11.04.11

Diocese of Fall River

The Anchor

F riday , November 4, 2011

Bishop Coleman brings prayers and intentions of diocese to ad limina visit

By Dave Jolivet, Editor

FALL RIVER — Bishop George W. Coleman, along with other bishops from New England, are in Rome for their ad limina visit. Abbreviated from ad limina Apostolorum (to the threshold of the Apostles), the visits are regularly required of every diocesan bishop and apostolic vicar across the world, and entails a visit to the tombs of SS. Peter and Paul, consultations with appropriate Vatican officials and an audience with the Holy Father.

The attendees are required to supply, months ahead of the visit, a report on the conditions of their jurisdiction to the Congregation for Bishops.

Bishop Coleman is part of the ad limat the threshold of the apostles — Bishop George W. Coleman reina of Region One in the United States acts to a question during an interview with The Anchor prior to departing for Rome for his ad limina visit to the Vatican. The bishop will join other New England bish- encompassing the dioceses in New Engops for the scheduled visit. (Photo by Dave Jolivet) land.

Making his second ad limina visit since his installation in 2003, Bishop Coleman promised, in an interview with The Anchor, to bring the “thoughts, prayers and intentions of the people of the Fall River Diocese” along with him to the Eternal City. He last fulfilled his obligation in 2004, shortly before the death of Blessed Pope John Paul II. This will be the bishop’s first ad limina with Pope Benedict XVI. The bishop will be in Rome today through November 10, at which time he returns to Fall River to prepare for the annual United States Conference of Catholic Bishops fall meeting November 14-16 in Baltimore.

Shortly before Bishop Coleman left for Rome, he sat down with The Anchor for an interview regarding his ad Turn to page 14

Swansea parish celebrates 100th anniversary this weekend

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

SWANSEA — It was a century ago tomorrow that the parishioners of St. Dominic’s Parish in Swansea gathered for their first Mass.

To celebrate this milestone, present-day parishioners will follow in the footsteps of their predecessors by attending a special Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday at 11 a.m. concelebrated by pastor Father Joseph F. Viveiros; Msgr.

John A. Perry, diocesan vicar general; and other priests who have served the parish in the past.

The Liturgy will be preceded by a ceremonial ringing of the parish bell 100 times with members representing the various ministries in the parish each taking a turn.

“I feel honored and privileged to be celebrating the parish’s anniversary, simply because of all those who came before me as pastors and priests who served here,” Father Viveiros said. “I know that many of the pastors are remem-

bered fondly by the parishioners here … so just to be among them is a great honor because many of them were wonderful priests themselves.”

“The 100th anniversary is a major milestone for our parish,” agreed Frank Lucca, who joined the parish 33 years ago. “Even 100 years later, the spirit of the people who helped found this parish is still evident in our parishioners today. We are a strong, united Catholic community of faith concerned with each other and with the needs of those in the parish and in the community at large.

“We have always felt at home here. It is a loving, generous, and spiritual community. We’ve never lived in the area that would be considered within the ‘boundary’ assigned to St. Dominic’s Parish.

We chose to attend here as a young couple and continue to worship here now and hopefully for many more years in the future.”

Turn to page 11

St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Fall River. (Photo by Dave Jolivet)

Overview for planning a Catholic funeral: Death is only the beginning

By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff

WAREHAM — It is the inevitable reality we all must face — death. Yet for all its certainty we are a civilization that can barely bring ourselves to admit it.

“We are a culture that denies death,” said Father John Sulli-

van, pastor at St. Patrick’s Parish in Wareham. “We don’t use the word ‘died’ anymore. We use euphemisms for death. To deny that word, I guess death seems too final and painful. The prayer for a happy death, that’s a prayer that people said and maybe we need to revive it a bit.”

Embracing your own mortality may sound counterproductive, but if one realizes that death is only the beginning, then that greater understanding may create solace in a devout Catholic when a loved one dies. The moment is truly brought home durTurn to page 13

vine Mercy and a litany and will be followed by Mass at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette at 4:30 p.m.

Steve Marcotte, coordinator of 40 Days for Life in Attleboro, told The Anchor that many people attend the closing ceremony, a tem-

porary end to the vigil that will start again in Lent 2012. The larger than usual crowd is a beautiful testament to the efforts of all over the last 40 days, he said.

“When we’re gathered together, we can stand side-by-side and pray Turn to page 13

Local 40 Days closes seventh campaign

By Christine M. Williams Anchor Correspondent

ATTLEBORO — The close of this fall’s campaign of prayer and peaceful vigil will be marked by a prayer service on November 5th at 3:30 p.m. The service will include the praying of the Chaplet of Di-

The International Church

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November 4, 2011

British monarch can now marry a Catholic but cannot be one

Perth, Australia (CNA/ EWTN News) — The centuriesold law barring the British monarch from marrying a Catholic has been scrapped but not the rule forbidding them from being a Catholic.

“Let me be clear, the monarch must be in communion with the Church of England because he or she is the head of that Church,” said British Prime Minister, David Cameron, as he announced the change.

“But it is simply wrong they should be denied the chance to marry a Catholic if they wish to do so. After all, they are already quite free to marry someone of any other faith.”

The decision was made at a summit of the 16 countries that still retain the British monarch as head of state. The gathering took place in the western Australian city of Perth.

The bar on the monarchy marrying a Catholic or personally being one has been British law since the passing of the “Act of Settlement” in 1701.

“I welcome the statement from the Prime Minster indicating that his Government together with all of the Commonwealth Heads of Government intend to reform the Act of Settlement,” said Cardinal Keith P. O’Brien of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Scotland.

The cardinal previously labeled the act as “discriminatory and offensive,” which led him to say today that he is “pleased to note that the process of change, which I hope will lead to repeal of the act, has started.”

He was backed in that call by Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond who also welcomed the lifting of the marriage ban but said it was “deeply disappointing” that Catholics were still unable to ascend to the throne.

“It surely would have been possible to find a mechanism which would have protected the status of the Church of England without keeping in place an unjustifiable barrier on the grounds of religion, in terms of the monarchy,” he said.

However, the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales said he would not go as far as calling for the Act of

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Settlement to be entirely repealed.

“I welcome the decision of Her Majesty’s Government to give heirs to the throne the freedom to marry a Catholic without being removed from the line of succession,” said Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster, England.

He described the move as eliminating “a point of unjust discrimination” against Catholics.

“At the same time,” added Archbishop Nichols, “I fully recognise the importance of the position of the Established Church in protecting and fostering the role of faith in our society today.”

Later, in an interview with the BBC News, he explained that “while the Church of England is the Established Church” it is “not unreasonable to expect the head of the Church of England should be an Anglican.”

The 18th-century Act of Settlement was aimed at preventing the descendants of the Catholic King James II from ascending to the throne. He was deposed in the 1688 “Glorious Revolution” by supporters of the Protestant William and Mary. Mary was the eldest Protestant daughter of James II and was married to William of Orange, who later became William III. The question being asked by some today is what religion the children of an Anglican-Catholic royal wedding would be raised in? The Catholic Church’s Code of Canon Law (Canon 1125) only permits a mixed marriage where the Catholic party makes “a sincere promise to do all in his or her power in order that all the children be baptized and brought up in the Catholic Church.”

Archbishop Nichols said such a scenario “would be a very difficult situation indeed,” but stressed that he did not “think we should try to pre-judge” it because “it’s not even a practical possibility at the moment, it’s a theoretical possibility.”

He explained that if and when the hypothetical case ever arose, the Church would talk to the Catholic party “about the duty and expectation of the Catholic to give their best endeavours within the unity and harmony of the marriage to bring up their children Catholic.”

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 55, No. 42

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Published weekly except for two weeks in the summer and the week after Christmas by the Catholic Press of the Diocese of Fall River, 887 Highland Avenue, Fall River, MA 02720, Telephone 508-675-7151 — FAX 508-675-7048, email: theanchor@anchornews.org.

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PUBLISHER - Most Reverend George W. Coleman EXECUTIVE EDITOR Father Roger J. Landry fatherrogerlandry@anchornews.org EDITOR David B. Jolivet davejolivet@anchornews.org OFFICE MANAGER Mary Chase marychase@anchornews.org ADVERTISING Wayne R. Powers waynepowers@anchornews.org REPORTER Kenneth J. Souza k ensouza@anchornews.org REPORTER Rebecca Aubut beckyaubut@anchornews.org Send Letters to the Editor to: fatherrogerlandry@anchornews.org

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miracle receiver — William Glisson of Pennsylvania, left, whose recovery from a skating accident was accepted as the miracle needed for St. Louis Guanella’s canonization, presents a relic of the new saint during a canonization Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican recently. St. Guido Maria Conforti was an Italian who founded the Xaverian Foreign Missionary Society. Also canonized were St. Louis Guanella, the Italian founder of the Servants of Charity, the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence and the Confraternity of St. Joseph; and St. Bonifacia Rodriguez Castro, a Spanish cordmaker in Salamanca who gathered working women for spiritual encounters in her house-shop.

Pope calls on Christians to offer prayers, help to world’s migrants

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Christians need to offer migrants special care, ranging from prayer and concrete aid to promoting policies that uphold immigrants’ rights and dignity, Pope Benedict XVI said.

Modern migration represents “an unprecedented mingling of individuals and peoples, with new problems not only from the human standpoint but also from ethical, religious and spiritual ones,” he said.

The influx of people from all corners of the world offers new opportunities to evangelize and to provide material and spiritual care to those in need, he said.

The pope made the comments in a message on the theme of “Migrations and New Evangelization” for the World Day for Migrants and Refugees 2012; the text was released at the Vatican October 25 during a news conference.

The World Day for Migrants and Refugees is observed January 15. In the United States, National Migration Week will be celebrated January 9-14.

In his message, the pope called on Christians to pay special attention to migrant workers and their families and to accompany them with “prayer, solidarity and Christian charity.”

Christians also should promote political, economic and social policies and strategies that uphold “the dignity of every human person, the safeguarding of the family (and) access to digni-

fied housing, to work and to welfare,” the pope said.

Those seeking asylum because of persecution, violence and threats to their lives “need our understanding and welcome,” he said. They need respect for their dignity and rights and to become aware of their duties and responsibilities in a new land, he added.

At the news conference, Archbishop Antonio Veglio, president of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travelers, said immigrants “must be legitimately legalized, freeing them from the scourges of poverty, exploitation and the trafficking of organs and people.”

By helping immigrants obtain legal status and by protecting their dignity, communities can foster real human progress so that migration becomes “a blessing for dialogue among peoples, coexistence in justice and peace, and the evangelical proclamation of salvation in Jesus Christ,” said the Italian archbishop.

In his message, the pope said increased human mobility means there are new challenges and opportunities for evangelization.

Every Christian has a duty to evangelize, and the ease of communication and meeting new people who may never have encountered Christ “must reawaken in each one of us the enthusiasm and courage that motivated the first Christian communities to be undaunted heralds of the Gospel’s newness,” he said.

The presence of people from different nations and cultures means there is greater urgency for dialogue and respect for legitimate differences.

However, secularization and the “fragmentation” of societies that divide people according to cultural or ethnic identities are an obstacle to the unifying vision of one human family, he said.

Much of today’s world “is marked by endeavours to efface God and the Church’s teaching from the horizon of life, while doubt, scepticism and indifference are creeping in, seeking to eliminate all the social and symbolic visibility of the Christian faith,” he said.

In such secularized communities, the Church is faced with new challenges in helping Christians migrants maintain their faith in their new homelands, the pope said.

The Church must develop new pastoral approaches, methods and expressions to help Christian migrants “keep their faith firm even when they are deprived of the cultural support that existed in their country of origin,” he said.

The increased mobility of peoples from different nations and cultures in today’s globalized world also presents new opportunities to evangelize, to dialogue with other believers and show the unifying force of the Christian vision of one human family in today’s multiethnic, multicultural communities, said the pope.

November 4, 2011

ASSISI, Italy (CNS) — Taking 300 religious leaders with him on pilgrimage to Assisi, Pope Benedict XVI said people who are suspicious of religion cannot be blamed for questioning God’s existence when they see believers use religion to justify violence.

“All their struggling and questioning is, in part, an appeal to believers to purify their faith so that God, the true God, becomes accessible,” the pope said October 27 during an interfaith gathering in the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels.

Marking the 25th anniversary of the first Assisi interfaith gathering for peace, hosted by Blessed Pope John Paul II in 1986, Pope Benedict brought together the religious leaders and — for the first time — four philosophers who describe themselves as humanists or seekers who do not identify with any single religion.

After a train ride of almost two hours from the Vatican, Pope Benedict and his guests arrived in Assisi and were driven to the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels for the morning gathering focused on “testimonies for peace.”

Entering the basilica before the pope, the delegates created an unusually colorful congregation: They wore white, black or crimson robes or business suits; on their heads were skullcaps, turbans, scarves or veils.

The pope condemned the use of religion to excuse vio-

The International Church Assisi pilgrimage stresses believers must oppose violence to promote peace, true faith lence and the use of violence to impose a religion, as well as the growing violence resulting from “the loss of humanity” that comes from denying the existence of God and of objective moral standards.

“As a Christian, I want to say at this point: Yes, it is true, in the course of history, force has also been used in the name of the Christian faith. We acknowledge it with great shame,” Pope Benedict said.

Christian leaders, like all religious leaders, he said, must work constantly to help their followers purify their faith and be “an instrument of God’s peace in the world, despite the fallibility of humans.”

But a lack of religion isn’t the answer to world peace, he said.

The Nazi death camps clearly proved that “the denial of God corrupts man, robs him of his criteria (for judging right and wrong) and leads him to violence,” the pope said.

On the other hand, he said, those who have not found faith, but are seeking, also are “pilgrims of truth, pilgrims of peace.”

“These people are seeking the truth, they are seeking the true God, whose image is frequently concealed in the religions because of the ways in which they are often practiced. Their inability to find God is partly the responsibility of believers with a limited or even falsified image of God,” he said.

“They challenge the follow-

ers of religions not to consider God as their own property, as if He belonged to them, in such a way that they feel vindicated in using force against others,” the pope said.

Sitting to the pope’s right were Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury, and to his left were Rabbi David Rosen, representing the chief rabbinate of Israel, and Wande Abimbola, president of a Nigerian institute that promotes the study of the culture and traditional religion of the Yoruba people. He chanted a poem, shaking a rattle made of an animal tusk.

Eleven of the pope’s guests spoke before Pope Benedict did.

Patriarch Bartholomew said the 25 years since Blessed John Paul II’s Assisi gathering have included the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States and the Arab Spring democracy movement “which has not put an end to tensions between communities.”

“The place of religions in the changes under way remains ambiguous,” the patriarch said, echoing the concerns of many Christians that more radical followers of Islam may not protect the rights of Christian minori-

ties in the countries that have thrown off dictatorships.

“We must oppose the deformation of the message and symbols of religion by perpetrators of violence,” said the Orthodox spiritual leader.

Archbishop Williams, spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion, told the participants they must help the world see how much wisdom religions have to offer “in the struggle against the foolishness of a world still obsessed with fear and suspicion, still in love with the idea of a security based on defensive hostility, and still capable of tolerating or ignoring massive loss of life among the poorest through war and disease.”

The Reverend Olav Fykse Tveit, a Lutheran minister and secretary-general of the World Council of Churches, urged the leaders to do more to assist and guide their young people, who can be the source of new energy for change — like with the Arab Spring — or can express their frustrations through violence.

He also pleaded with all the

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religious leaders present to pray and work for peace in Jerusalem, a city sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims and a symbol of ongoing tensions among people of different faiths.

A Hindu representative from India, Shrivatsa Goswami, said the leaders needed to ask themselves why interreligious dialogue has not had a greater impact on the world situation in the last 25 years.

“Are we missing the inward part of the journey?” he asked.

“Dialogue will be a futile exercise unless we undertake it with humility, forbearance, and the desire to respect the ‘other,’” whether or not they return that respect, he said.

Hasyim Muzadi, general secretary of the Indonesiabased International Conference of Islamic Scholars, could not attend, but sent a speech. He said people of different faiths must work together to build on something they all share: “a hope for the creation of human harmony, justice, prosperity and an improved standard of human life.”

Rev. Andrew Small, OMI, STD, National Director 70 West 36th Street, 8th Floor, NY NY 10018

November 4, 2011 The Church in the U.S. Cardinal urges seminarians to look to Blessed John Paul for inspiration

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WASHINGTON (CNS) — The Archdiocese of Washington marked the first feast day of Blessed John Paul II in a special way, as Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl dedicated the archdiocese’s new Blessed John Paul II Seminary in Washington October 22 with a Mass in the seminary’s chapel.

Cardinal Wuerl prayed that God will “bless this house and all who study here so that the vision, the dream and the legacy of Blessed John Paul II will long continue at the service of God’s Holy Church.”

He encouraged the seminarians to look to their patron for guidance and inspiration as they study for the priesthood. The first group of 20 seminarians now call Blessed John Paul II Seminary home, and many assisted at the Mass, serving at the altar, singing in the choir and afterward giving tours of the seminary.

Currently, 72 men are studying for the priesthood for the Washington Archdiocese, including the Blessed John Paul II seminarians taking classes at the nearby Catholic University of America. Msgr. Robert Panke, the new seminary’s rector, was among the concelebrants at the dedication Mass.

Recalling Pope John Paul II’s installation Mass on that day 33 years earlier, Cardinal Wuerl, who was present that day, said the new pope’s words still echo today in the hearts of the world’s Catholics: “Open wide your hearts to Christ. Do not be afraid. Christ is with us. He is risen. He is with us.”

The cardinal noted “how appropriate it is that this seminary would bear his name,” the name of a pope who presided over the Catholic Church for 26 years, offering an example of charity and a body of teaching that has inspired generations of Catholics. He said in a special way, the men trained at the seminary named in the late pope’s honor would continue his work.

“The men who will be formed here are preparing to be priests of this millennium, the agents of the Holy Spirit renewing the face of the earth and the voice of the new evangelization calling all people near and far to embrace the Lord Jesus,” Cardinal Wuerl said in his homily.

Tangible reminders of Blessed John Paul’s life and legacy abound at the seminary. His name graces its entrance way, and a portrait of him painted by Pittsburgh artist Robert Daley is displayed at the chapel’s en-

trance way. Inside the chapel is a liturgical vestment worn by Blessed John Paul when he celebrated Mass.

A reliquary near the chapel’s altar displays a first-class relic, the blood of the late pope that stained the cassock he was wearing when he was shot and critically wounded during an assassination attempt in St. Peter’s Square May 13, 1981.

During the seminary’s dedication Mass, Cardinal Wuerl said that relic serves as a reminder to present and future priests that it is not always easy to take up Jesus’ cross. Afterward, the cardinal said placing the relic in the reliquary provided the most emotional moment in the Mass for him, as a flood of memories returned to him of the pope who ordained him as a bishop 25 years ago. The cardinal was a concelebrant at the May 1 beatification Mass in Rome for the late pope.

The new chapel also connects the seminarians in a special way with Pope Benedict XVI. An

apostolic blessing personally signed by that pontiff is on display at the chapel’s entrance, and the chapel’s altar is the one used by Pope Benedict at his 2008 Mass at Nationals Park in Washington.

The cardinal also noted that the ambo used at the papal Mass is also now in the seminary chapel, and “reminds us that it is the word of God that the priest proclaims, it is the teaching of the Church that he announces. His fidelity is to both, because it is not himself that he preaches but Jesus, and Jesus crucified.”

Another aspect of the new seminary’s chapel that ties the Church’s past to its present and future is the altar stone, once used by Archbishop John Carroll, who in 1789 became the first Catholic bishop of the United States.

During the dedication Mass, Cardinal Wuerl placed the stone in the altar, anointed the altar with chrism and incensed the altar. Near the beginning of Mass, the cardinal blessed and

sprinkled the altar, chapel and seminary with holy water.

Concelebrants of the dedication Mass included Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, retired archbishop of Washington; Washington’s auxiliary bishops; and retired Bishop John H. Ricard of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Fla., a Josephite who is now rector of his order’s seminary in Washington.

The seminary building was originally constructed in 1951 and was first used as a friary for the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. For much of the past decade, the building housed offices for the archdiocese’s Catholic Standard and El Pregonero newspapers, the Office of Youth Ministry and the Consortium of Catholic Academies.

This past fall, the cardinal announced the formation of the new seminary, and the building was extensively renovated to become the new home for the priests and seminarians of Blessed John Paul II Seminary.

Bishops’ committee releases second promotion for defense of marriage

WASHINGTON D.C. — The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage has released the second of five videos for the promotion

and protection of marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Entitled “Made for Life,” the newly-released video features real married couples reflecting on topics related to the gift of

children, the indispensable place of fathers and mothers, and sexual difference.

“Our culture is one that often forgets the sacred gift of the child, and in so doing it also fails to recognize the vital importance of a mother and a father together for the life and upbringing of that child,” said Bishop Salvatore Cordileone of Oakland, Calif., chairman of the Committee. “In contemporary debates about the meaning of marriage, the rights and dignity of the child should be at the forefront.”

Bishop Cordileone announced the release of “Made for Life” during his report to the body of bishops at their June 2011 meeting in Seattle. There he also announced the new name of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage, which is now the Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage.

“Made for Life” is part of an educational initiative entitled “Marriage: Unique for a Reason,” which was launched in June 2010 with the release of the first video, “Made for Each Other.”

The “Made for Life” DVD is accompanied by a Viewer’s Guide and Resource Booklet for Priests, Deacons, Catechists, and Teachers. Materials are online at www.marriageuniqueforareason. org and are available for purchase through www.usccbpublishing. org.

5 The Church in the U.S. Bishop addresses House panel on ‘grave threats to religious liberty’

November 4, 2011

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Recent “grave threats to religious liberty” serve as “grim validations” of the U.S. bishops’ decision last June to create a special committee to address those issues, Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport, Conn., told a House subcommittee.

Bishop Lori, appointed in late September to chair the bishops’ new Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, said the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence require government “to acknowledge and protect religious liberty as fundamental, no matter the moral and political trends of the moment.”

But in recent days, he said, “the bishops of the United States have watched with increasing alarm as this great national legacy of religious liberty, so profoundly in harmony with our own teachings, has been subject to ever more frequent assault and ever more rapid erosion.”

In written testimony before the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution, Bishop Lori called for “corrective action by Congress” to address six areas of particular concern: — Regulations issued by the Department of Health and Human Services in August that would mandate coverage of contraception and sterilization in most private health insurance plans.

— A new requirement by HHS that would require the bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services to agree to provide the “full range” of reproductive services, including abortion and contraception, to human trafficking victims and unaccompanied refugee minors.

— The U.S. Agency for International Development’s requirement that Catholic Relief Services and other contractors include condom distribution in their HIV prevention activities and provide contraception in a range of international relief and development programs.

— The Department of Justice’s actions to mischaracterize the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which states that marriage is the union of a man and a woman, as an act of bigotry and to actively attack its constitutionality.

— The Justice Department’s efforts to undermine the “ministerial exception” that exempts religious institutions from some civil laws when it comes to hiring and firing.

— State actions on same-sex marriage that have resulted in

Catholic Charities agencies in Illinois being “driven out of the adoption and foster care business” and some county clerks in New York state facing legal action for refusing to participate in same-sex unions.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., the ranking minority member of the subcommittee, repeatedly questioned Bishop Lori about whether he saw a difference between state employees who said in the civil rights era that they oppose interracial marriage and those who oppose samesex marriage today, when both decline to follow state laws because of their religious beliefs.

“No, I would believe mar-

riage between two people of different races is an entirely different matter,” he replied.

“Marriage is a unique relationship. It takes a man and a woman.”

The bishop said he found it “troubling” when opposition to same-sex marriage “is portrayed as bigotry” and when some try to draw a “parallel between racial discrimination and (opposition to) same-gender marriage.”

Bishop Lori urged members of the House of Representatives to pass three bills that would “go a long way toward guaranteeing religious liberty and freedom of conscience for

religious employers, health insurers and health care providers.” They are the Protect Life Act (H.R. 358), the Abortion Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 361) and the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (H.R. 1179).

He also called for a congressional hearing or other investigation into “the illegal conditions that HHS and USAID are placing on religious providers of human services.” He said new statutes might be necessary “to create new conscience protections, but more likely to create private rights of action for those whose rights under the existing protections have been violated.”

“Unfortunately, the authority to enforce the applicable conscience protections now lies principally with the federal agencies that may be violating the protections,” Bishop Lori said.

He urged House members to “resist legislative efforts to repeal” the Defense of Marriage Act, including the Respect for Marriage Act (H.R. 1116).

“The religious freedom threats to marriage at the state level may fall beyond the scope of authority of Congress to control — except to the extent that state adoption and foster care services are federally funded,” he said.

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The Anchor The greatest opportunity of our lives

Death is the great contemporary phobia. Every November the Church seeks to help the faithful confront and overcome this fear.

We begin the month by focusing on Heaven and the saints, which reminds us that death is not the end of life but, for those who live and die in Christ, merely a stage of it. On All Souls Day, we pray for all the dead whose presence in Heaven has not been “certified” by canonization and who therefore may be in our need of purification through the prayerful solidarity of the communion of saints. This prayer for the faithful departed is a powerful reminder that Heaven doesn’t come on the cheap, that all of us must be purified in this world or the next of everything in us that is not worthy of God. These considerations lead us to the third focus of November, which is to reflect upon, and prepare for, our own death so that our inevitable passing may truly be an eternally “happy” one.

Throughout the Gospel, Jesus tried to get us to acknowledge and prepare for death so that it may not catch us as a “thief in the night” (Lk 12:39). He confronted our fear of death head on and told us not to fear the temporary destruction of the body but only the eternal loss of the soul through sin (Mt 10:28). He sought to help us to prepare for death by teaching us how to store up for ourselves treasure in Heaven and to live for and in His kingdom. And He indelibly illustrated all of these truths by the courageous, trusting way He Himself died.

Preparing for death in imitation of, and union with, Jesus has been one of the characteristics of the Church since the beginning. We see it with St. Stephen’s echoing Jesus’ last words when he was being stoned to death. We notice it in St. Paul’s call for us to be crucified with Christ so that it is no longer we who live but Christ who lives in us by faith. We spot it in the famous call of Thomas à Kempis’ classic “The Imitation of Christ,” who forcefully reminds us, “In every deed and every thought, act as though you were to die this very day.” This is the way, he taught, that we will “learn to die to the world now” so that we may “begin to live with Christ.” Kempis’ spiritual wisdom, which has formed many saints over the last six centuries, is based on the insight that it is only when we realize that today may be our last day, that we may not have the opportunity to put off the truly important things until tomorrow, that we begin to think clearly and get our priorities straight. We act differently toward people when we realize that today could be our last interaction with them. We begin to look at time differently and no longer wish to waste it on the various diversions with which we fill our lives. We’re not tempted in the same way toward the harsh word, or the impure thought, or the vengeful action, knowing that that might be the last thing we ever do. We begin to have a far deeper appreciation for prayer and the Sacraments and the Church. We cease to sleepwalk spiritually and become fully alert to the meaning of every moment, thought, word and deed.

At the beginning of September, two days before he would retire as Archbishop of Philadelphia, Cardinal Justin Rigali wrote for the priests of his archdiocese an extraordinarily beautiful meditation on Christian preparation for death. Full of faith in contrast to those filled with phobias, Cardinal Rigali called reflection on death an “uplifting” though “challenging” theme. Probably because of the attention given to the installation of his successor not to mention the general cultural preference to ignore thinking about death altogether, Cardinal Rigali’s truly profound thoughts have not yet gotten the attention they deserve. They are as spiritually useful for the faithful of Fall River as for the priests of Philadelphia.

“Preparing for death is the greatest opportunity in our lives,” Cardinal Rigali wrote somewhat provocatively. Rather than dreading death as the inexorable occasion in which our life will be taken from us, we can learn from Jesus how to make our death an act of supreme self-giving love.

Sometimes we view the crucifixion as if Jesus suffered it passively, exclusively as a victim. Jesus, however, in foretelling His death, clarified that He was approaching it with full freedom, love and courage. “I am the Good Shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep,” Jesus stressed. “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have power to lay it down” (Jn 10:11, 18).

Likewise, all of us have been given by Jesus’ death and resurrection a similar power. “We have the possibility to rehearse our death,” Cardinal Rigali wrote, “not in its minute details — although saints have found this useful — but in the sense of accepting it in anticipation by an act of our will that will be consummated freely at the moment of our death and offered to the Father in union with the death of Jesus. We can indeed accept and anticipate by an act of our will the laying down of our life in union with Jesus!”

The rehearsing of our death in Christ each day is not meant to be a morbid exercise, but a lifegiving daily encounter with the Father in which we entrusted ourselves to Him through, with and in Christ. “The Father wills that we pass through death with His Son in order to live, not in order to die.” Cardinal Rigali declared. “Seen in this perspective, death is the moment to give all, to surrender all with Jesus and in union with His sacrifice. All of this can be anticipated by an act of our will, by an act of our love. When anticipated by an act of loving acceptance, death is an opportunity to say ‘yes’ to the Father, just as Jesus did; to say ‘yes’ with all our heart, as Jesus did.”

Because the anticipation day-after-day in self-offering to God becomes a person’s fundamental “yes” to God, it is a daily moment of conversion and “a magnificent opportunity to be able to make up for every lack of love in our lives, for every lack of obedience, for every lack of saying ‘yes,’ for every sin that we have ever committed.” Presenting ourselves to the Lord each day in this anticipated death — which can be done at our early morning offering of the whole day to God conscious that it may be our last day, or at night at our examination of conscience when we make our own Jesus’ words, “Father, into your hands I commend My spirit” (Lk 23:46) — is the means by which we learn to say “yes” and offer ourselves in love to God throughout the day. And this self-surrender will bring, the cardinal assured us, doubtless from personal experience, not sadness but “joy and peace and love in obedience.”

He says that this daily dying and rising with Christ is the best way to be freed of the fear of a sudden death, even if it should come today. “When the hour of death comes,” he noted, “we may not be conscious. It may come very suddenly, by reason of an accident, by reason of a heart attack; there are a million and one possibilities left to our imagination but this does not matter. The point is: the surrender will have been made thousands of times! The Father will understand that each of us had the power, which we exercised, the power, with His Son Jesus, to lay down our life freely, lovingly and definitively. Then there will be no obstacle to the consummation of our love. Life and holiness will be ours forever in the communion of the Most Blessed Trinity.” Death will therefore become the final renewal of our baptismal promises and the fulfillment of our self-offering with Christ to the Father in the Holy Eucharist. And the Father will be able to view our death as the “re-enactment” of the death of His Son and apply to us the “full salvific power of the cross and resurrection.”

Since preparing for death is the greatest opportunity in our lives, Cardinal Rigali stressed, “Now is the time to give all!” Let us take full advantage of this month of November to form in ourselves this habit of daily self-offering. Each day let us pronounce the definitive “yes” to God that we want to say at the moment of our death and for all eternity.

I

November 4, 2011

Be sealed with the Holy Spirit

t was the prophet Isaiah, who eight made these promises for them, but now centuries before the birth of Jesus, they do so on their own. He asks them to explained that the Spirit of the Lord reject Satan and all his empty promises would rest upon the promised Messiah and all forms of worldliness. He asks (Is 11:2). That prophecy was fulfilled them to profess their faith in God the when Jesus was baptized in the Jordan Father and Creator of the world; in Jesus River by John the Baptist, when, as He Christ His only Son, our Lord; in the came out of the water the Spirit of God Holy Spirit and in the Catholic Church. came down upon Him, and the voice of When they finish, he says, “This is our God the Father was heard saying, “This faith, this is the faith of the Church, we is My beloved Son” (Mt 3:17). are proud to profess it in Jesus Christ Our Lord promised that the same our Lord.”

Spirit that was poured out upon Him at The bishop then extends his hands His Baptism would also be poured out over the candidates and prays, “Allupon His disciples (Lk 12:12 and Jn powerful God, Father of our Lord Jesus 3:5-8). That prophecy would ultimately Christ, by water and the Holy Spirit you be fulfilled after His death and resurfreed your sons and daughters from sin rection. When the risen Lord appears and gave them new life. Send your Holy to His Apostles in the upper room, He Spirit upon them to be their helper and says to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit” guide. Give them the spirit of wisdom (Jn 20:22). The Holy Spirit was poured and understanding, the spirit of right out upon them and the entire Church at judgment and courage, the spirit of Pentecost. knowledge and reverence. Fill them with This Holy Spirit that was given to the spirit of wonder and awe in Your the early Church for the building up of presence. We ask this through Christ our the Kingdom Lord.” of God was Here, not limited the prayer Putting Into to those first expresses the disciples of petition of the the Deep Jesus Christ.

Church that He continues the same Holy to pour out Spirit who

By Father that same came upon Jay Mello Holy Spirit Mary and upon each of the Apostles us. He does so might also in order that His Kingdom may continue be out poured upon those receiving the to be built up here on earth.

Sacrament and might fill them with the We become Christians at our Bapseven “gifts of the Holy Spirit.” These tism; in a sense, it is at that moment that “gifts” enable us to live our faith in the we receive the Holy Spirit. But Baptism circumstances and the challenges of is “confirmed” or brought to completion everyday life, acting like leaven within in the Sacrament of Confirmation. It also society, making it more Christ-like. strengthens the grace that we received Then comes the anointing with the sain Baptism so that we, following the cred chrism (which we will reflect upon example of the first disciples, might go next week). The bishop calls a candidate out into the world bringing the Catholic by his or her Confirmation name, “Be faith to a world in darkness. sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

After receiving the Holy Spirit the (We will address the issue of choosfirst Apostles explained that they could ing a Confirmation name next week as not help but speak of Jesus Christ. Many well.) In this anointing the bishop makes of them did so in the face of great perse- the sign of the cross on the candidate’s cution and ridicule, some even went to forehead with the sacred chrism, which their death because they refused to deny like Baptism confers an indelible mark their faith in Jesus Christ. They were upon the soul of the one receiving the able to do so because they were “filled Sacrament. with the Holy Spirit.”

The bishop then says to each canIn this week’s article I propose that didate, “Peace be with you,” which we look at the rite of Confirmation as a reflects what our Lord said to His way of understanding not just the actual Apostles after His resurrection, it also, liturgical ceremony, but what it actually however, expresses the ecclesial comis meant to do in our lives. In the words munion between the bishop and the and actions of the Sacrament of ConCatholics of his diocese. The bishop firmation, we see that something very is the visible sign of communion not profound and solemn is being communi- only among the Catholics of his diocese cated to the candidate. but also with the universal Church, During the homily, the bishop (or which is seen in his communion with priest designated by the bishop to confer the pope, the successor of St. Peter. In the Sacrament on his behalf) instructs this simple exchange of peace, we are those being confirmed about the nature reminded of the unity of the one, holy, of the Sacrament. He explains to them Catholic and apostolic Church. not only what they are receiving, but In these simple gestures, the invocaalso of what is expected of them as tion for the outpouring of the gifts of fully initiated members of the Catholic the Holy Spirit, the anointing with oil Church. In doing so, he encourages and the exchange of peace, something them to faithfully adhere to the teaching very profound happens in the life of of Christ and His Church, to be living those receiving the Sacrament: they are witnesses of the Gospel, and to build commissioned and sent out to bear witup the Kingdom of God in their family, ness to Jesus Christ! But as is the case among their friends and in their schools with all the Sacraments, the recipients and places of work. Those confirmed in also receive the grace that they need to the Catholic faith are called to bring the accomplish this task in their lives. Our Gospel into the every day circumstances Lord and His Church give us everything of society. that we need to accomplish what is beThe bishop then asks the candidates ing asked of us. How we respond to that to renew their baptismal promises, is totally up to us! explaining that when they were baptized Father Mello is a parochial vicar at as infants their parents and godparents St. Patrick’s Parish in Falmouth.

November 4, 2011

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he Liturgy of the Eucharist begins after the intercessions with the Preparation of the Gifts. The ritual includes a few of the faithful bringing forth the gifts of bread and wine that will become the Body and Blood of Christ. Once more, nothing of the ritual itself will change at this time; only the words of prayer will be new. During the Preparation of the Gifts, the priest takes the bread, and then the wine, and offers prayers of blessing to God. Both prayers acknowledge God as the Creator through whom we are given what we ourselves are made able to offer. Hence, the prayers convey gratitude to God for both His creative work and His generosity to us. In addition, the reality of sacrifice that is present in the prayers reflects back on God’s providing for us. Here are the texts: “Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of life.” The people respond: “Blessed be God for ever.”

Then the priest prays over the wine as follows: “Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the wine we offer you: fruit of the vine and work of human hands it will become our spiritual drink.”

The people respond: “Blessed be God for ever.”

The changed portions of the texts express the revisions in the translation. Once more, the new texts possess a greater sense of humble dependence on God than the previous version — as “we have received” what we now offer. In other words, there is humble acknowledgement that even our opportunity to make an offer, and the offering itself that we give, have their source in God. The most noteworthy change in the Preparation of the Gifts comes in the priest’s words inviting prayer that the sacrifice be accepted: “Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters), that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.” The people rise and say: “May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.”

Whereas the previous version makes reference to “our sacrifice,” we see here the reference to “my sacrifice

The Anchor

Offertory, preface and Sanctus

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The priest says, “The Lord be and yours,” as though there temple proclaiming “Holy, hearts to the Lord. with you” and the people reare two separate sacrifices. In Holy, Holy is the Lord God The prayer that follows, spond, “And with your spirit.” called the “Preface,” is chotruth, while the true sacrifice of hosts,” acknowledging the The priest beckons, “Lift up is that of Jesus Christ, offerdominion of God — He has sen based on the day. Most your hearts,” and the people ing Himself to the Father for “hosts” of angels and saints. prefaces are either seasonal reply, “We lift them up to the the forgiveness of sins, what Meanwhile, the words “Ho(such as those for Ordinary Lord.” Finally the priest says, is distinguished here is the sanna in the highest” remind Time) or meant for particular way of participating us of Jesus’ triumphant entry types of celebrations in the sacrifice by into Jerusalem before His (those of martyrs, of the lay faithful and passion and death, when He is the Blessed Virgin the ordained. As with Mary, etc.). There are proclaimed as the Messiah (Mt the response “And 21:9; Mk 11:9-10; Lk 19:38; a few that are used with your spirit” that and Jn 12:13). Our joining in only once for a given expresses the grace this song contains both eleSolemnity — such as

By Father of Holy Orders more ments of proclaiming God’s the preface of Christ Joel Hastings clearly, the nature of dominion and that Jesus is the the King. All prefthe sacrifice offered aces contain words of Messiah who comes to save here by the ordained us. thanksgiving to the is in the place of The changes may seem Father, remembering “Let us give thanks to the Christ. Through ordination, minimal in these words — but the works of the Son, while Lord our God,” and the people seeking the gifts of the Holy the priest offers the sacrifice it is significant in that the new respond, “It is right and just.” as Christ Himself. The laity translation is more literal. The Spirit. The Preface concludes In the words of this diaalso offer the sacrifice, but as preface, as a prayer of thanksby inviting all to join the logue, the priest turns toward an offering of themselves in giving, and the singing of the song of the angels in heaven: the people to invite them to union with Christ. The of“Holy, Holy, Holy,” prepares “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God enter into the offering of the fering of the laity is thus as of hosts. Heaven and earth are us (as it did Isaiah) to encounsacrifice, lifting up their hearts full of your glory. Hosanna members of His Body, with ter the Lord more fittingly, to God in thanksgiving. The Christ Himself as the Head of making us ready to offer ourin the highest. Blessed is He whole dialogue is reminiscent the Body.

Who comes in the name of the selves more completely. of the prayer of Azariah found Lord. Hosanna in the highest.”

That the sacrifice is ofFather Hastings is Direcin Daniel 3:26-45, as he, along fered for the “good of all tor of the Office of Liturgy This heavenly song draws with Hananiah and Mishael, His holy Church” is simply a together two Scripture passag- and Worship of the Diocese of give themselves as an offering es. In Isaiah 6:3, the prophet more literal translating of the Duluth and pastor of St. Rose of thanksgiving to God while original Latin version. To call Parish in Proctor, Minn. witnesses the angels in the being subjected to death in the Church “holy” is both in the fiery furnace. Their prayer keeping with the Creed (that the Church is holy is one of the of thanksgiving is heard, as God preserves them from the “four marks” of the Church), and an expression of the nature fire — hence, their offering of thanks leads to new life. and dignity of the Church.

Noteworthy changes in The Preparation of the Gifts the new translation are in the concludes when the priest responses of the people. The offers the “Prayer over the gifts,” which, as in the Collect response, “And with your spirit,” is once more used, con(Opening Prayer), is specific sistent with the earlier usages to each occasion. It concludes during Mass. In addition, the with the people’s “Amen,” words, “It is right and just,” thus concluding this time of are more literal translations of humble asking of acceptance the Latin, expressing that it is of the sacrifice that is to be truly appropriate and owed to offered.

God that we make an offering We turn now to the Euchaof self to the Father, lifting our ristic Prayer, focusing today on the purpose and meaning of the prayer and the beginning parts of the prayer. The Website: cssdioc.org Eucharistic Prayer is to be understood as a prayer of FALL RIVER CAPE COD TIVERTON, R.I. “thanksgiving and sanctificaNEW BEDFORD TAUNTON 1600 BAY ST. 261 SOUTH ST. REACHING OUT 238 BONNEY ST. 79 BROADWAY P.O. BOX M HYANNIS 311 HOOPER ST. tion,” wherein the people are 508-997-7337 508-824-3624 SO. STA. 508-771-6771 401-624-9270 invited to lift their hearts to 508-674-4681 the Lord in thanksgiving and • OFFICE FOR CHILD PROTECTION • COUNSELING prayer. The Eucharistic Prayer • ADOPTIONS: • HOUSING COUNSELING serves as the prayer by which INFANT • IMMIGRATION, LEGAL EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL Jesus Christ’s offering of His AND ADVOCACY PROJECT PREGNANCY COUNSELING • INFORMATION/REFERRAL Body and Blood to the Father • ADVOCACY FOR: • PARENT/SCHOOL CRISIS INTERVENTION for the forgiveness of sins is SPANISH & PORTUGUESE SPEAKING • REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT represented (that is, “made PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES • HOUSING FOR WOMEN: • BASIC ENGLISH FOR LIFE-LONG LEARNING present again”) so that all may ST. MATHIEU’S • CATHOLIC CAMPAIGN FOR DONOVAN HOUSE be able to partake of His one HUMAN DEVELOPMENT ST. CLARE’S/ST. FRANCES’ true sacrifice and receive its • EMERGENCY SHELTERS: • BASIC NEEDS SAMARITAN HOUSE benefits. As a sacrifice that we SAMARITAN HOUSE SISTER ROSE’S HOUSE participate in, offering praise H.O.U.S.E. FOR FAMILIES and thanksgiving to God, the SPECIAL APOSTOLATES: SPONSORSHIP: prayer fittingly begins with the APOSTOLATE FOR SPANISH SPEAKING SOUP KITCHEN SUPPORTIVE PERMANENT HOUSING PROGRAMS dialogue between the priest COMMUNITY ACTION FOR BETTER HOUSING and the people that follows.

Praying the Mass Anew

catholic social services

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s youngsters growing up, my older brother and I were involved in Scouting. We began in the Cub Scouts in Pack 5 at Sacred Heart Parish in New Bedford and moved onto Boy Scouts in Troop 5. I finished as an Eagle Scout in Troop 46 that met every Friday at the Boy’s Club of New Bedford.

Scouting teaches skills and values to be instilled for a life time. There are two mottos to the Scouting program: “Do a good turn daily” and “Be prepared.”

Sometimes we forget how easy it is to live by these mottos. To do a good turn daily is not something we do to receive recognition but we do out of the goodness of our hearts.

Most importantly we do it for Christ. In Matthew’s parable of

November 4, 2011

The Anchor

Be prepared

the last judgement, he tells us, no oil with them, but the wise “Amen I say to you whatever brought flasks of oils with you did for one of these least their lamps. The foolish came brothers of mine, you did for unprepared and were left outMe” (Mt 25:40). side in the darkness when the But it’s not only doing master came. It was impossible good turns, but being prepared to act on these good turns that Homily of the Week counts. This is where Thirty-second Sunday our Gospel message in Ordinary Time today comes into play.

Are we ready, or more

By Father importantly, prepared Michael Racine to meet the Lord at the end of time?

In the parable, we hear of 10 virgins who go to to know if they were friends of meet the bridegroom. We are the master, but the master said, told that some are wise and “I do not know you.” They some foolish — or in modern came unprepared. terms prepared and unpreThe oil that we read about pared. The parable speaks for in today’s Gospel can be seen itself. The foolish ones, when as representing all that we do taking their lamps, brought to meet the Lord. It is good

that we always fill our lamps with the oil doing the good deeds in this life so that at the end of our lives we will be recognized by Him as His friend and welcomed by His loving hands.

One may ask why those who had oil did not lend some to the ones who did not bring any or whose lamps went out because they didn’t have enough? Are we not called to share with one another our goods? The answer to that is certainly yes, that we are called to share, but there some things in life that we cannot give to others as a simple handout.

One of those is a sense of responsibility to learn and follow right values. Being ready to

stand before Jesus is a personal responsibility. We are taught the values of faith, charity and respect from our upbringing as children, but only we can nurture them. Nurturing our relationship with the Lord is especially important in word and deed.

Today we examine in our lives how much oil is in our flask. Let us not be like the foolish virgins and wait until it’s too late. Let us look at our own lives and ask ourselves how are we doing? Are we doing those good turns for the right reason? Are we prepared always to deepen our relationship with the Lord, putting aside the dark side of life and allowing the Lord to enter more deeply into our lives?

Father Racine is pastor of St. Bernard’s Parish in Assonet.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. Nov. 5, Rom 16:3-9,16,22-27; Ps 145:2-5,10-11; Lk 16:9-15. Sun. Nov. 6, Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Wis 6:12-16; Ps 63:2-8; 1 Thes 4:13-18 or 4:13-14; Mt 25:1-13. Mon. Nov. 7, Wis 1:1-7; Ps 139:1-10; Lk 17:1-6. Tues. Nov. 8, Wis 2:23-3:9; Ps 34:2-3,16-19; Lk 17:7-10. Wed. Nov. 9, Ez 47:1-2,8-9,12; Ps 46:2-3,5-6,8-9 1 Cor 3:9c-11,16-17; Jn 2:13-22. Thu. Nov. 10, Wis 7:22b-8:1; Ps 119:89-91,130,135,175; Lk 17:20-25. Fri. Nov. 11, Wis 13:1-9; Ps 19:2-5; Lk 17:26-37.

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he long-awaited introduction of the new translation of the Roman Missal on November 27, the First Sunday of Advent, offers the Church in the Anglophere an opportunity to reflect on the riches of the Liturgy, its biblical vocabulary, and its virtually inexhaustible storehouse of images. Much of that vocabulary, and a great many of those images, were lost under the “dynamic equivalence” theory of translation; they have now been restored under the “formal equivalence” method of translating. Over the next years and decades, the Catholic Church will be reminded of just what a treasure-house of wonders the

Breaking bad liturgical habits

the Sacramentary. At Masses Liturgy is.

At the same time, the “chang- where there is no sung entrance es in the words” offer the hymn, the admonition “please Church a golden opportunity to stand” should never be heard; confront, and then break, some if the priest-celebrant (or lector) bad liturgical habits that have accumulated, like unlovely barnacles on the barque of Peter, over the past several decades.

For example:

By George Weigel 1. Holy Mass should never begin with a greeting or an injunction that is not in the Roman recites the Entrance Antiphon in Missal. The first words the con- an audible voice before processgregation hears from the cel- ing to the altar, everyone will ebrant should be the liturgical get the message that Mass has words of greeting prescribed in begun, and will stand without being told to do so.

2. Far too many lectors, including many of the best, begin the responsorial psalm inappropriately, saying, “The responsorial psalm is.” — and then reciting the antiphon to the psalm, which is not “the responsorial psalm” but its antiphon. The phrase “The responsorial psalm is.” should thus be put under the ban. Forty-plus years into the

The Catholic Difference

liturgical renewal, there is no need to do anything except intone or recite the antiphon that begins the responsorial psalm: by now, the congregation surely knows that their next task is to repeat the antiphon, either in song or by recitation.

3. Fully aware that I shall be accused by some of crankiness bordering on misanthropy, let me repeat a point made in this space before: the exchange of peace is not meant to be the occasion for a chat with the neighbors, but for the greetings of those closest to us in church with a simple, evangelical salutation: “The peace of the Lord be with you;” “Peace be with you;” “The peace of Christ.” The longer conversations can be saved for the narthex or vestibule (not “gathering space”).

4. The Communion antiphon, typically linked to the Gospel of the day, is just as typically AWOL at Mass. If it is not sung by the choir, it should be recited prior to the distribution of Holy Communion, not afterwards, as if it were some sort of after-

thought.

5. Then there is silence. The rubrics prescribe various periods of silent reflection at Mass, particularly after the reception of Holy Communion, so that the “still, small voice” of 1 Kings 19.12 (butchered by the New American Bible into “tiny whispering sound”) might be heard.

This is not a matter of doing something differently just to do something differently; it is a recognition that, in the Liturgy, God speaks to us through silence as well as through vocal prayer and Scripture. Reintroducing periods of silence into the Liturgy will require explanation from the pulpit; but while priests and deacons are explaining the “new words,” why not explain why the Church chooses silence over words at some points in its worship?

The re-sacralization of the English used in the Liturgy affords all of us an opportunity to ponder just what it is we are doing at Holy Mass: we are participating, here and now, in the liturgy of angels and saints that goes on constantly around the Throne of Grace where the Holy Trinity lives in a communion of radical self-gift and receptivity.

This is, in short, serious business, even as it is joyful business. We should do it well, as the grace of God has empowered us to do it well.

George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

Wednesday 2 November 2011 — at home on the Taunton River — All Souls Day ince early childhood, dear readers, I have been a big fan of calendar customs.

They’re a celebration of life.

Come October, for example, my kindergarten teacher taught us kids a new song. I remember it still: “Three little pumpkins, sitting on a gate.

The first one said, ‘My, it’s getting late.’

The second one said, ‘There are witches in the air!’

The third one said, ‘But I don’t care.’

OOOO went the wind.

And out went the lights.

And the three little pumpkins rolled out of sight.”

Perhaps I misheard, but I suspect my kindergarten teacher purposely shortened the song. I learned 60 years later that there are supposed to be five little pumpkins. When she heard our off-key singing, she decided that three pumpkins were enough. Too late, my imagination had already been activated.

Back then, you could buy a papier-mâché Jack-O-Lantern at the Five-and-10-Cent store (these are now valuable collectibles). There were no plastic pumpkins. When I was old enough, I wanted to carve a real pumpkin. A pumpkin became a “Death’s Head,” but with a difference. The Light of Life came shining through.

What did I know back then of the triumph of life over death?

As a child, I would spend weeks contemplating what I would be for Halloween. There was no thought of buying a costume. And, with five kids, my mother was not about to sew Halloween costumes. It was up to me to find the items I needed around the house.

I had heard that if you burned a cork, you could create a reasonable facsimile of a beard by smearing the ashes on your face. With a beard, I could be a hobo or a pirate or a crook. As an alternative, you could cover your face with Vaseline and apply coffee grounds. I tried this only once.

It was a complete disaster.

Having decided on a costume, off I would go with my four younger siblings, knocking on neighbor’s doors.

“Trick or treat!” we would shout, and hold out our bags.

“Oh, my,” each homeowner would exclaim. “And who are you?” This is no idle chat-

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The Anchor

November 4, 2011

The singing pumpkins

ter; it’s a classic question of psychological development.

It is the task of childhood to figure out who you really are.

Oddly, I never thought of going out on Halloween dressed as a priest.

My problem was that I was already six feet tall in the fourth grade. “Are you these kids’ father?” I would be asked

as I rattled my bag expectantly.

“You should be ashamed of yourself, sir. No candy for you.” That fake beard was my undoing.

Halloween presented the opportunity for innocent fantasizing. You could be whatever your imagination could come up with. Now there are super-stores dedicated to nothing but expensive Halloween costumes. It’s no longer about imagination but merchandising. Then there’s the health food trend. What child wants to be given a celery stick instead of a chocolate bar?

Old-time Halloween fun, like the three little pumpkins, has rolled out of sight.

Not all countries observe the modern version of North American Halloween. Latin America, for example, has el dia de les muertos. It has nothing to do with blooddripping vampires, manic extraterrestrials, or terrifying monsters from the Black Lagoon. All Souls Day is about remembering and honoring those who have gone before us. It’s about celebrating life.

I understand, for example, that throughout the year in the Azores, upon the death of a relative or friend, food

and clothing are distributed to the poor. On All Souls Day, the children of the poor would go door to door asking for donations of bread and milk, saying not “trick or treat” but “pao, por Deus,” which translates “bread, for the Lord’s sake.”

Sometimes the children would also receive pastries, chestnuts, or fruit. Children did not need costumes.

Both Azorean customs are ways of honoring the dead by providing alms to the living. Celebrating life is not about constant partying, but about charity and piety. Attendance at Mass on All Souls Day, in particular, is the most effective way families can pray for their deceased loved ones.

Today in the Azores, under American influence, scary costumes are beginning to appear.

“Treats” are now more likely to be candy. “Tricks” are still unheard of, though.

I have visited several cemeteries in the Azores.

These tend to be well-kept.

The dead are honored all year long. Perennial flowers such as calla lilies, stock, lavender, and rosemary are everywhere.

In the language of flowers, rosemary stands for remembrance.

Johnny Appleseed legendarily traveled the country planting apple tree saplings (another teacher “forgot” to tell me it was for the eventual production of hard-liquor

cider). I should start a campaign planting rosemary all across the United States, lest we forget that part of celebrating life is honoring the dead. I

could become a legend in my own mind.

Father Goldrick is pastor of St. Nicholas of Myra Parish in North Dighton.

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November 4, 2011

Parishioner maintains lifelong devotion to parish

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

NEW BEDFORD — Everyone at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in New Bedford is apparently on a first-name basis with Ulena Chaberek.

That’s because since being baptized into the Polish parish family, she’s been a reliable fixture not just at Sunday Masses, but any and all church events.

“Ever since I can remember, I’ve been active and doing things with the parish,” Chaberek said. “I was 15 years old when I started helping with the mailings in the church. Whenever there’s anything going on in the parish, I’m there. Not that I’m helping all the time, but I’m there. I just love it.”

Chaberek’s love and devotion to her home parish is clear and almost infectious and can be traced back to the example her mother set early on.

“My mother would take us to parish events,” Chaberek said, referring to herself and five siblings. “She was the one who inspired us all and encouraged us to do things.

My oldest sister and I started with the first Christmas bazaar in the parish. We used to sew all year long to have things ready for Christmas.

Then we’d finish and start all over again. But our whole family remained active in the

ing at the Wamsutta Club in to your church, it will give parish.”

Looking at a portrait of New Bedford, earning $49 a back.’”

Following in her mother’s her late mother hanging over week.

“She would still give 10 footsteps, Chaberek has been the dining room table, Chaberek began to tear up as she percent of that to her church,” giving to her parish church remembered how important Chaberek said. “When you for more than 60 years now.

She’s been active faith was to her. working in the par“It was all beish office, helping cause of my mothwith mailings, server,” she said. “She ing as president of was an inspiration the parish’s Young to me. She’s been Ladies Sodality, atgone for many tending and helping years, but she lived with Bingo, creatto be 95. ing crafts for the “When we were Christmas Bazaar, kids, I remember and even making they had started homemade pierogi the Polish National for the annual PolCatholic Church ish Festival. that’s gone now, but “I play Bingo a lot of businesswith Father Conmen signed up for rad,” Chaberek said, them here. They referring to her pastold my mother she tor, Father Conrad couldn’t go to her Salach, OFM Conv. church anymore, “We even got him and she said: ‘You to make pierogi the can take everything other day.” you want from me, A talented artist, but you won’t take Chaberek is also my religion and known for makyou’re not going ing colorful Polish to take it from my Easter eggs called children, either.’ pisanki.

She had it tough, “It takes hours because some of the businessmen would Anchor Person of the Week — Ulena to do one egg,” she said, showing off a come around and Chaberek. dozen of the meticmake fun of her.” ulously hand-paintChaberek’s father died in his early 50s, think about $49 a week, to- ed creations. “We displayed leaving her 46-year-old day you couldn’t even feed some of these down at the mother to raise six children a single person on that. But Waterfront Festival in New alone. She took a job work- she always said: ‘If you give Bedford. My daughter and I paint them. We work on a raw egg and then take the insides out, then we cover it in wax to hold the color. It takes me about eight hours to do one egg, but my daughter is a bit faster. I taught her how to make them when she was small. I used to send them to people as Easter cards, but I don’t do that anymore.”

Not surprisingly, it wasn’t just Chaberek’s artistic talents that wore off on her daughter. She’s also become actively involved with Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, just like her mother and grandmother before her.

“My daughter, Fran, has been teaching Faith Forma-

tion classes at the parish since she was 16 years old — and she’s 47 now,” Chaberek said. “Now that I’ve slowed down, my daughter has taken over. She’s doing just as much if not more than I did.

She teaches Faith Formation classes and my granddaughter is also teaching with her.”

Chaberek has two other children — a son who works as a police officer in New Bedford and a daughter that works for The StandardTimes — and both, to her pleasure, go to church. Her youngest daughter had Down syndrome and died a couple of years ago.

“She would go with me to Bingo every week at the parish,” she said. “She had pneumonia four times in one year and she couldn’t shake it.”

Having just celebrated her 83rd birthday, Chaberek said it has always been her faith in God and her devotion to her Church that pulled her through.

When she became sick and was hospitalized for three months back in 2005, she knew God was with her.

“They didn’t think I was going to live, but I fooled them,” she laughed. “I’m sure God has a plan for me.

You never know.”

Although she recently had to give up some parish activities for health reasons, Chaberek can still be found playing Bingo or socializing at church events at her beloved Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish.

“To me, if you don’t have religion or the Church, you have nothing,” she said. “I mean, what’s the use of living if you don’t have religion?

When it comes to religion and my Church, people aren’t going to change my mind.

“It’s sad that a lot of people don’t appreciate the Church.

I appreciate everything I get from the Church. If more people got involved in their parish, they’d be happier.”

To submit a Person of the Week nominee, send information to fatherrogerlandry@ anchornews.org.

To advertise in The Anchor, contact

Wayne Powers at 508-675-7151 or Email waynepowers@anchornews.org

11

The Anchor

November 4, 2011

Swansea parish marks 100th anniversary continued from page one

Before 1911, there were no Catholic churches in Swansea, despite a growing number of Catholics settling in town. The faithful needed to get to Fox Point, Bristol, R.I., Somerset or Fall River to attend Mass on Sundays. The Dominican Fathers of St. Anne’s Parish in Fall River started coming out to Swansea to celebrate Mass and administer the Sacraments.

Eventually Bishop Daniel F. Feehan assigned the spiritual needs of Swansea’s Catholic population to the Dominicans and established the St. Dominic mission of St. Anne’s Parish. Father Bernard Percott was assigned to minister to the faithful in Swansea, celebrating Mass in the homes of local farmers, spending the weekend as a guest and being driven back to St. Anne’s Priory on Sunday nights.

Mass was also celebrated at the old Barneyville Baptist Church.

The unused church had been purchased by Algernon Barney so that his farm hands — many of them French-Canadian and Portuguese immigrants — could attend Mass without the hardship of travel in all kinds of weather.

These Swansea Catholics soon petitioned Bishop Feehan to establish their own parish. The bishop agreed and in October 1911, the St. Dominic mission became St. Dominic’s Parish with Father Percott assigned as founding pastor. The very first parish Mass was celebrated on Nov. 5, 1911 at the Brook Side farm of Norbert P. Berard. Algernon Barney donated the old Baptist church to the Diocese of Fall River and it became the St. Francis Xavier mission chapel of St. Dominic’s Parish.

The chapel remained in operation, serving the Barneyville area Catholics until it was destroyed in the Hurricane of 1938.

In 1911 Father Percott quickly organized his parishioners to the task of building a parish church.

Parishioners donated the land, materials, money and their labor.

Work progressed so quickly that on Mar. 3, 1912, Bishop Feehan blessed the new church where Mass has been celebrated ever since. Father Percott continued as pastor until 1927, returning to St. Anne’s Priory where he died in 1937. During his 16 years as pastor, he managed to retire the parish debt and saw the parish double in size.

Boasting the theme “One Hundred Years in Christ Alive,” Sunday’s parish centennial celebration will also include a display of historical items and memorabilia within the parish center along with an anniversary banquet immediately following the 11 a.m. Mass at the Venus de Milo Restaurant just down the Grand Army Highway in Swansea. Father Viveiros said the banquet is sold out and he expects

500 people to attend.

During the anniversary banquet, proclamations from Pope Benedict XVI, Bishop George W. Coleman and the community will be read. At the conclusion of the banquet, a beautiful full-color history of the parish in book form will be distributed to each family.

The parish centennial will also be honoring its oldest native parishioner, Mary Veronica Griffin McLeod, who was baptized by Father Percott on Halloween 1920 and has been a parishioner ever since.

“We are excited to be able to celebrate this anniversary as a

parish community,” Lucca said.

“It’s hard to believe that which began so long ago is still alive and vibrant and growing today. God has truly blessed this parish as we gather together on the anniversary and each and every day to give thanks for all the benefits we have received from Him.” “Parishioners have always supported this parish well,” Father Viveiros agreed. “It’s a close-knit community and people always feel very much at home when they come here. It’s a warm and loving parish community and that’s one thing we’re very proud of.”

St. Dominic’s Church, Swansea

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November 4, 2011

cat tales — The legendary hero, voiced by Antonio Banderas, in a scene from the movie “Puss In Boots.” For a brief review of this film, see CNS Movie Capsules below. (CNS/DreamWorks Animation)

CNS Movie Capsules NEW YORK (CNS) — The following are capsule reviews of movies recently reviewed by Catholic News Service.

“Puss in Boots” (DreamWorks) Screenwriter Tom Wheeler’s exceptionally intelligent and energetic script for this 3-D animated “Shrek” spinoff has the title character (voice of Antonio Banderas) — accompanied by his childhood friend Humpty Dumpty (voice of Zach Galifianakis) and newfound feline love interest (voice of Salma Hayek) — going in quest of the goose that lays golden eggs.

Director Chris Miller’s kidfriendly adventure combines imagery from fairy tales with a story line that makes Puss a mischievous, Zorro-like bandit to present a valuable lesson about the perils of greed and dishonesty. Parents of young children should know in advance, however, that one of the principal characters dies. Intense action sequences. The Catholic News Service classification is A-I — general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested.

“The Rum Diary” (FilmDistrict) Smoke, drink, be hung over, repeat is the lusty refrain of this film memoir, set in 1960 Puerto

Rico and based on gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson’s roman a clef about his early years in the business. Writerdirector Bruce Robinson and star Johnny Depp, who plays Thompson’s alter ego, don’t try to glamorize the abundant substance abuse. Rather, they highlight the origins of Thompson’s well-known rages against injustice, corrupt politicians and corporate greed. Still, although sweetly nostalgic at times, this material is strictly for mature adults prepared for its portrayal of drunkenness and drug addiction. Implied premarital sexual encounters, brief partial female nudity, drug and abusive alcohol use, pervasive rough and fleeting profane language. The Catholic News Service classification is L — limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“The Three Musketeers” (Summit) Alexandre Dumas’ classic costume epic of 17th-century swordsmanship, French patriotism and political treachery is updated with 3-D, slow-motion fighting and two anachronistic airships, one of which has a flamethrower.

Director Paul W.S. Anderson downplays the politics to have Matthew Macfadyen, Luke Evans and Ray Stevenson as Athos, Aramis and Porthos, respectively, joined by Logan Lerman as D’Artagnan, fighting mostly for the love of their women. Probably acceptable for mature adolescents. Fleeting crude and crass language, light sexual banter and highly stylized gun- and swordplay. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, November 6, 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Jay Mello, Assistant Director of the Diocesan Vocations Office and a parochial vicar at St. Patrick’s Parish in Falmouth

November 4, 2011

Overview for planning a Catholic funeral continued from page one

ing the Catholic funeral rites.

“The traditions have been there for years and they serve a purpose,” said Father Sullivan.

“They help us in the grief process. So often the three stations of the traditional Catholic funeral — the wake or calling hours, the Mass and then the committal — help us to really come to a clear understanding of dealing with death.”

That proper “Rite of Christian Burial” is an intrinsic part of the Catholic faith that should be observed to pray for the soul to make its proper journey to the realm of everlasting love and peace, said Father John J. Perry, pastor of St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Taunton and director of cemeteries for the past 10 years.

“We believe the greatest and highest form of prayer is the Liturgy and the Eucharist,” he said.

“We believe as Catholics that our prayers assist those on their way to God’s kingdom and there’s no greater form of prayer than the Liturgy and the Eucharist.”

He added, “I’m sad to say that in our society, that’s not the most important thing in a lot of people’s lives.”

It is a viewpoint that Father Sullivan shares as well, and he feels it may stem from the wavering of faith.

“I think it’s all the denial of the possibility of the resurrection,” said Father Sullivan.

“Sometimes when we want to

go on and this life becomes so important to us, it’s not an overt denial of everlasting, eternal life but I think that it’s sort of the motivation. There’s just not a strong belief or a hope, unfortunately, in eternal life.”

To help counter that notion and reinforce the significance of observing the three stations of a proper Catholic funeral, both priests say, it is important that even non-practicing Catholics understand that the rites bring the deceased full circle within the Catholic faith.

The wake is often the first time family, friends and members of the parish community gather in remembrance of the deceased for prayer and support. The funeral Mass hearkens back to the deceased’s Baptism, right down to the sprinkling of holy water and the placing of the white pall over the casket. The committal is the final goodbye as those in attendance offer additional prayers for the person’s journey while the body is put to rest in consecrated ground.

“We are there to pray for the deceased,” said Father Perry.

“That’s been part of our Catholic history and tradition in praying for souls.”

Even on the most basic level, the family needs the time to grieve and find closure. Allowing time for the wake, funeral and committal gives the family its own steps for healing. If the

idea that any part of the Catholic burial rite may be an “inconvenience” to a family’s busy life and steps are made to shortcut arrangements, the loss is greater than the gain.

“They’re missing out, most of all, on the centrality of the Eucharist,” said Father Sullivan.

“They’re missing out on the way that the death of a loved one has affected the whole community and not just their family. The Catholic funeral is an expression that the community recognizes they lost a family member. It’s not just [the deceased’s] nuclear family but there is this idea that we have a bigger impact on the world than just the small, everyday context that we miss out on. I think the Catholic funeral expresses the loss of the community member.”

It’s not just another funeral, said Father Perry; this person had a life that reached beyond what the family may know.

“Grief denied is grief delayed,” said Father Perry, relating a quote he once read off of a funeral home website. “That’s very true. We can’t simply pretend that someone who has been an important part of our lives, and is now gone, that it’s not going to matter. We have to acknowledge it; we have to experience it.”

Both priests say it’s important to have prearrangements.

The death of a loved one brings

Local 40 Days For Life closes seventh campaign continued from page one

with one voice. It really builds the body and says, ‘We are not alone here.’” he said.

Those who answer the call to pray for women and their unborn children outside the abortion clinic have shared tears and laughter and formed close friendships, he added.

Marcotte said he is impressed that so many dedicated individuals participate in every campaign amidst all their other commitments. Some bring a church group and others their entire family. A few drive two hours one-way to pray for the end to abortion.

He thanked all those who attend as well as individuals such as Bishop George W. Coleman and Marian Desrosiers, director of the Diocese of Fall River’s Pro-Life Apostolate.

“Without the Church, without the Fall River Diocese, this campaign would not be anywhere,” he said. “God has blessed us.”

Marcotte said that much of the work of 40 Days is based on faith.

He added that he keeps in mind the words of Blessed Mother Teresa who said, “We are called upon not

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to be successful, but to be faithful.”

“We just need to be out there and let things happen as God wants them to happen,” he added.

The first 40 Days for Life was conducted in College Station, Texas in 2004. Since then, participating communities have seen drops in the abortion rate and increased Pro-Life activity. The first nationally-coordinated 40 Days for Life was held in fall 2007.

This fall, 46 new locations participated, bringing the total to nearly 300. Reports document more than 4,000 lives that have been spared from abortion since the first campaign, and as the 40 Days website indicates, not every life saved could possibly be confirmed. There have been 53 abortion workers who have quit their jobs — with some citing 40 Days as the reason they walked away from the abortion industry. Many groups report that the campaigns have re-energized local Pro-Life efforts.

Those “local” Pro-Life efforts include locations overseas. The 40 Days website states that the international expansion of the cam-

paign was “unexpected” but a great blessing. This fall, 40 Days vigils were held in Argentina, Australia, Canada, England, Germany and Spain.

In Massachusetts, this fall’s campaign has been held in Attleboro, Lynn, Springfield and Worcester. As of the campaign’s 30th day, 398 children had been saved, and one of those was recorded by the Worcester group.

The Attleboro vigil began in fall 2008 outside the Four Women Health Services building, the only remaining abortion clinic in the Diocese of Fall River. Vigilers gather across the street at Angel Park, located between divided state highway Route 118.

In an email sent to participants in the last days of this fall’s campaign, Attleboro organizers wrote, “The weather has held up well for those who have been faithfully praying during this time and we’ve had more individual groups participate than ever before. Spreading the word about the campaign is bearing fruit.”

For more information, visit www.40daysforlife.com/attleboro.

strong emotions at a difficult time, and if someone is uncertain that his or her wishes for a Catholic funeral may not be observed, then now is the time to speak up.

“The best thing you can do for your family is to make prearrangements. Ideally the best is to make prearrangements and prepayment. Then you’ve relieved your family of a terrible burden of making very difficult choices during a difficult time,” said Father Perry. “I feel bad for the Catholic people who have been very devoted to Church, then when death comes upon them, it’s an element of their life that’s sometimes completely ignored.

That’s why I say the best thing you can do is make prearrangements, especially if that sense is detected.”

The important thing is to realize we are all mortal. Ask yourself: What would you like to bring as comfort to your family, friend and to the community you are leaving behind? Shortly after Father Sullivan was ordained, he was asked to plan his own funeral arrangements, something that took him aback.

“I’m just getting started,” he recalled thinking, and then realized that planning for his own death put his life in perspective.

“It was a good way of looking at what I had done already and what impact do I hope to make in the future; it was a good exercise for me. It called on me to look at what I hoped to accomplish before my funeral.”

By being prepared, said Father Sullivan, “It let me know that every day is a grace and gift from God, and that I think that when we look at our mortality we can appreciate that more.”

As Americans we live in a very diverse, multi-cultural society that has allowed other religious traditions to creep into the Catholic faith. It’s important to stress our own. On the second day of November, Catholics take the opportunity of All Souls Day to pray for those who have passed. However, said Father Perry, one’s everyday life can be a moment of prayer for a deceased loved one.

“I know, coming from Portuguese ancestry, they would always be doing some kind of charitable act,” he said. “If you ever try to repay someone, oftentimes the response would be, ‘No, this is for the souls in Purgatory,’ or simply, ‘This is for the souls.’ It was basically an understanding that the acts of charity, the acts of prayer and the things we do, assist the souls on their journey. That’s what we believe as Catholics, that’s who we are.”

This article is the first in a four-part series that will offer a guide for Catholics to help explain the symbolism found in, and the importance of, the rite of a proper Catholic burial.

Next week’s article will feature the first of the three stations — the “Vigil for the Deceased,” often referred to as the “wake.”

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Bishop Coleman on ad limina visit continued from page one

limina visit as well as the upcoming implementation of the new English translation of the Roman Missal. The contents of that interview follow: The Anchor: The phrase “ad limina” comes from the Latin to make a pilgrimage “to the threshold of the Apostles.”

What does this pilgrimage to the tombs of SS. Peter and Paul, their example and their intercession, mean for you as Bishop of Fall River?

Bishop Coleman: During our visit in Rome we will be concelebrating in each of the four major basilicas: St. Peter’s, St. Paul Outside the Wall, St. John Lateran, and St. Mary Major. Cardinal Sean O’Malley will be the principal celebrant of a Mass very near the tomb of St. Peter. Other bishops will be principal celebrants at the other major basilicas.

It goes back to the very basic tenets of our faith. St. Peter, in the words of the Gospel, is told by our Lord Himself, “On this rock I’ll shall build My Church.” Our Church is built on the rock that is Peter the Apostle. The faith of the Church has been spread throughout the world by Peter and the Apostles and their successors.

We look to the Holy Father as the successor of St. Peter.

He is the center of unity, the visible center of unity for our Church. Christ, in His own person, brings about the unity of the Church. Our Holy Father represents Him here on earth in time and history.

The bishops are successors to the Apostles. The time that I will have in Rome will be an opportunity to reflect on that fact of faith; the fact that I have been chosen as a successor of the Apostles to be a pastor to what we call the local Church of Fall River. I’m so grateful to the Lord for having called me to this position. I pray and I ask for the prayers of all the people of the Diocese of Fall River

that I may worthily carry out the responsibilities as bishop.

Being with the Holy Father and my fellow bishops allows me to reflect on that reality in the city so close to our Holy Father, the visible center of our Church.

The time during the ad limina visit provides an extended period of reflection on the reality that we are bishops and successors of the Apostles and we have the responsibility of preaching the Gospel and bringing people to the faith and to understand what it means to be a community of faith.

The Anchor: This is your second ad limina visit. What are your memories from the first (2004)? What was it like to meet with now Blessed Pope John Paul II? Bishop Coleman: Meeting Pope John Paul II was a very memorable occasion. It was at a time when Pope John Paul II was in failing health, not many months before his death. It was difficult for him to carry on a conversation. But he was certainly very capable of getting his message across. I asked him to bless the priests, religious, deacons and laity of our Diocese of Fall River and he did so. It was a very moving moment for me.

I am so pleased that here in our diocese we have one of our high schools named after him, Blessed Pope John Paul II High School in Hyannis.

The Anchor: It must be a highlight for any Catholic to meet with the successor of St. Peter, even if one is a bishop.

What are your thoughts and emotions as you prepare to meet with Pope Benedict?

Bishop Coleman: I very much look forward to meeting Pope Benedict XVI again.

I met him years ago when he was Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He gave a keynote address at a symposium I was attending. It was a

remarkable presentation that he made. From that time on I certainly was interested in reading his books and also reading the presentations that he might make in various places.

Pope Benedict and John Paul II were different in personality, yet both had similarities of course, because both are extraordinary leaders; both are highly intelligent men who are very conscious of the needs of our world at the present time; and are very involved in helping to bring about in our world peace and unity among people.

The Anchor: How does a typical ad limina visit work when you’re there? What’s the agenda?

Bishop Coleman: During the course of the visit to Rome the bishops will be meeting with a number of Vatican offices. Meetings are scheduled with the Congregation for Catholic Education, the Congregation for Clergy and the Congregation for Bishops. In addition to those congregations, we’ll also pay a visit to the Council for Laity and the Commission for Health Care. In the course of meeting at these councils and congregations, we usually meet with the cardinal or archbishop in charge of the office and some of his staff to discuss various issues relating to the particular council or congregation.

Through these visits we have an opportunity to share our concerns and needs of our various dioceses and churches here in the U.S. and at the same time we can come to understand more deeply the needs and concerns of bishops in other parts of the world and other local churches throughout the world. We also have the opportunity to share our joys and our successes and learn from each other. Overall, it’s a very enriching experience that deepens our understanding of the Church universal, and it also helps us to understand the need of constant prayer on behalf of the Church universal as we hear described the conditions under which a number of people are living throughout the world.

Each day during our visit to Rome the bishops will have the opportunity to concelebrate Mass at the four major basilicas. We will also celebrate Mass at the North American College, where we have one seminarian and one priest who are studying there at this time. I do look forward to meeting with them … and to share some pasta with them. It’s unlike any pasta you can find elsewhere. All of this, along with the meetings take up

November 4, 2011 a major part of each day. There has also been an invitation extended from the ambassador of the U.S. to the Holy See to visit him during the course of the visit.

The Anchor: In preparation for the ad limina, the Vatican asks each bishop to prepare an extensive report on the faith in the diocese. Would you describe what goes into the preparation of the report?

Bishop Coleman: There is a report that is transmitted to Rome prior to our arrival there.

Each section is given to the proper office at the Vatican that would be responsible for that particular topic.

Those who assist me with the report locally are people here in our own diocese in various offices and ministries.

In essence, the Vatican is looking for a report on what is happening in our local Church in our diocese. What is the Church in our local diocese … how can it be described? It describes the life of the Church in the Diocese of Fall River.

The process began earlier this year and we were asked that the final document be transmitted to Rome during the month of May. I’m very grateful to all those who assisted me in preparing the information.

The Anchor: Do you bring the prayers and needs of the Diocese of Fall River to Rome with you? How so?

Bishop Coleman: If I have the opportunity to meet with our Holy Father individually I certainly shall bring the thoughts and prayers of the people of the Diocese of Fall River to him, as I did with Pope John Paul II. I will no doubt bring them to the altar at the Masses I concelebrate, particularly at the four major basilicas and I shall especially pray for our priests and people of the Diocese of Fall River at the basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul Outside the Wall.

The Anchor: What are your personal hopes going into this year’s visit?

Bishop Coleman: Whenever I visit Rome I can’t help but think of the universality of our Church. Our Church is a communion. We have a very spiritual relationship with every other Church in the world and every Catholic church in the world is in communion with our Holy Father, the visible center of our unity.

My hope is that through the ad limina, those bonds of communion between this local Church of Fall River and Pope Benedict XVI may become stronger, as well as the bonds of communion between the local

Church of Fall River and all the other Churches of the world.

I hope that we are able to come to a deeper understanding of our faith; of the morality and the beauty of the bonds that keep us together in Christ.

The Anchor: You were a seminarian in Rome and over the course of your priesthood you have made many pilgrimages back to the city. How have all of these experiences of Christian Rome nourished your priesthood and episcopacy?

Bishop Coleman: Rome is a city in which one can easily perceive the universality of the Church. There are students, priests, religious, and people in Rome from every part of the world. It’s difficult to go to a Mass celebrated by our Holy Father in which there are not delegates of representatives from almost every country of the world. It’s a wonderful sign that in the Eucharist we are united in Christ and we are united as one Church with the visible center of unity, the Bishop of Rome, Pope Benedict.

The city of Rome itself speaks of that in so many ways.

It also speaks of the holiness of so many people throughout the centuries. From the very first century, in the city of Rome, we have the tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul, and the catacombs in which are buried the faithful of those early years of the Church.

So it connects us not only with the present but also with the past and that the Church has a long history, and during that history people have believed what we believe, and have been aware of Christ’s presence in their lives, as we are aware of Christ’s presence in our lives.

The Anchor: On the recent ad limina visit of the bishops from Australia, Pope Benedict spoke to them with great praise about the new English translation of the Roman Missal that we will begin to use in the United States on the first Sunday of Advent. What are your thoughts about the New Translation and how it will enhance the experience of the Mass within our diocese?

Bishop Coleman: As an example of the Church universal, the English-speaking conference of bishops throughout the world were all consulted in regard to the English translation of the Roman Missal. The richness of the original Latin prayers is translated more accurately in the new translation that we will begin to use this Advent. It is my hope our prayer life may be deepened as a result of the richness found in the prayers in the new translation.

November 4, 2011

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The Anchor

Episcopal Church reports lowest membership in 70 years

the rock — A statue of Jesus handing St. Peter keys rests in front of the main altar in St. Peter’s Basilica on the feast day of SS. Peter and Paul. As part of their “ad limina” visits to Rome, bishops are required to make a pilgrimage to the tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul in their respective basilicas. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Bishops urge funding for religious freedom commission

Washington D.C. (CNA) — The chair of the U.S. Catholic bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace is calling on the U.S. Senate to reauthorize a federal commission that advocates for religious freedom across the globe.

“Today the mission of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is more important than ever,” said Bishop Howard J. Hubbard of Albany, N.Y. “Ongoing attacks against Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East and in other parts of the world point to the need to pay more, not less, attention to religious freedom.”

In an October 27 letter, Bishop Hubbard urged the timely passage of a bill to renew funding for the independent, bipartisan commission, which he called “a critically important tool in the preservation of religious freedom.”

Funding for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was originally set to expire at the end of September, but a brief extension was granted through the middle of November.

The House of Representatives approved a bill to fund the agency for an additional two years by a vote of 391 to 21.

But the prospects of the bill being voted on in the Senate appear to be in the hands of a single anonymous senator who has put a “hold” on the bill. That action is preventing a vote, and the reasons for the hold remain unknown.

If the hold is not removed by November 18, the Senate will be unable to vote on the bill, and the commission will close its doors.

In his letter, Bishop Hubbard emphasized the important role that the commission has played in “preserving human dignity and human rights around the globe by

monitoring and promoting religious freedom.”

He explained that the commission “monitors the status of religious freedom and provides essential information concerning persecution and violations of human rights throughout the world.”

“In addition, it plays a significant role is raising the profile of religious freedom around the globe,” he said.

Bishop Hubbard pointed to violence against Egypt’s Coptic Christians, the Christmas Eve bombings of Nigerian Christian churches and an attack on worshipers at a Syrian Catholic Church in Baghdad last October as “grim reminders of what is at stake.”

Religious freedom, which is rooted in human dignity, is foundational for human rights and a just society, he said.

The bishop recalled that Pope Benedict XVI focused his 2011 World Day of Peace message on religious freedom, which he called the “path to peace.”

“The Catholic Church has long raised concerns regarding religious liberty throughout the world, defending members of all religions,” he said.

The bishops’ conference was “deeply involved” in the process that led to the creation of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, said Bishop Hubbard.

While the conference “does not have a position on every provision in the legislation,” Bishop Hubbard said the bishops “strongly support” bringing the bill to a vote on the Senate floor.

“Abolition of this body would send an unintended message to the rest of the world,” he said.

“Oppressive groups may come to believe that the United States is not committed to the protection of religious liberty.”

Washington D.C. (CNA) — New statistics from the Episcopal Church show the group’s loss of more than 200,000 members and 300 parishes between 2006 and 2010, bringing membership to its lowest since the 1930s.

In an October 22 blog entry, commentator David Virtue noted that if the U.S. branch of the Anglican Communion continues to lose active members at the present rate, then “in 26 years there will no longer be anyone attending an Episcopal church.”

Virtue made his prediction based on figures showing five years of consistent decline in average Sunday worship attendance, as well as total membership and number of parishes, in the Episcopal Church.

The official “Episcopal Domestic Fast Facts Trends 2006-2010” document showed a 16 percent decline in members since 2000.

The denomination has lost an average of 25,798 Sunday worshipers each year since 2006, bringing the total of U.S. Episcopal worshipers on a given Sunday to 657,831 in 2010. Overall, the Sunday attendance rate in Episcopal communities has declined by 23 percent since 2000.

With a total membership of 1,951,907 in 2010, the Episcopal Church has reached its lowest rate of membership

since the 1930s. According to the Association of Religion Data Archives, the mainline Protestant denomination last reported having less than two million members in 1939.

Episcopalianism peaked numerically in 1959 with more than 3.4 million members. Since 1968, however, it has lost over one third of its membership.

According to the official numbers, 68 percent of congregations now include 100 or fewer people at an average Sunday service.

Meanwhile, 57 percent of Episcopal congregations have seen their typical Sunday attendance decline by more than 10 percent since 2006. Fewer than onefifth of all congregations have experienced an equivalent growth in Sunday worship attendance.

Despite rates of inflation ranging from 0.1 percent to 4.1 percent, Episcopal congregations collected less money from pledges and collections in 2008, 2009, and 2010, compared to the year before.

Controversy has plagued the main U.S. branch of the Anglican Communion since its decision to appoint the openly homosexual Bishop Gene Robinson in 2003. On October 17, Episcopal News Service reported on plans for a three-year trial of “a rite for samegender blessings” to be performed in church.

16

Youth Pages

November 4, 2011

autumn adventure — Third-graders from Holy Name School in Fall River recently visited Four Town Farm in Seekonk. After a trailer ride through the fields, students visited the carrot house where they saw how carrots are washed and bagged. Later, they walked along the trail where they learned how corn grows, observed “root row” full of root vegetables and ended with a trip through a corn maze. Everyone took a pumpkin home with them.

pyramid scheme — Students at St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro recently took part in their annual school talent show.

Fifty-seven students performed in 30 different acts. Performances included dancing, singing, piano, acrobatics, tap dancing, karate, cup tricks and yo-yoing. A free-will offering of nonperishable items was taken and donated to the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Shown here is a dance/acrobatic combination performed by Colleen Donahue, Sarah McLaughlin, Lainey Erwin and Courtney Smith (top).

brewing up some hospitality — Members of St. Mary’s Parish’s Confirmation Class recently served coffee and doughnuts to fellow parishioners following the 8:30 a.m. Sunday Mass in the parish center at the New Bedford church.

successful venture — St. Margaret’s School in Buzzards Bay recently held its first annual Geography Bowl/ Art Show. During the event there was a special fund-raiser by the students in school newspaper club. One member of the newspaper club has childhood diabetes and the members decided to sell sticker and cut-out boots (posted all over the walls) to raise money to fight the disease. The students raised more than $359. Madison Mark, left, and Sean Tierney display the results.

Dynamic dad — Fall River firefighter Jason Burns visited his daughter Madison’s third-grade class at SS. Peter and Paul School during Fire Prevention Week.

Youth Pages

November 4, 2011

W

e’ve just celebrated the Feast of All Saints and the Feast of All Souls. November is the perfect time to reflect on this communion of saints of which we are part. By virtue of our Baptism, we are members of the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church; but we must not think only in terms of the Church on earth today. No, we are part of the communion of saints, not bound by time or space.

As faithful pilgrims on this earth we make up the Church militant, still fighting the good fight of faith, but we are united with the Church triumphant in heaven, and the

Pray for us

Church suffering in purgatory. prayer. I asked my students to close their eyes and imagWe are in spiritual solidarity. ine the saints lined up as far In his letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul tells us that we are no as the eye could see, waiting their turn to come before the longer strangers and sojourners, but we are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God. I wonder if we can really wrap our heads around this reality.

By Jean Revil We are the beloved children of God and saints in the making!

In discussing throne of God and pray for us. the Litany of the Saints in I can’t hear that Litany sung theology class last week, I without seeing that increddiscovered that, for some of ible image. This summer, two my students, it was their first of my friends were married exposure to this incredible

Be Not Afraid

asian adventure — Coyle and Cassidy High School Mandarin Chinese teacher Lei Yang recently treated her students to a unique cultural experience. Students spent the day shopping in an authentic Asian market and ate in a traditional Mandarin restaurant. In addition to welcoming 12 Chinese exchange students, Mandarin Chinese was also introduced in the curriculum this fall at the Taunton school. Freshman shopping included, from left: Kennedy Trond, Jacob Thielker, Lilly Young, and Amber Dube.

This week in 50 years ago — Bishop James L. Connolly dedicated the new St. Hedwig’s Church on Division Street in New Bedford and then celebrated the first Mass in the new church. St. Hedwig’s Parish was originally a mission of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church.

25 years ago — Seventy-two competitors entered the first annual Fun Run of Saint Anne’s Hospital in Fall River. First overall and in the male open division was Robert Murdoch, who ran a four-mile course in Fall River’s south end in 20:14 minutes.

Diocesan history

10 years ago — The City of Fall River recognized the efforts of Inez Bates, a teacher at SS. Peter and Paul Parish School, with the Innovation in Teaching Award for her efforts to integrate computers into the curriculum. The award was presented at the annual Education Summit which was held in the city.

One year ago — More than 230 priests, directors of Religious Education and catechists converged on the Cape Codder Resort and Spa in Hyannis for the annual Faith Formation Ministry Convention sponsored by the diocesan Office of Faith Formation.

17 and they selected “The Litany of the Saints” as the offertory hymn. What a wonderful image of seeing the saints of God coming forward to pray for this young couple as they start their married life.

“Mary and Joseph, pray for us; Michael and all angels, pray for us; Anna, Joachim, Elizabeth, pray for us; Elijah, Moses, John the Baptist, pray for us; Isaac, Sarah, Abraham, pray for us; Jacob, Joseph, Samuel, pray for us; Ruth, David and Solomon, pray for us; Isaiah, Jeremiah, pray for us; All you holy men and women, pray for us.”

In the same way, I imagine the souls in purgatory begging us to intercede for them. Since nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in Heaven, the souls of our departed loved ones may need to be purified.

We pray for the dead at every

Mass, every day. Our personal prayers and sacrifices for the souls in purgatory, united with the sacrifice of Christ offered at Mass, by God’s grace can relieve the pains of longing in this process of purgation and assist souls on their journey to Heaven.

The main point of this reflection is to remind us that we are not individual units of God’s grace, we are the part of the Mystical Body of Christ. We are united, in more ways than we are even aware, to the Church triumphant in Heaven, and the Church suffering in purgatory. We ask the saints to intercede for us and help us on our journey home, and we, in turn, intercede for the souls in purgatory to help them on their journey home. If we all do our job, we will all meet in Heaven.

Saints in Heaven, pray for us.

Souls in purgatory, pray for them!

Jean Revil teaches theology and is campus minister at Bishop Stang High School. Comments welcome at: jrevil@bishopStang.com.

The Anchor is always pleased to run news and photos about our diocesan youth.

If schools or parish Religious Education programs, have newsworthy stories and photos they would like to share with our readers, send them to: schools@anchornews.org

Our Lady’s Monthly Message From Medjugorje October 25, 2011

Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina

“Dear children! I am looking at you and in your hearts I do not see joy. Today I desire to give you the joy of the Risen One, that He may lead you and embrace you with His love and tenderness. I love you and I am praying for your conversion without ceasing before my Son Jesus.

“Thank you for having responded to my call.”

Spiritual Life Center of Marian Community One Marian Way Medway, MA 02053 • Tel. 508-533-5377 Paid advertisement

18

The Anchor

Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese

Around the Diocese 11/5

A Day With Mary will take place tomorrow from 8:50 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. at St. Lawrence Church, 774 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill. It will include a video instruction, a procession and crowning of the Blessed Mother along with Mass, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and an opportunity for reconciliation. For more information call 508-996-8274.

— St. Nicholas of Myra Parish’s Women’s Guild will host a Holiday Craft Fair tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 499 Spring Street in North Dighton. Free admission and parking. The Parish Life Center is handicap accessible. For more information email lauraposca@gmail.com or call 508-669-6992.

— Good Shepherd Parish, 1598 South Main Street in Fall River, will be holding its annual Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the church hall. There will be a wide variety of juried crafters and foods. For information call 508-678-7412.

— The Women’s Guild of St. John Neumann Parish, Middleboro Road (Route 18), East Freetown, is sponsoring its Christmas Craft Bazaar tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free and lunch will be served. For more information visit www.sjnfreetown.org.

— St. Mary’s Parish, 106 Illinois Street, New Bedford, is having a Holiday Fair tomorrow 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information call 508-942-5031.

— Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, Rivet Street, in New Bedford is hosting a Harvest Fest tomorrow in the church hall from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Proceeds will benefit Donovan House, Transitional Living for Women with Children.

11/6

Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth is hosting an open house Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. Prospective students and their parents are invited to meet current faculty, students, parents, administrators, club moderators and coaches at Bishop Stang. The event will include faculty presentations, studentguided tours and refreshments, and provide information about Bishop Stang. For information call 508-996-5602.

— Our Lady of Fatima Church, 4256 Acushnet Avenue, New Bedford, is having its annual Harvest Fair Sunday from 8:30 to 5 p.m. For more information call 508-999-7351.

— St. Mary’s Catholic School, 330 Pratt Street, Mansfield, will host an open house Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. Families are invited to tour the school, meet students and staff while gathering enrollment information. For information call 508339-4800 or visit www.stmarymansschool.org.

11/7 11/10

Coyle and Cassidy High School in Taunton will host a meet and greet reception for prospective parents on November 7 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.; an open house on November 13 from 1 to 4 p.m.; and a mini open house on November 14 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. For information call 508-823-6164.

org.

“Sounds and Images,” an evening of chamber music, will be held November 10 at St. John Neumann Parish, Middleboro Road (Route 18), East Freetown at 7:30 p.m. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and a free-will offering will be accepted. For more information call 508-763-2240 or visit www.sjnfreetown.

— A Healing Mass will be held at St. Anne’s Church, 818 Middle Street, Fall River on November 10 beginning with the Rosary at 6 p.m., followed by Benediction and healing prayers after Mass.

— The diocesan Divorced and Separated Support Group will meet on November 10 beginning at 7 p.m. in the parish center of St. Julie Billiart Parish, 494 Slocum Road, North Dartmouth. The program will continue the series “The Impact of Divorce” with part two: “What Happens to the Children of the Divorced?” Group discussion will follow. For more information call 508-678-2828, 508-993-0589 or 508-673-2997.

11/12

The Women’s Guild of Corpus Christi Parish, 324 Quaker Meeting House Road, East Sandwich, will present Gifts Galore and More, a holiday shopping event, on November 12 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parish hall. The event will include baked goods, crafts, gift baskets, and other homemade items.

The Guild Café will be open in the morning for coffee and will also serve lunch.

11/13

November 4, 2011

The Women’s Guild of Holy Trinity Parish, Fall River, will host a Fall Penny Sale on November 13 at 1 p.m. in the church hall, located on Stafford Road and Tucker Street. Lunch will be available. For more information call 508-678-6941.

— St. Joseph-St. Therese Parish, 51 Duncan Street, New Bedford will be hosting its sixth annual Craft Fair on November 13 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information call 508-995-5235.

11/19

A meeting of the Fall River Diocesan Council of Catholic Women will be held November 19 at St. Mary’s Parish, Tarkiln Hill Road, New Bedford. Registration and coffee will begin at 9:30 a.m. The meeting will start at 10 a.m. Diane Bolton, head of the Baby Project of New Bedford, will be the speaker. For information call 508-672-6900.

— A Holiday Craft and Book Sale will be held at Our Lady’s Haven, 71 Center Street in Fairhaven, on November 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Proceeds will directly benefit the residents of Our Lady’s Haven. For more information, call 508-999-4561.

11/26

St. Mary’s 31st Annual Christmas Fair will be held November 26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the parish center located at 14 Park Street, North Attleboro. The fair will feature the popular “Festival of Trees,” which will open for a preview on November 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. There will also be crafts and handmade items to buy along with food including the traditional favorite French meat pies. For information call the church office at 508-695-6161.

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks Nov. 5 Rev. Daniel A. Gamache, Retired Pastor, St. Joseph, New Bedford, 1998 Nov. 6 Rev. Patrick S. McGee, Founder, St. Mary, Hebronville, 1933 Rev. Joseph Oliveira, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes, Taunton, 1999

Nov. 7 Rev. J. Edmond Tremblay, Retired Chaplain, Sacred Heart Home, New Bedford, 1985 Nov. 8 Rev. Pacifique L. Emond, OFM, Retreat Master, Writer, Montreal, Canada, 1984 Nov. 11 Rev. A. Gomez da Silva Neves, Pastor, St. John the Baptist, New Bedford, 1910 Rev. Richard Sullivan, CSC, 2005

Acushnet — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Parish on Monday and Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Evening prayer and Benediction is held Monday through Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

ATTLEBORO — The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette holds eucharistic adoration in the Shrine Church every Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. until November 18, 2011, and from January 7 to November 17, 2012.

ATTLEBORO — St. Joseph Church holds eucharistic adoration in the Adoration Chapel located at the (south) side entrance at 208 South Main Street, Sunday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Brewster — Eucharistic adoration takes place in the La Salette Chapel in the lower level of Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road, on First Fridays following the 11 a.m. Mass until 7:45 a.m. on the First Saturday, concluding with Benediction and Mass. buzzards Bay — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Margaret Church, 141 Main Street, every first Friday after the 8 a.m. Mass and ending the following day before the 8 a.m. Mass.

East Freetown — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. John Neumann Church every Monday (excluding legal holidays) 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Our Lady, Mother of All Nations Chapel. (The base of the bell tower).

East Sandwich — Eucharistic adoration takes place at the Corpus Christi Parish Adoration Chapel, 324 Quaker Meeting House Road, Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Also, 24-hour eucharistic adoration takes place on the First Friday of every month.

EAST TAUNTON — Eucharistic adoration takes place in the chapel at Holy Family Parish Center, 438 Middleboro Avenue, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. On First Fridays, eucharistic adoration takes place at Holy Family Church, 370 Middleboro Avenue, following the 8 a.m. Mass until Benediction at 8 p.m.

FAIRHAVEN — St. Mary’s Church, Main St., has eucharistic adoration every Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the Chapel of Reconciliation, with Benediction at noon. Also, there is a First Friday Mass each month at 7 p.m., followed by a Holy Hour with eucharistic adoration. Refreshments follow.

Fall River — Espirito Santo Parish, 311 Alden Street, Fall River. Eucharistic adoration on Mondays following the 8 a.m. Mass until Rosary and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.

FALL RIVER — Notre Dame Church, 529 Eastern Ave., has eucharistic adoration on Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the chapel.

FALL RIVER — St. Anthony of the Desert Church, 300 North Eastern Avenue, has eucharistic adoration Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

FALL RIVER — Holy Name Church, 709 Hanover Street, has eucharistic adoration Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Our Lady of Grace Chapel.

FALL RIVER — Good Shepherd Parish has eucharistic adoration every Friday following the 8 a.m. Mass until 6 p.m. in the Daily Mass Chapel. There is a bilingual Holy Hour in English and Portuguese from 5-6 p.m. Park behind the church and enter the back door of the connector between the church and the rectory.

Falmouth — St. Patrick’s Church has eucharistic adoration each First Friday, following the 9 a.m. Mass until Benediction at 4:30 p.m. The Rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

HYANNIS — A Holy Hour with eucharistic adoration will take place each First Friday at St. Francis Xavier Church, 347 South Street, beginning immediately after the 12:10 p.m. Mass and ending with adoration at 4 p.m.

MASHPEE — Christ the King Parish, Route 151 and Job’s Fishing Road has 8:30 a.m.

Mass every First Friday with special intentions for Respect Life, followed by 24 hours of eucharistic adoration in the Chapel, concluding with Benediction Saturday morning followed immediately by an 8:30 Mass.

NEW BEDFORD — Eucharistic adoration takes place 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 233 County Street, with night prayer and Benediction at 8:45 p.m., and Confessions offered during the evening.

NEW BEDFORD — There is a daily holy hour from 5:15-6:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1359 Acushnet Avenue. It includes adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Liturgy of the Hours, recitation of the Rosary, and the opportunity for Confession.

NORTH DARTMOUTH — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Julie Billiart Church, 494 Slocum Road, every Tuesday from 7 to 8 p.m., ending with Benediction.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available at this time.

NORTH DIGHTON — Eucharistic adoration takes place every First Friday at St. Nicholas of Myra Church, 499 Spring Street following the 8 a.m. Mass, ending with Benediction at 6 p.m. The Rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 8 a.m.

OSTERVILLE — Eucharistic adoration takes place at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 76 Wianno Avenue on First Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and every Friday from noon to 5 p.m., with Benediction at 5 p.m.

SEEKONK ­— Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish has eucharistic adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the chapel at 984 Taunton Avenue. For information call 508336-5549.

Taunton — Eucharistic adoration takes place every Tuesday at St. Anthony Church, 126 School Street, following the 8 a.m. Mass with prayers including the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for vocations, concluding at 6 p.m. with Chaplet of St. Anthony and Benediction. Recitation of the Rosary for peace is prayed Monday through Saturday at 7:30 a.m. prior to the 8 a.m. Mass.

WAREHAM — Adoration with opportunities for private and formal prayer is offered on the First Friday of each month from 8:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Church, High Street. The Prayer Schedule is as follows: 7:30 a.m. the Rosary; 8 a.m. Mass; 8:30 a.m. exposition and Morning Prayer; 12 p.m. the Angelus; 3 p.m. Divine Mercy Chaplet; 5:30 p.m. Evening Prayer; 7 p.m. Sacrament of Confession; 8 p.m. Benediction.

WEST HARWICH — Our Lady of Life Perpetual Adoration Chapel at Holy Trinity Parish, 246 Main Street (Rte. 28), holds perpetual eucharistic adoration. We are a regional chapel serving all of the surrounding parishes. All from other parishes are invited to sign up to cover open hours. For open hours, or to sign up call 508-430-4716.

WOODS HOLE — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Joseph’s Church, 33 Millfield Street, year-round on weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. No adoration on Sundays, Wednesdays, and holidays. For information call 508-274-5435.

November 4, 2011

I

should have known something was askew when our herd of squirrels was chuckling at me when I walked into The Anchor office early on Halloween morning.

I thought they were just in a good mood having made it through the October nor’easter relatively unscathed. Or that they thought I was in costume for the day, and were quite amused.

But since I looked like I do every morning, I simply gave them a sideways glance and headed inside.

When I entered the building and detected no climate change, I knew the day would be no treat.

After a nasty winter storm in mid autumn, the furnace, unlike the squirrels, did not escape unscathed. Sometime during the weekend the big hot air machine gave up the ghost, deciding to chill out for the next couple of days.

After several CPR attempts on the reset button, The Anchor staff realized it would have to seek professional help.

Still bundled in my winter coat, I glanced out my window only to see my chubby-cheeked friends still giggling at our predicament. I became strangely envious of their furry outerwear.

It was pretty chilly sitting at the desk, and it became more so when a coworker pointed out that the office temperature was 54 degrees.

It didn’t take very long before simple everyday tasks like pounding out an intelligent sentence on the keyboard became a drudgery. It was like typing in cookie dough.

The chill started in the toes and slowly, but oh so surely, worked its way up.

Several jogs around my office did nothing more than knock knick-knacks off tables and shelves. My Tedy Bruschi and Ted Williams bobble-heads kept rhythm with their noggins.

I gave a brief glance outside and saw the squirrels basking in the bright morning sunshine —

To advertise in The Anchor, contact Wayne Powers at 508-675-7151 or Email waynepowers@ anchornews.org

19

The Anchor

Keeping our cool this Halloween

again, I wished I was a squirrel. building. We all ran to the iron My fellow Anchorites and I monstrosity, pawing it in anticipagathered around the coffee-maker tion of a toasty deliverance. Luke for an impromptu office meeting. warm! “Better than nothing,” we Hot coffee and tea were the beverages of choice.

Not for the refreshment value, but simply to hold the hot mugs in our hands, allowing the blood to flow to at least one extremity.

By Dave Jolivet There we sat, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the boiler doctor, hoping for good news. His arrival met said in our best “glass is half full” with such jubilation that he feared mantra. we would hoist him on our shoulIt was better than five hours ders and carry him to the patient. later and luke warm was all the He made a rapid bee-line to the furnace physician could evoke basement. from his patient. That meant we There we still sat, silently still had to be patient as well. watching a radiator, eagerly After waiting through two awaiting the first crack — the mug-fulls of caffeine, and knowsound of a resuscitated furnace. ing our Anchor readers always There it was! We heard it come first, we Anchorites trudged in a room half-way across the on, doing what we do best, only at

My View From the Stands

a snail’s pace.

A nice hot lunch would keep us going. The microwave would work overtime this day.

Early afternoon was met with the sweet smell of heat. It was alive!

The boiler doctor peeked his head out of the basement, fearing we would again desire to hoist him up and carry him triumphantly to his van. He safely made an undetected exit, first past his frosty customers, then past the herd of Anchor squirrels.

Despite the rising room temperatures, the damage was done.

To a man, and woman, the chill was to the bone, and nothing short of a jacuzzi or a hot shower would thaw us out.

To everyone’s credit, The Anchor is on track, despite the chilly Halloween trick. Chalk this one up to the “You don’t know what you have ’til its gone,” adage. We now appreciate, a little bit more, having a nice, comfortable work environment. It doesn’t take much to clog the gears.

After a nice toasty Halloween night at home, I came in this morning refreshed and ready to go. One step into the office and the smell of heat was everywhere.

Ah! And here I sit, churning out this column at breakneck speed ... with my window open. I guess I became a little hardened after the big freeze. And the squirrels leaping to and fro on the big old tree outside my office window? They didn’t even give me a second look. Life is a treat again.

Revised and updated ...

2011-2012 Diocese of Fall River Catholic Directory ... Now Shipping!

Published by The Anchor Publishing Company P.O. Box 7, Fall River, Massachusetts 02722 Please ship _____ directories x $18 each, including shipping and handling. Total Enclosed $_____ NAME ____________________________________________ ADDRESS _________________________________________ CITY _____________________ STATE _______ ZIP _____ Please make checks payable to “Anchor Publishing” For more information, email theanchor@anchonews.org, call 508-675-7151, or order online at www.anchornews.org

20

The Anchor

Experts predict damage to society and religious liberty if DOMA is repealed

Washington D.C. (CNA) — Marriage advocates are warning that a repeal of the U.S. Defense of Marriage Act could have disastrous consequences for the nation, including the further erosion of religious liberty and a continued effort to legalize multiple-partner relationships.

“Marriage is critically important because the marriage-based family is the original and best Department of Health, Education and Welfare,” said Robert P. George, law professor at Princeton University.

George told CNA that a healthy marriage culture is “crucial to the overall success of any society.”

In an interview, George responded to reports that the Senate Judiciary Committee was to consider a bill that would repeal the 1996 U.S. Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

George said that he has “no doubt” that repealing the act would lead to further erosion of religious liberty and freedom of conscience for people and institutions who believe in the traditional definition of marriage.

“There can be no doubt that the repression of religious liberty is coming because there is no doubt that the repression of religious liberty is already taking place,” he said.

He gave the example of multiple employees across the country whose jobs have already been threatened because they hold biblical beliefs on sexual morality.

George said that the movement to redefine marriage will not stop with the inclusion of homosexual couples. He pointed to a statement entitled “Beyond Same-Sex Marriage,” a manifesto that has been signed by hundreds of prominent homosexual activists.

The statement calls for “governmental and private institutional recognition” of a variety of different sexual arrangements, including “households in which there is more than one conjugal partner.”

The idea that marriage should include multiple partners and other “nontraditional” arrangements is a goal that is shared by many mainstream homosexual advocates, said George.

“These are not fringe figures,” he said.

George said that the move to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act does not reflect the views of Ameri-

cans, the majority of whom still believe marriage is a union of one man and one woman.

He noted that in all 31 states where the issue has been voted on by the people, marriage has not been redefined.

George believes that the bill aimed at repealing the Defense of Marriage Act is “a public relations move” to create the appearance that those seeking to redefine marriage have momentum on the issue and that the definition of marriage will inevitably be changed.

Daniel Avila, policy advisor for marriage and family for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, explained that Catholic teaching on marriage is rooted in the belief that “God Himself is the author of marriage.”

Marriage is the foundation of society and is a “public good,” Avila observed.

And those who protect the definition of marriage are “acknowledging the essential nature of a relationship that draws together two very different but complementary representatives of the two halves of the human family,” he said.

Avila explained that the Defense of Marriage Act not only affirms the definition of marriage and applies it to all federal laws, but it also prevents states that preserve the definition of marriage from being forced to recognize a redefinition of marriage by any other state.

If the act is repealed, states would have to recognize out-of-state gay “marriages,” effectively redefining marriage across the country.

Avila encouraged concerned Catholics to contact their senators and urge them to preserve marriage.

Doing so is “vitally important,” he said.

Be sure to visit the Diocese of Fall River website at fallriverdiocese.org The site includes links to parishes, diocese offices and national sites.

November 4, 2011