled The Vatican will sponsor a ma- . out.- But路he said-that Jewish fun-

damentalism is today "at the heart of the ruling class in Israel as an indispensable coalition partner."

Such fundamentalism tends to transform God into a "real estate agent," he said.

"Crimes against humanity are perpetrated under the guise of 'a divine mission for the chosen people in the promised I~nd,''' he said. .

Saying that historic "mea culpas" should be a two-way street, Safieh suggested a study of Jewish attitudes during the "persecution and extermination of the early Christians by the Roman Empire" ... and "the silence then that accompanied Christians when they were sent to the c路ircus to amuse the mob and fed the lions."

He also endorsed a recent papal comment that "othl~r holocausts" should not be forgotten.

Safieh said that as a result of an emerging alliance between Israel and the Turkish military, there is no serious discussion about Turkish massacres against Armenians earlier in this century and against Kurds currently..

THE ANCHOR -

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entific point of view.

"Yet I can and must look at the moral consequences of the arguments," she said. "Regardless of the scientific benefits of the space probe, the U.S. simply does not have the authority to risk the health and safety of this planet with continued use of nuclear materials in space."

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HEATING, INC. ANTI-NUCLEAR demonstrators scaled a fence at Cape Canaveral Air Station in Florida Oct. 4 to protest the planned Oct. 13 launching of the Cassini space probe. About 1,100 people, including members of Pax Christi, staged the protest because the probe's cargo will contain 72,2 pounds of plutonium.

Cassini opponents prayed during its launch

By STEVE

PARADIS

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (CNS) - Catholics who were among about I, I00 protesters taking part in a demonstration against the Cassini space probe said they prayed during its Oct. 15 launch.

"I went out of a concern for danger. Cassini is dangerous," said Phyllis Jepson, regional coordinator for Pax Christi U.S.A., about the Oct. 4 demonstration at Cape Canaveral.

The probe will provide the most detailed study of Saturn and its rings. Its cargo will include what NASA describes as non weapons-grade plutonium dioxide pellets housed inside three radioisotope thermoelectric generators.

But opponents of the project are concerned that the 72.3

pounds of radioactive plutonium could be released into the atmosphere if there is an accident during the probe's scheduled fly-by of Earth in August 1999.

In 1999, the mission win Circle Venus and head back to Earth, coming within 500 miles, according to NASA officials.

Protesters said a miscalculation could spread deadly plutonium particles anywhere on Earth if the mission enters Earth's atmosphere, which is about 75 miles above the pla'1et.

NASA points to a safety record showing no problems for 23 missions over the past three decades that have used plutonium-based energy.

Protesters at Cape Canaveral said they were able to at least get some information out to the public; even getting the attention of

"60 Minutes," to make people more aware the next time NASA wants to use plutonium on a mission.

"The risks are just too great," said Conni'e' Shearer from Pax Christi Florida. "We are not against space travel, but the effects in case of an incident are irreversible."

Phyllis Morris of Marietta, Ga., also a member of Pax Christi, said she protested the launch out of her concern as a counselor at a middle school.

"I am concerned about the quality of life for our children," she said. "This is not about what we say, but what we do."

A group of grandmothers were the first of 27 to be arrested for crossing a fence onto Cape Canaveral Air Station during the demonstration. They were greeted

Bishop hails Honduran police control TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (CNS) - The transfer of Honduras' police force to full civilian control is a "sign of the (country's) democratic development," said the archbishop of Tegucigalpa.

The process of removing the police from the army's control-ending a 25 year tradition -- was to end Oct. 21, according to government sources. The transition began Sept

18.

Archbishop Oscar A. Rodriguez Maradiaga of Tegucigalpa, who until August headed a commission responsible for overseeing the police changes, said the reforms, now enshrined in the constitution, have been "long awaited by society."

The modifications "reflect a clear civic awareness that the army has one role (to play) and the police another," the archbishop told Catholic News Service in a Leklphone inter-

view Oct. 13.

Archbishop Rodriguez, who is also head of the Latin American bishops' council, said the church's contribution to the process has been to "avoid politicizing the issue."

For many decades throughout Central America the police force was traditionally under the strict control of the military, which saw its role as one of maintaining internal order as well as fighting foreign aggressors.

This tradition of military control was also recently broken in EI Salvador and Guatemala, where new civilian police forces have been set up as part of each country's respective peace settlement.

In Honduras, the police reforms are considered a key policy success of President Roberto Reina.

However Reina, who hands over power in January, has not had similar success with his plans to further

limit the powers of the military by replacing the figure of chief of the armed forces with a defense minister.

The chief of the armed forces has long been an all-powerful position, autonomous of the control of civilian governments.

Archbishop Rodriguez said the creation of a d(:fense minister would be "a positive step ... since most other countries have an army under the direct command of (one)."

He added, however, that resistance to the government proposals among some army officers was natural.

In September, a military spokesman voiced opposition to the plans and said the proposal was a "medium- or long-term political objective" and a "remote and improbable possibility."

Archbishop Rodriguez called it, however, an "irreversible change."

13

by police in riot gear as well as local sheriff deputies.

Then the rest climbed up a ladder and over three rugs placed on top of the fence and barbed wire.

Mary Beth Sullivan of Pax Christi Florida was one of the people to climb over the fence to be arrested. She has said she cannot evaluate arguments from a sci-

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NEW ALTAR SERVERS-These youngsters were installed at a recent liturgy at St. Joseph's Church in Taunton. Standing with them are (left) Deacon Robert Hill and pastor Father Mark Hession (right).

For the three hundred students and the faculty at Taunton Catholic Middle School, September was a busy month. In keeping with this year's goal of becoming an honorable person, faculty members explained to all students that being honorable means doing the right thing even when no one is watching and even when it might not be the easiest thing to do.

Teachers have encouraged all stu~ dents to set goals that can be measured and they will reevaluate those goals with students periodically.

New ideas being implemented this year include an advisory period when homeroom teachers become advisors to their students.

Advisory periods are also used for social time and silent reading.

Mini-courses, meeting once in each seven day cycle, are also being offered to students. Every student will have four mini-courses per year, meeting six times per quarter. Mrs. McKearney, a computer teacher, is presenting magazine publishing to her sixth and seventh graders. Students have been grouped into departments for

research, graphics,路 adv~rtising, and editing and a mini-rnagazin'e will be published by the course's end. Eighth graders are competing in a computer contest for designing software programs.

Mrs. Russell, an art teacher, is offering seventh and eighth graders mini-courses in different degrees of color and watercolors while sixth graders work on mosaics and color wheels.

Coach and Student Services Director Thompson is working with all grades on nutrition and cardiovascular conditioning. He is also working on a career awareness project, local history and: theater arts. ' The opening Mass for school was celebrated by' Father Pawel Swiercz in memory of Mother Teresa and he spoke abqut faith and action. $tudents in the: art club constructed a collage banner of her life and work forthe Mass: Father Swiercz reminded students to "be great and use everything in you for God." The religion department provided each student with a fact sheet on the life of Mother Teresa and a prayer card.

Saints James & John School, New Bedford c-c food pantry has good start

First and second graders teamed up for an apple festival at SS. James and John School in New Bedford recently. Parents and grandparents assisted teachers Mrs. Ricci and Mrs. Hudon as children participated in numerous apple activities throughout the afternoon.

Stations offered the chance to stamp apple prints on fabric, make fresh applesauce, and taste different colored apples. Apple recipes were shared and one mother on hand for the event read stories about Johnny Appleseed

to an enthusiastic crowd. It proved to be an enjoyable afternoon that kept everyone well entertained.

Sixth graders have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of their fish from the New Bedford Vocational School. The students are participating in a aquacultural program and will be housing ten tilapia fish at the school.

SS James and John is one of two parochial schools to participate in the program and this is the second year they have been involved. The class looks forward

to learning and sharing its expeCoyle-Cassidy High School rience with the whole school.

Sixth grade students who have Food Pantry began the new year been studying the age of dino- with a record number of volunteers saurs and the endangered species and a grant from Project Bread. of today held a mock town meet- Faculty director for the food paning recently. Students role- try Mike Cote and student coordiplayed several different interest nators Tim Saccone, Heather groups' views with regard to in- Baylies, and Tracy deEscobar troducing the once endangered were encouraged by the number black footed ferret onto public of students who volunteered for land near their town. Classes the project.

Mike Cote was happy with the discovered that in order to work 79 volunteers because "every year out a solution, they must respect we look to increase membership, different views and hold them in a delicate balance. They are also so that we can improve on every aspect of the food pantry's operaresearching six categories of ention." Membership is important dangered species to learn and because the number of people serwhat is being done to protect viced by the pantry has grown them. Through this look at the The Holy Family-Holy Name (high school and/or elementary) past and present the students are from 125 families in 1992 to 320 school of New Bedford is invit- and would like to play in one,of developing an appreciation of families this year. Cote added, ing alumni to participate in the the basketball games, please what must be protected in the "The food pantry is part of the school's philosophy and commitsecond annual Father Justin J. contact Mark Kaeterle at 997- future. ment to help the less fortunate Quinn Memorial Basketball 4225. through our concern and action."

Games to take place on NovemTim Saccone, a coordinator of ber 30th. the pantry from Brockton, was reLast year the school sponsored cently awarded a Louis Feinstein the special event and because he Memorial Scholarship, established was looked upon as a pillar of

by Alan Feinstein, Rhode Island Catholic education in the diocese, businessman and philanthropist, in it was held in memory of Father honor of his late father. The Quirin: The games are organized awards go to students who best by a number of people who were exemplify the qualities of broth~ coached by him and proceeds will erhood, compassion, integrity, go to the school's technology leadership, dedication to public fund.' ' , service, and a determination to The undertaking was' a tremenmake a positive difference in the dous success last year, giving lives of others. Tim was one of 52 those in' attendance a chance to' recipients who' will receive a renew friendships with class- . $10,000 schoiarship ifh'ethooses mates and o.thers ,theyhad,no('"to attend a college or university ih seen in years. " Rhode Island. Tim said he "first . This yea,r's games, will be h~ard aboutAlanfeinstein iri complaye<;l at the Kennedy Center/ munity.service." Community serCYO on County St.in New Bedvice is a course offered both jun. ,ICE CREAM!! A student atSS. Peter and Paul School, ior and senior year at the ,high ,ford, beginning ~t 3 p.m .. , Fall River, ~nj9Ys ice cream with hisgralidmother,'at the school and Tim said he believes , ' , ,If you are a .gradu~te of the schools 9th annual Grandparents' Day. About 200 grandpar-' "you can begin to serve;others by Holy Family-Holy. Name,~chool ents attended the event. , starting in,your own community."

The food pantry al so was awarded a grant recently from the directors of Project Bread in the amount of $1,375. All of the money will be used for food or related supplies. The resl: of the money needed for operation of the pantry will be collected through donations and various fund raising projects in the school.

HFHN seeks alumni for game

B.ISHOP FEEHAN High School art teacher and department chairperson Brenda Loiselle' was recently recognized for her contributions to the Alliance for Young 'Artists and Writers. She was praised for her "patience, ,guidance, and willingness to participate" ih the an'nual competition. Her 'stiJdEmts' have achieved numarous awards in the! program, including senior i David Bened~tti who recently won a silver medal in a hationaJ competitioF'..

THE ANCHOR - Diocese of Fall River - Fri., Oct. 17, 1997

Our Rock

··r~~ Coming

of

and Role When love makes you "lose your mind"

By CHARLIE MARTIN

Irlow Do I Live?

How do I get through A night without you?

If I had to Ii~re without you What kind of life Would that be?

For I need you in my arms, Need you to hold You're my world, My heart, my soul.

If you would leave, baby, You would take away Everything good in my life And tell me, Refrain: How do I live without you?

I want to know.

How do I breathe without you, If you ever go?

How do I live, How do I live, How do I live without you?

There would be no sun In my sky.

There would be no love In my life.

There would be no love Forme And I, baby, I don't know What I would do.

I'd be lost if I lost you.

(Repeat second verse) (Repeat re1:rain) How do I go on?

(Repeat second verse) (Repeat refrain) Written by Diane Warren Sung by LeAnn Rimes Copyright (c) 1997 by Curb Records A SINGER who performs material by Debbie Boone, Bette Midler and Paul Simon invites comp~risons to those great talents. It takes a lot of self-confidence to dare to be compared to thema. That would be like a baseball player being compared to Babe Ruth, Willie Mays <!.nd Ken Griffey, Jr. However, if one has the

However, "How Do I Live?" which is currently in Billboard's top five, focuses on romance.

The song describes how falling in love can make a person lose his or her mind, so to speak. Since we are all likely to experience this temporary state of being, I decided to comment on it.

The girl in the song says: "If you would leave, baby, you would take away everything good in my life." The statement expresses her emotional intensity, but lucky for us, God gave us more than feelings to guide our lives. In fact, throwing some water on this emotional fire helps relationships endure. . Romantic love grows if the people involved had a life before falling in love. If one is supposed to be "everything good" in another's life, then this person has needs that no one individual could ever fill.

Here's an example. Does "everything good" in your life suddenly end if someone you love goes away to college? You may try to keep the romance going, but you will find that the relationship changes. Without other interests, concerns and challenges, feelings of depression and emptiness will result.

The way to avoid such hurt is to open your eyes. God gave each of us a wide variety of possibilities. What do you love to ,do? What new areas of life do yo~ want to explore? How can you reach out to others and improve the quality of their lives?

• Losing a dating partner should not remove "everything good" from a person's life.

It may take some reorient~, ing to answer the question "How do I live?" The answers are as close as your desires.

Ask God to guide your life through times of closeness with others as well as times of letting go.

voice of LeAn'n Rimes, the comparison can stand. Only 15 years old, Rimes shows us what hard work, others' support and personal confidence can achieve.

Her new CD "You Light Up My Life" contains songs by Your comments are alBoone, Midler, Simon and oth- ways welcome. Please aders. Most of the cuts are inspi- dress: Charlie Martin, 7125 rational. She does "Amazing W 200S, Rockport, Ind. Grace" as well as I've heard it. 47635.

15

fige FORYOOTH

•

A800TYOOTH

When your parents depend on you too much

By AMY WELBORN What do you do when your parents depend on you too much?

It's an odd question, isn't it?

We usually fret about overly dependent children. How do we push them out of the nest toward independence? How do we cope when we have to stand by and watch them fail?

But the opposite situation occurs more often than you think.

Especially in these days of the fractured family, young people often are called upon to bear extraordinary burdens within their families.

Mary is one such teen.

The oldest of three children, Mary has for years been her mother's primary support.

Mary's mother now has been divorced twice, and while two of her children are fine, she has one daughter who is deeply troubled and is the primary focus of the beleaguered family's attention and energies.

Through years of coping with this daughter as well as the fallout from two failed marriages and a stressful job, Mary's mother has grown to be deeply dependent on her. And now, as a senior in high school, Mary can't take it anymore.

With all her own concerns about getting into college, paying tuition and figuring out what direction her life should take, Mary, finds that being her mother's best friend and most intimate confidante isdi:"tracting her from important personal is~ sues::' '.

Mary's mother expects her to put above her schoolwork and part-time job what most of us would call "mothering" responsibilities - transporting her brother and sister to ,school and practices, cleaning the house and , fixing dinner.

To add to the tension, Mary's sister is going through an emotional and psychological crisis

which consumes her mother's attention. Whenever Mary expresses any hint that she might need someone to listen to her or give her support, her mother generally responds: "Oh, you'll do fine; you're the strong one."

Mary says: "I'm tired of being the strong one. Who's there to listen to me?"

It truly is unfair for a parent to put a child in the position of parent and caretaker, no matter how dysfunction~1 the family situation might be. Making her almost a second parent just adds to the dysfunction.

So what's Mary going to do?

Part of her dilemma is guilt and true concern for her family's situation: "They do need me, because I do things that my mom can't or won't do. Plus, if I say no to my mom when she asks me to do something, I feel guilty, like I'm disobeying her."

Obviously, this is a situation that requires the help of a counselor, a resource Mary's family is beginning to use.

And what Mary is beginning to see is this: Love can take many forms. Sometimes love is best expressed in presence and helping. But there are times when the best way to love is to step back and say, "No, you've got to do this on your own."

That's what Mary has to do.

Her mom has to learn how to be a mom. She has to 'find confidantes and support from her own age group. She has to let Mary lead her own life.

After all, with Mary going off to college in a few months, that moment is inevitable.

It is very hard, but ifyou are finding yourself as a teen being asked to playa role in.your fam- . ily that is inappropriate and too burdensome, it might qe time to find some help and step back. In the end, this will be the most loving act of all.

St. Joseph's School An installation of the Father Damien Student Council recently took place at St. Joseph's School in Fairhaven. Ceremonies were led

by Brother Christopher Santangelo, ss.cc. and Sister Muriel Ann Lebeau ss.cc. Members of the 1997-98

council are: Sara Aiello, Ryan Couto, Melissa Gray, Allison Kelly, Lance Mcnitt, Katie Mills, Kristina Polchlopck, Joshua Roderiques, Tara Tchorz, and Steven Wright.

Mrs. Susan Medeiros is the student council advisor.

World Missiorl

Sunday October 19. 19S~7

, L~

........

Please help the missions; by bringing your gift to Mass or by mailing to: Missioners from the Fall River diocese serving outside the USA

Rev. Msgr. John J. Oliveil~a 106, Illinois Street New Bedford, M'A 02'74S. Telephone (508) 995-616~B

(from the U.S. Catholic Mission Association 1996-97 report)

Sister Aline Antil Haiti Rev. Lucien Bouchard Indonesia Rev. Francois Bourgeois ~ Philippines Rev. John M. Breen Honduras Sr. Rosalina Cabral Peru Bro. louis E. Chouinard Seychelles Sr. Doreen Cloutier Mali, Sr. Imelda Dahill Mexico Bro. David M. Denicourt Seychelles Sr. Honora Felix Guatemala Rev. Anton Freitas Papua New G'uinea, Sr. M. Therese Gendreau Lebanon Rev. Adrien T. Hebert South Africa Sr. Gabrielle Jarry Virgin Islands Rev. Raymond H. Kelley Taiwan ,Sr. Claudette Lapointe France Sr. Catherine Maynard Zambia Rev. Paul Medeiros Brazil Sr. Frances Monks Sri Lanka Rev. Robert E. Mosher Chile Rev. Charles A. Murray Mexico Bro. James Nichols Uganda Rev. Donald Pelletier, MS Madagascar Rev. Daniel R. Perry Japan Sr. Denise Pinsonnault ~ Japan Sr. Mary Lou Simcoe Italy Bro. Edgar R. St. Pierre Haiti Sr. Diane Villeneuve Haiti Rev. David I. Walsh Bolivia

'