e VOL. 45, NO.40 • Friday, October 19, 2001
FALL RIVER DIOCESANNEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETfS
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World Mission
Sunday aids suffering, poor
THE REMAINS of the World Trade Center are shown in an aerial view of the neighborhood recently in New York. (CNS photo from Reuters)
Cape Cod deacon-chaplain ministers at ground zero ~
priest, into the Trade Center, Akin was called to New Deacon David P. Akin of St. Pius X York as the third deployment of the Massachusetts Parish, South Yarmouth, was among Fire Chaplains. clergy called up in wake of terrorist Before being ordained in 1997, Akin spent a lifeattacks at the World Trade Center. time in public service - 16 years as a firefighter in
Wakefield and becoming captain --:- and retiring as N. DUNBAR fire chief in Yarmouth after serving from 1983 to MANHATTAN, N.Y. - After a career as a 1995. firefighter and subsequently as a chief before re"With my fire service background and after ortirement, David P. Akin .-----------------'-1 dination I then became chapthought he had seen it all. lain to the Barnstable County That's before he was called Fire Chiefs and then became to perform chaplain's duties chaplain to the fire departin New York and the rubble ment in Dennis," Akin exthat was the Twin Towers of plained. "Altogether I served as the World Trade Center. "It was nothing like I had chaplain to Dennis Fire (deever seen in my life," Akin, partment) and Yarmouth Po59, a deacon serving St. Pius lice (department) and Blue X Parish in South Yarmouth, Knights Chapter Six. Later I said this week. became a member of the 'call "Although 1 was only five team' of Massachusetts Fire days in service there and Chaplains." have been home since OctoWith the help of fellow ber 5, there are many things deacons and wife Rosemary, that trigger my memory into he was able to respond to the recalling what we found call for the third deployment there," he added. "I don't of chaplains to go to New think I'll ever forget it." York when it came on September27. Besides Akin, othOn September 27, 13 days after suicidal hijackers ers in that deployment were crashed two commercial jetthe Rev. Jim Chase, a Conliners carrying a total 266 gregationalist minister from passengers, including a DEACON DAVID P. AKIN Turn to page 13 - Deacon
By
DEACON JAMES
NEW YORK (CNS) - These are times of great growth and great need in the churches in the developing world, Father John E. Kozar, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States, said in a statement released for World Mission Sunday this weekend. "On the one hand we are witnessing a time of great growth for the Church in the missions," said the priest, who heads the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Society of S1. Peter the Apostle and the Pontifical Missionary Union. "Yet more and more often," he added, "we see great suffering among the poor, and we find missionaries serving in those areas, often at great risk to their own lives, so that the poor may come to know the saving love of Jesus Christ." Last year, 23 new seminaries in Africa, Asia and Latin America
requested first-time help, he said, and 80,000 students in major and minor seminaries in the missions received assistance. The number of mission dioceses has grown from 877 in 1985 to 1,059 this year. On World Mission Sunday, Father Kozar said, Catholics are encouraged to "unite in prayer and sacrifice for the missionary heroes of our world; those who day after day proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ - his love and his peace - by their words and the very witness of their lives." Contributions to a collection taken up on World Mission Sunday support the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. Ninetyone percent of the offering supports programs run by the society in Asia, Africa, parts of Latin America and islands of the Pacific. The remaining nine percent is for the work of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association.
Medjugorje visionary to visit Fall River parish By
DAVE JOLIVET EDITOR
FALL RIVER -As a 16-year-old in 1981, Ivan Dragicevic's life changed forever in the mountains of Bosnia-Herzegovina. In June of that year, the young man and five other young Catholics claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary appear to them in the village of Medjugorje. Since that date more than 20 .--., years ago, Dragicevic says the Blessed Virgin has appeared to him daily, and continues to do so. On November 5, Holy Name Church in Fall River will host Dragicevic in an evening of prayer and Mass. Father Edward A. Murphy, parochial vicar, was instrumental in bringing the visionary to the diocese. The evening will begin at 6 p.m. with recitation of the Joyful and Sorrowful Myster- IVAN DRAGICEVIC ies of the rosary. "At about 6:40, there will be a pause as Ivan, God willing, will experience an apparition of our Blessed Mother," said Father Murphy. At 7 p.m., Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Sean O'Malley, OFM Cap., after which Dragicevic will address the congregation and discuss the appariTurn to page six - Medjugorje