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theanc VOL.49, NO. 43 -Friday, November 11,2005
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Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly - $14 Per Year
Massachusetts bishops oppose new gambling measure By DEACON JAMES N. DUNBAR BOSTON - Proposed legislation that would expand legalized gambling in Massachusetts including slot machines at racetmcks is being opposed by the four Catholic bishops in the Commonwealth. In a joint statement on October 31, Boston Archbishop Sean P. O'Malley, OFM Cap., Bishop George W. Coleman of Fall River, Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell of Springfield, and Bishop Robert 1. McManus ofWorcester, said, "The expansion ofthe state's dependence upon gambling is a current and a critical issue, which we are compelled to address." MSGR. STEPHEN J. Avila, right, diocesan director of the TV Mass Apostolate, introduces In stating their opposition, the Father Craig A. Pregana to the television audience watching the Mass on WLNE Channel 6 bishops noted that gambling often goes beyond legitimate recreational in this file photo. Longtime Channel 6 cameraman, Ken Grady, is at left. pursuits and can victimize the poor. They also opined that the state should not rely on gambling for needed revenues, and urged state legislators to vote against proposals to expand gambling. Although bishops of the four By DEACON JAMES N. DUNBAR one, said John E. Kearns Jr., director of communica- dioceses in the Commonwealth in FALL RIVER - "Deacon, I've been to Mass and tions for the Diocese of Fall River, who, with Msgr. solidarity have consistently spoken received holy Communion," the elderly woman said Stephen 1. Avila, director of the TV Mass Apostolate, out against any increases beyond proudly from her bed in Newport Hospital, R.I., on a coordinate the broadcast of the weekly Mass. recreational ganlbling for at least the "From the calls and letters I've received, not only past 20 years, the current ordinarrecent Sunday afternoon. Because she was bound in a large surgical corset, do people in the Fall River diocese and other parts of ies' revisiting of gambling comes Massachusetts tune in to the Mass, but also people in as a new proposal works its way was this a story hard to believe? No. The Mass she "attended" was on WLNE Chan- Rhode Island and parts of Connecticut," said Kearns. through a joint legislative commitMsgr. Avila agreed. . nel6, originating in New Bedford. It is broadcast at 11 tee. While there have been no rec"The primary mission of the Television Apostolate ommendations as yet, the matter is a.m., Sundays. Her Communion canle at the hands of an extraordinary minister of holy Communion, one is to reach out, to bring the Liturgy, the Mass to those slated to come up in the legislature who because of their infirmity or difficulty cannot go in coming weeks. of 30 or more that serve the hospital daily. "I always tune in to the Mass from Fall River," the to Mass, and many Catholics - throughout the entire Among several measures that woman said. ''And I loved the homily. It was almost region - tune in to our broadcast Mass," Msgr. Avila would go beyond current limits is like being back at St. Joe's. I have been unable to get noted. one authorizing slot machines at "We're a regular fixture for many ofthe homebound various Massachusetts racetracks. to Mass, so this is the Mass 1'm at every Sunday." The hospitalized woman's story is not an unusual None of them currently has them. 1itrn to page 12 - TV Mass
Fall River diocese's TV Mass is favorite ofregion's shut-ins
Edward F. Saunders Jr., executive director of the Massachusetts Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the Massachusetts Catholic bishops, explained what's happening. "The Massachusetts bishops have no problem with legitimate small recreational gambling. But when there is talk ofa large expansion ... even authorizing a casino and so forth, there is a whole side of social issues that arise." Several years ago, he said, the legislature authorized Simulcast racing at Massachusetts's racetracks. "It means that those at local tracks receive broadcasts of mces held at other tracks in the country and can place wagers on them here," he said. "That bill had a sunset provision in it and it ends at the end of this year. If nothing is done, that authorization will cease. But the Senate has placed an amendment on the Simulcast bill to authorize slot machines. So the Senate is using the Simulcast extension as a vehicle to get the slots issue before the legislature and get it signed into law," Saunders said. The House has yet to address the issue. But Saunders says a restricted timeframe indicates a movement is likely to get underway soon. ''Legislative rules are that the legislatures in the ftrst of two years - and we are now in the first year - cannot hold formal sessions after November 16," he said. "So we can expect something to happen very soon." Turtl to page 13 - Gambling
Bay State's same-sex marriage law seen affecting nation's society, morals By MIKE GORDON
"Nothing is more important to the social order of a country than BOSTON - Massachusetts' its families," he said. "They are allowance ofsame-sex couples to the backbone of the social order obtain marriage licenses has "set and when one region or state gets off alaml bells" on a variety of off the same page as the rest of merging social and moral issues the country in defining the cennationally, says Scott T. tral axis of marital and sexual FitzGibbon, a Boston College pro- morality, it must be addressed." His testimony was in support fessor of law. In his October 20 testimony to of the Federal Marriage Amendthe U.S. Senate Committee on the ment before the committee right Judiciary regarding an exanlina- now. FitzGibbon, who teaches a tion of the constitutional anlendment on marriage, FitzGibbon seminar called "Marriage: -Law said grave concerns are appear- and Theory," said it's the hope of ing on local and national levels of Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., committee member, that it will society and culture. ANCHOR STAFF
soon report it out and it will come before the Senate. He addressed the social and moral consequences of the rec.ognition of same-sex marriages, which came about in the decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health case. The resulting law went into effect in May 2004, making Massachusetts the only state where same-sex couples can obtain marriage licenses. One ofthe biggest areas where that decision has made an impact is in the area ofeducation and our 1itrn to page 16 - Morals
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BISHOP GEORGE W. Coleman greets this year's recipients of the S1. Thomas More Awards presented at the annual Red Mass. From left, Stephen J. Hanna, assistant register of probate; the bishop, Judge Armand Fernandes Jr.; and Attorney Russell Redgate. (Photo by John E. Kearns Jr.)