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I FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSmS CAPICOD & tHE ISLANDS

VOL. 30, NO. 44

Friday, November 7, 1986

FALL RIVER, MASS.

Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly

S8 Per Year

Controversies face U.8. bishops WASHINGTON (NC) - Lively controversies will face the Catholic bishops of the United States as they gather in Washington Nov. 10-13 for the fall meeting of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and U.S. Catholic Conference. Documentation of the bishops' agenda was released yesterday. Items of particular importance or popular interest include: - A closed-door session Nov. lIon the protracted controversy over the recent Vatican action instructing Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen to cede complete authority to his auxiliary in some key areas of governing the Seattle Archdiocese. Some observers consider the response of the bishops to the issue a critical factor in determining future directions of the Catholic Church in the United States. - Votes Nov. 12 or 13 on a national pastoral letter, "Economic Justice for All," as well as an accompanying pastoral message and a follow-up plan to implement the pastoral. With five-and-a-half hours set aside to discuss them, those three items will occupy about one-third of the total public meeting time of the bishops over four days. Most of the controversy over the pastoral has not been among the bishops themselves, however, but between the bishops and their lay critics. - Election of a new president and vice president. Ordinarily not controversial, officer elections this year are a focus of heightened interest because of growing concern over apparent divisions within the bishops' conference. Elections will also be held for chairmen of several conference committees. - Opening-day speeches by the outgoing conference president, Bishop James Malone of Youngstown, Ohio, and the papal pronuncio to the United States, Archbishop Pio Laghi. If either prelate addresses questions of tensions with Rome and within the U.S. church, their comments are likely to receive particularly close scrutiny. - Criteria for general absolution. The bishops are to vote on a proposal stating the view of the bishops' Committee on Canonical Affairs that "the conditions envisioned by the law" for use of general absolution "are not verified" in the United States. - A decision whether to create a new bishops' committee and secretariat for black Catholics and a new committee on marriage and family life. - A decision whether to divide the Committee on Social Development and World Peace into separate domestic and international

committees. The bishops also are to decide whether they should change the Committee on Hispanic Affairs from "ad hoc" to permanent status. During the meeting the bishops also will be asked to make five decisions regarding the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, including establishment of national statutes for the catechumenate. The key norm to be discussed in the statutes is the establishment of "at least one year" as the normal period for the formation ofunbaptized adults converting to CatholICism.

Issues surrounding the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults are to be discussed by the bishops for some three to four hours. A twohour workshop on the topic is the main order of business on the afternoon of Nov. 10, and nearly two hours are tentatively set aside for debate and vote on liturgy matters the following morning. Also up for a vote among liturgical questions are new texts of the Order of the Mass in Spanish and a decision on a new Eucharistic Prayer which, if approved, would be the first such prayer originally written in English. The bishops must also vote on a new pastoral statement on the church's worldwide missionary activity, a resolution urging international efforts to end the "tragic impasse" of Lebanon's civil war, and a resolution calling on Soviet authorities to restore suppressed religious rights in Lithuania. Faced with a world Synod of Bishops on the laity, to be held in Rome next fall, the bishops are to elect four delegates and four alternates to represent the conference at the synod. The bishops also are to vote on a proposal to help U.S. and Mexican bishops regulate priest exchanges. They are being asked to approve a 1987 budget of nearly $26.5 million, about $100,000 below the 1986 budget. A 13.3 cents-perCatholic diocesan assessment is expected to cover abo'ut $6.7 million of that, and the bishops are being asked to approve the same assessment for 1988. A number of oral reports on particular topics have been tentatively scheduled for the meeting. These include reports on Catholic Relief Services, on pro-life activities, on the celebration of the bicentennial of the U.S. hierarchy, on Hispanic affairs, on Latin America, on the planned 1987 visit of Pope John Paul II to the United States, and on the state of a dialogue between the U.S. bishops and men and women religious in their dioceses.

AT DIAMOND JUBILEE celebration ofSt. Dominic parish, Swansea, from left, Deacon Eugene Orosz, Father Arthur K. Wingate, Bishop Daniel A. Cronin, Father William G. Campbell. (Torchia photo)

75 years of love "St. Dominic's: 75 years of love" Bernard Percot, OP, was available read the sign on the sacristy wall at and able to speak English, French, the Swansea parish. It summed up . Portuguese and Italian. the prevailing feeling on Oct. 26 as As St. Dominic's first pastor, it parishioners attended a diamond fell to Father Percot to build a anniversary Mass and a following church, which he managed to do in banquet. Reflecting the musical back- three months; and the first Mass ground of Father William G. was offered in the building on Campbell, pastor, the Mass of March 3, 1912. At about the same time an area Creation by Marty Haugen was landowner purchased a small unchosen for the celebration. The Bach composition, "Nun Danket used Protestant church in North Aile Gott," arranged by Father Swansea and presented it to the Campbell, was the choral postlude. Fall River diocese, primarily for At the banquet, Harvey Lenon, the use of the many workers on his president of the parish St. Vincent farm. Named St. Francis Xavier de Paul conference, and Alzira De Chapel, it was served from St. Mattos, Women's Guild copresi- Dominic's until the hurricane of dent, spoke on St. Dominic's past; 1938. Father Percot remained pastor Father Campbell spoke on its of St. Dominic's until 1927, conpresent; and Bishop Cronin looked tributing immeasurably to placing to its future. A parish history was prepared the parish on a strong foundation. in connection with the anniversary. Excerpts follow: AN ARCHBISHSt. Dominic's History OP, a Jesuit on the St. Dominic's history goes back to 1911, when Bishop Daniel F. cutting edge of sciFeehan reaJized that the growing ence, sisters, deacons, number of Catholics in the Swansea area needed their own church, brothers, diocesan and rather than having to travel to Fall order priests: beginRiver or Providence to attend Ma·ss. ning on page 3, all A further need was for a priest talk about their lives fluent in several languages in order to serve the many immigrants who in this Vocations Issue had settled in Swansea. Fortunateof The Anchor. ly, a French Dominican, Father

He was followed by Father Louis Prevost, who served less than a year, then by Father Anthony O. Ponte, who was to remain 23 years. During his pastorate the present rectory was built and the parish grounds were landscaped. Of great importance to the development of. St. Dominic's was the inauguration of its Women's Guild, also during Father Ponte's pastorate. Members hiwe contributed significantly to the social life and financial welfare of the parish. Father Ponte was followed by Father Thomas F. Walsh, who served from 1951 to 1954. His energy and love for his people accomplished much good during his brief tenure. Father Walsh was succeeded by Father James A. Dury in October of 1954. His zeal, organizing ability and care of the church property and grounds are fondly remembered. It was during his pastorate that the parish St. Vincent de Paul conference was formed. Father George E. Sullivan became the sixth pastor of St. Dominic's in 1957. He is recalled for his warm personality and outstanding qualities of care and love for parish youth. The seventh pastor was Father William R. Jordan, who arranged St. Dominic's golden anniversary observance. He was succeeded by Father Turn to Page 16


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