11.15.19

Diocese of Fall River, Mass. † Friday, Nov. 15, 2019

The Lord’s table is decorated for fall in preparation to give thanks at St. Mary’s Church in Norton.

(Photo courtesy of Deacon Alan J. Thadeu) November 15, 2019 †

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Diocesan Sacred Heart Home ranked among best in state

By Kenneth J. Souza Co-Editor

kensouza@anchornews.org

NEW BEDFORD — Caring for our aging family members is something we all want to get right. But more and more, it’s become an expensive and complicated prospect, tied up with insurance companies and a health care system that still leaves a lot to be desired.

That’s why Newsweek magazine, in a partnership with the global data research firm Statista, Inc., recently ranked the best nursing homes in 20 states, to give families some reliable options in making these difficult decisions.

Earning an impressive 14thplace slot among health care facilities in Massachusetts was Sacred Heart Home in New Bedford, one of the six sites under the purview of the Diocesan Health Facilities office.

According to Sacred Heart Home administrator Jennifer Davis, M.S.W., L.N.H.A., the announcement came as a bit of a surprise.

“It was an amazing surprise to see that we had been chosen among Massachusetts’ best nursing homes,” Davis told The Anchor.

“The staff have been very excited to share this good news with our residents and families, as well as their own families and friends! We feel blessed that the hard work we are doing every day has come shining through on the national level.”

When asked what she thought helped Sacred Heart Home rank so highly, Davis was quick to attribute the honor to the work of her staff.

“First and foremost is the staff here and their dedication to loving and caring for our residents,” she said. “Each and every person working here comes together each day to make sure the residents here experience care and compassion, and I believe that truly sets us apart from others. Also the mission of quality care and the support of the Fall River Diocese 2

to provide that quality care with Spirituality makes a difference.

And, finally our residents and their families and friends — everyone comes together to make this a great home.”

A longtime staff member who was appointed administrator four years ago, Davis is particularly proud to have received this honor so early in her tenure.

older today, the need for finding competent, compassionate and affordable care for our elders is becoming increasingly crucial.

In their 1999 pastoral message “Blessings of Age,” the U.S. bishops invited older persons, their families, and their faith communities to develop new initiatives that encourage the participation of older persons in society and in the

Sacred Heart Home, New Bedford (Photo by Dave Jolivet) “I am thrilled to be leading the home and the team at this time of recognition and praise,” she said.

“In such a highly-competitive and regulated field, it’s wonderful to see the fruits of everyone’s labor recognized so profoundly.”

With an estimated more than 47 million Americans aged 65 and

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Church. In the section addressed to the caregivers, the bishops’ wrote: “Some of you may have devoted your lives to this calling.

We thank you for this service of love. As the number of frail older persons grows, we will look to you for guidance and offer our support

in caring for them with respect and compassion.”

To that end, Davis said Sacred Heart Home and the collaborative Diocesan Health Facilities are working to maintain the dignity of life at all stages.

“Here at Sacred Heart and throughout the Diocesan Health Facilities locations, you can really see and feel the respect and dignity of all life,” she said. “With our mission to serve our communities, we have the chance to touch the lives not only of our residents, but their children, grandchildren, sometimes even great-grandchildren. In looking at our residents’ care clinically, socially and Spiritually, we hope to show the entire community that life is valuable, respected, and can be fun at all stages — even when facing chronic and debilitating illnesses.

“At Sacred Heart some of the most rewarding work we do is aiding our residents at the very end of their life (by) providing clinical care, pain management and Spiritual guidance to the resident and their families at such a difficult but important time.”

In turn, Davis hopes Sacred Heart Home’s recognition will help other families in the area know that they have a facility right here in the diocese that can help them with their loved ones.

“I think this will really help with families that might not be familiar with our mission or the care we provide,” she said. “Having an independent research group validate the services you give might open a person’s heart and mind to consider us when they need care for their loved one. Hopefully it will reassure them that their family will experience the love and compassion that our current residents experience each day when they are faced with a difficult decision for placement in a nursing home.

Being the only home on the list from the City of New Bedford will certainly help highlight our home.”

Two diocesan priests placed on administrative leave FALL RIVER — Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., on Nov. 2-3, 2019, informed parishioners and priests of the Diocese of Fall River that two priests have been placed on administrative leave from active priestly ministry. This comes as a result of information gathered during an external review of the diocese’s personnel files.

The information relates to alleged misconduct, said to have occurred decades ago, that requires further investigation.

The priests placed on leave are Father Richard E. Degagne, pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Easton, and Father Daniel W. Lacroix, co-pastor of St. JosephSt. Therese, St. Mary, and Our Lady of Fatima Parishes in New Bedford.

The priests will remain on leave pending further investigation of both cases of alleged misconduct by external investigators. The misconduct alleged of Father Degagne is said to have occurred before he was a priest.

Both priests have denied the alleged misconduct.

These matters have been referred to the Bristol County and Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Offices.

Parishioners of the parishes where these priests serve were informed of this in a letter from Bishop da Cunha that was read at all weekend Masses.

The Diocese of Fall River placed the priests on leave based on information from an external review of the diocese’s priest personnel files, announced

earlier this year. In addition to this review, Bishop da Cunha has instituted a host of revamped practices and procedures to ensure the safety of parishioners of the Fall River Diocese especially children and young people, as well as to foster healing in the wake of the clergy sexual abuse crisis.

“Nothing is more important than the welfare

of survivors, children and our community at-large,” said Bishop da Cunha. “We have pledged to handle all matters of abuse in a pastoral and professional way and have implemented many new reforms since 2017. I continue to pray for anyone who has been affected by the scourge of sexual abuse.”

In addition to instituting the external review, the

diocese established a revamped Safe Environment Enterprise to re-structure and strengthen all child protection programs and protocols and create more effective policies and processes for handling allegations and the survivors of abuse impacted by them.

The diocese has hired former law enforcement officials and a social worker to oversee it.

Anyone with information or concerns that they wish to raise regarding the conduct of any past or present member of the diocese, is encouraged to contact the Bristol County or Cape and the Islands District Attorney’s Offices, or the Diocese of Fall River, Office of Safe Environment at 508-985-6508 or by email osechancery@ dioc-fr.org.

November 15, 2019 †

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The day of reckoning

he Gospel readings these past few weekends have been or will be about fire and brimstone awaiting those who make bad choices and stick with them. Our Lord did speak about consequences following Judgement Day. However, where exactly does that imagery of eternal torture fit with my image of a loving God? Pondering fire and brimstone, I looked up the derivation of brimstone. It has to do with the smell of burning sulfur. I remembered a teaching assistant of mine. We were teaching chemistry to a group of gifted students. He had worked up this demo of burning sulfur. The tremendous fire was over in a split-second leaving a blackened lab bench that required many hours for him to clean it all up.

He had gleefully asked, “Wasn’t that wonderful?”

All I remember was turning away from the ugly mess.

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A loving God can use the fire and brimstone imagery as an attention grabber or wake up call. I think something akin to that immediate repulsion where we turn our mind away from the disaster and mess is what Our Lord is really trying to convey to us with those tales of Judgment Day. The question “What do I need to do to avoid that fate?” leaves the heart open to reflection and deepening our understanding of what it means to live each moment of our lives within the wisdom of the greatest Commandment (Mk 12: 28-34; Mt 22:34-40).

Sometimes we seem to get gleefully caught up in the flash, but not the substance of Judgment Day. When one feels hurt or afraid, in our human frailty, the idea that at the end of time “Somebody is

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going to get it real good” can be so tempting. So long as that naughty list does not include oneself or those one loves, us humans seem all too ready to add others to that list.

Even worse, we often apply our personal biases so as to add certain innocent

people to that judgment list.

Even the briefest examination of the Gospels reminds us that God is about conversion of heart.

Jesus is always reminding the disciples and us that each and every one of us humans is a child beloved of God. When 10 lepers are healed it is the foreigner who returns to thank God (Lk 17: 11-19).

The Prodigal Son returns home apologizing for his atrocious behavior and

ready to beg for sustenance. His loving father runs out to greet him on the road (Lk 15: 11-32).

At the end of the discussion of the greatest Commandment, Jesus patiently awaits the scholar’s discovery of just who was the traveler’s neighbor (Lk 10: 25-37).

A priest once shared an alternative vision of Judgment Day with a group of us young adults. Really it is not unlike what Dickens shared in the character of Jacob Marley in “A Christmas Carol.” Father had asked us to close our eyes and imagine being at Judgment Day. A movie of our life passes before us. For each scene, we are conscious of what we had chosen and why. Above that though is another consciousness. It is the thoughts and emotions of those with whom we dealt each moment of that movie. Father’s idea was that the pain we might feel at Judgment Day was the pain we had knowingly or unknowingly inflicted upon others throughout our lives.

It was a gentle invitation to exhibit self-restraint instead of choosing to hurt another. Father

also reminded us of the importance of forgiveness and mercy. In many cases we had the option in this world to say “I’m sorry” and try to begin to make amends before even reaching the day of reckoning.

Another part of the discussion that will arise from watching one’s life movie will be the realization of what one did or did not do with the many gifts God had entrusted to oneself. My image of God is not a God of lists. Judgement Day is not simply a mathematical sum of one’s bad and good actions. God will adjudicate in His own manner. I am not afraid because I know that the patient and loving God Who awaited the scholar’s discovery of the meaning of the parable of the Good Samaritan and its application to his life is the God who will be there beside me the day of reckoning.

As we move towards Advent, let’s reflect upon our journey then take the time to analyze where we are with the sharing of our gifts. Let’s find a talent to further refine in perhaps a new way. I imagine each of us has one or more gifts we may never have even touched. Look around.

There will be a new and exciting opportunity.

I will close with a saying on a bracelet a friend had shared with me. It says, “One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.”

Anchor columnist Dr. Helen J. Flavin, Ph.D., is a Catholic scientist, educator and writer.

St. Anthony of Padua parishioner named Southeastern Mass. Veteran of the Year

From Vietnam war zones to serving his native New Bedford parish, Patrick Robitaille has brought dedication, hard work and total commitment to his endeavors

By Dave Jolivet Co-Editor

davejolivet@anchornews.org

NEW BEDFORD ­ On November 7 Patrick — Robitaille, a lifelong member of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in New Bedford and a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, was the recipient of the 2019 Southeastern Massachusetts Veteran of the Year by the Southeastern Mass. Veterans Housing Program, Inc., also known as the Veterans Transition House.

It was long ago in a location very distant from the Whaling City; the U.S. Marine garrison at Khe Sanh, Vietnam, near the Laos border where Robitaille served as a U.S. Marine with HMM 364, a helicopter squadron known as the “Purple Foxes,” one of the most highly-decorated such units in the Southeast Asian theater during the Vietnam War. Robitaille and his comrades served as a medevac and resupply unit for the Marines during the 1968

U.S. Marine Patrick Robitaille in Vietnam in 1968.

Tet offensive (lunar new year) when the People’s Army of North Vietnam (PANV) launched a massive attack against U.S. and South Vietnamese troops in more than 100 cities and towns in South Vietnam.

The Purple Foxes were part of a massive Marine presence at Khe Sanh, protecting the vital area near the demilitarized zone (DMZ) and the Laotian border. The ensuing battle lasted 77 days, one of the most extensive and fierce battles of the war; with many PANV fatalities and allied casualties.

Robitaille himself was one of those casualties, sustaining very serious shrapnel injuries to his legs as the result of a mortar explosion as he was running for cover during a rocket attack.

The New Bedford resident survived his days in Vietnam and was honorably discharged from the U.S. Marines as a Sergeant E5 in 1970. He and his HMM 364 comrades were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, the Navy Unit Citation and the combat action ribbon, and Robitaille earned the Purple Heart, the Air Medal 4th Award and the Combat Air Crew for his nearly 90 combat missions.

Fellow Marine and longtime friend and parishioner Raymond Hanks told The Anchor that Robitaille is a special individual who excelled in his service to

Patrick Robitaille, center, a lifelong parishioner of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in New Bedford and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran was named 2019 Southeastern Massachusetts Veteran of the Year by the Southeastern Mass. Veterans Housing Program, Inc. at a ceremony at Rachel’s Lakeside in Dartmouth on November 7.

With him are, from left: grandchildren Kate, Abigail and Matthew Saber; Patrick; his daughters Rebecca Robitaille-Saber and Jessica Robitaille; and Jessica’s fiance Steven Lee; and in the back row Robitaille’s son Christian. the USMC, to his family, and to his beloved New Bedford parish.

“Patrick is a humble and hardworking individual and I am proud to call him friend as well as a Marine Corps brother in arms.”

In a letter to the Veteran of the Year nominating committee, Hanks wrote, “As you can see from his DD214, listing his various medals and awards that he received from his service in the United States Marine Corps and his tour of duty in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive of 1968, he is not one to sit back and not do his part.

“After leaving the Marine Corps in 1970 Pat began his civilian life of service very much as he did his service to his country.

From the very beginning he has been deeply involved in raising his family, supporting and maintaining St. Anthony of Padua Church in New Bedford, the parish in which he was born and educated, while working full time for the United States Postal Service.

“He is also on the parish council, a collector at his church, an officer in the Knights of Columbus (4th Degree), as well as serves on the board of the parish credit union, and estab-

lishes and supports many charitable undertakings at his church.

“He was also one of the early joiners to Chapter 499 of the Vietnam Veterans of America and actively participates as a life member in many of their veteran’s causes and parade activities.”

Robitaille is also a diocesan Marian Medal Award recipient.

In a conversation with The Anchor, one of Robitaille’s comrades from HMM 364, Jim Keller, talked about a close friendship that began when they 8 Turn to page 16

November 15, 2019 †

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Editorial In tough times, pray and repent

These have been difficult days in our local Church, in our nation and in our world. Other than natural disasters, all the other difficulties are brought about by some element of human sinfulness.

How are we to face this bad news? We need to remember that God does not abandon us. St. Gertrude the Great, whose memorial is tomorrow (Saturday, November 16), wrote to God, “As an act of thanksgiving, I praise and worship You, Father, in deepest humility for Your most loving kindness and mercy. Though I was hurrying to my eternal loss, Your thoughts of me were thoughts of peace and not of affliction, and You lifted me up with so many great favors.”

Also in the Breviary, an anonymous author from the second century wrote, “Let us revere God for fear of the evils that spring from impiety. If we are zealous in doing good, we shall have peace, but there is no peace for those who, governed by human respect, prefer present enjoyment to the future promises [of God].”

Earlier in her writings, St. Gertrude had discussed how she needed “to make amends for the way I previously lived,” which she described as “living like some pagan in a pagan society.”

St. Gertrude’s early life was nothing like the sinfulness of St. Augustine’s pre-conversion existence (and even the way he lived might pale in comparison to how many live today — although we are quick to judge others, while justifying our own behavior), but her conscience pointed out her failure to love God and love her neighbor.

We all need to do that. Only Mary and Jesus were sinless in this life, so we all need to (as individuals and as communities) constantly be examining our consciences, to see how we have failed to carry out God’s Commandments, in big and small ways.

Next Monday (November 18) we commemorate the dedications of the basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul in Rome. St. Leo the Great, in the Liturgy of the Hours for that day, reminds us, “No type of cruelty can tear down the religion established by the mystery of Christ’s cross. The Church is not diminished by persecutions, but rather increased.”

St. Leo then discussed how the blood of the martyrs nurtured the seeds of faith, so that the Church grew, even though the pagans thought they could eliminate it. He especially praised Saints Peter and Paul, whom he compared to “two eyes that bring light to the Body Whose head is Christ.” St. Leo was conscious that both of these saints were sinners, but also sinners who were aware of their failures and who had begged God for forgiveness.

“Just as we are humbled by our own sins, so we shall be raised up OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 63, No. 23

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by the merits of these Apostles,” St. Leo concluded. These words give us hope, even when the Church has not so much been harmed by the actions of external persecutors (such as the Roman Empire, the Soviet Union, North Korea, etc.), as it has been injured by the actions of its own members (especially the clergy). St. Leo was aware of the failures of Christians from the time of Christ until his day. In preaching about the Beatitudes, he said, “Blessed is that poverty which is not trapped by the love of temporal things and does not seek worldly wealth, but desires rather to grow rich in Heavenly goods.”

The other memorial this coming Monday is that of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne. In the last decade of her life, which had been very active up until then, illness kept her from the external apostolate.

However, a priest said of her at the time, “She may not be able to do much work, but she will assure success to the mission by praying for us.” The Native American children gave her a name which (when translated into English) means “Woman Who Prays Always.”

Our prayer and our work on our own conversions (personal and corporate) will help to heal our world, on the local and international level. God is not giving up on us. Why should we give up?

During the month of November, being a time to focus on giving thanks (due to our national holiday) and on praying for the dead (due to our Catholic emphasis), may we see how the glass is always more than half full when we see all of the blessings God has given us. We are then called to share these blessings with the living, while offering up these sacrifices for the repose of our beloved dead.

The unknown author mentioned earlier wrote, “Let us love one another, so that we may all attain the Kingdom of God. While we can still be healed, let us surrender ourselves into the hands of our Divine Physician and give Him His recompense — the recompense of true sorrow for our sins. Since He Who knows all things sees what is in our hearts, let us praise Him with our hearts as well as with our lips.”

St. Leo said that this is the real way in which Christians can live out the Beatitude, “Blessed are they who mourn.” Echoing St. Paul, who wrote that we are not to “mourn like the rest, who have no hope” (1 Thes. 4:13), St. Leo said, “Religious grief mourns for sin, one’s own or another’s; it does not lament because of what happens as a result of God’s justice, but because of what is done by human malice.”

Christ on the cross endured all of the evil we are witnessing today.

May our prayers help us to repent of our part in it and help to bring Him succor by the ways in which we reach out to our neighbors.

Daily Readings † November 16 - November 29

Sat. Nov. 16, Wis 18:14-16; 19:6-9; Ps 105:2-3,36-37,42-43; Lk 18:1-8. Sun. Nov. 17, Mal 3:19-20a; Ps 98:5-9; 2 Thes 3:7-12; Lk 21:5-19. Mon. Nov. 18, 1 Mc 1:10-15,41-43,54-57,62-63; Ps 119:53,61,134,150,155,158; Lk 18:35-43. Tue. Nov. 19, 2 Mc 6:18-31; Ps 3:2-7; Lk 19:1-10. Wed. Nov. 20, 2 Mc 7:1,20-31; Ps 17:1bcd,5-6,8b,15; Lk 19:11-28. Thu. Nov. 21, 1 Mc 2:15-29; Ps 50:1b-2,5-6,1415; Lk 19:41-44. Fri. Nov. 22, 1 Mc 4:36-37,52-59; (Ps)1 Chr 29:10b-12; Lk 19:45-48.

Sat. Nov. 23, 1 Mc 6:1-13; Ps 9:2-4 ,6,16b,19; Lk 20:27-40. Sun. Nov. 24, 2 Sm 5:1-3; Ps 122:1-5; Col 1:12-20; Lk 23:35-43. Mon. Nov. 25, Dn 1:1-6,8-20; (Ps)Dn 3:52-56; Lk 21:1-4. Tue. Nov. 26, Dn 2:31-45; (Ps)Dn 3:57-61; Lk 21:5-11. Wed. Nov. 27, Dn 5:1-6,13-14,16-17,23-28; (Ps)Dn 3:62-67; Lk 21:12-19. Thu. Nov. 28, Dn 6:12-28; (Ps)Dn 3:68-74; Lk 21:20-28. Proper Mass in Thanksgiving to God, Sir 50:22-24; Ps 138:1-5; 1 Cor 1:3-9; Lk 17:11-19. Fri. Nov. 29, Dn 7:2-14; (Ps)Dn 3:75-81; Lk 21:29-33.

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The need to fight for religious freedom and values

n October 11, Attorney General William Barr gave an impassioned speech to the students and faculty of Notre Dame Law School as well as to Notre Dames’ Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture on the state of religious freedom in the United States.

His remarks were received with alarm by commentators like the New York Times’ Paul Krugman, who called Barr’s words “the language of witch hunts and pogroms,” by the Washington Post’s Catherine Rampell, who described them as “a tacit endorsement of theocracy,” and by Huffington Post’s Mary Papenfuss, who said they reveal “how deeply the top lawman in the nation is tied to his Catholicism,” which for her was obviously a problem.

As such reactions show, Barr’s unabashed candor upset many of the proponents of the militant-secularist project he decries: those who have preached the virtue of tolerance while being intolerant of those who disagree with what they want tolerated, who proclaim new rights and fundamental freedoms while trampling the long-established ones of those whom they think are in their way.

Militant secularists often wrap their advocacy and action in the American flag and frame what’s happening as a flourishing of the principles of the country’s founding fathers, while generally and snobbishly trying to disregard as un-American paranoia the concerns raised by religious leaders and people. When the Attorney General, however, exposed what is afoot as bluntly as he did, they knew they couldn’t ignore it. Rather than engaging the arguments, they resorted to high-class, old-fashioned, hyperbolic name-calling and fear-mongering.

Even though many of Barr’s ideas won’t be new to those who have been concerned with the rapid ero-

sion of religious freedom in the United States, they need to be taken as seriously by defenders of religious liberty as they have been by religious freedom opponents. They are a wake-up call for citizens not to take their duties with response to religious liberty and freedom of conscience for granted — and to begin to act.

Barr makes three major points in his address.

The first concerns the centrality of religious liberty in the history of the United States. He underlines that the founding fathers, especially Madison and Adams, were convinced that the only way the American experiment in ordered liberty would succeed would be if the people governed were moral and religious, if they interiorly obeyed a higher law that restrained them from doing evil and moved them to work for the common good.

Self-government is not just and principally “government of the people, by the people and for the people,” he said, but begins with selfmastery and the capacity to govern oneself. Religion helps teach and form people to want and choose what is good and to refrain from abusing their freedom for selfish ends against the good of others.

Without such moral formation toward authentic freedom, toward interior and cultural restraint instead of the enforced restraint of government, the founding fathers did not believe the United States could succeed: the unbridled pursuit of personal appetites at the expense of the common good would begin to tear asunder the social fabric and leave government coercion as the only means to achieve order.

America has succeeded until now because, for the most part, the vast majority of people were indeed moral

and religious and regularly chose to do the right thing even if they might have been able to get away with doing the wrong.

Those achievements, however, are in danger, as Barr emphasizes in his second point, which is what critics of his speech found most offensive.

Over the past half-century, religion in general, and religious freedom in particular, have been under increasing attack, he says, as militant

secularists have mounted a comprehensive effort to drive religion and the Judeo-Christian moral system from the public square. The “unremitting assault” of “organized destruction,” he argues, has taken place through popular culture, entertainment, the academy, courts and legislatures, where secularists have sought to supplant traditional values with a quasi-religion of moral relativism pushing as moral goods abortion, sexual promiscuity, euthanasia, and gender ideology, among other things.

The consequences of this moral upheaval, he stresses, have demonstrably led to skyrocketing rates of illegitimacy, broken families, depression and mental illnesses, suicide rates and drug abuse. Rather than acknowledge and confront the “social costs of licentiousness and irresponsible personal conduct,” militant secularists, he says, enable them by having the state pick up the social tab, paying for abortions rather than calling people to sexual responsibility, providing safe injection sites rather than attacking addiction and assisting addicts, and assuming through scores

of new social programs the parental and spousal responsibilities of those who forsake them.

It’s obvious that not all those who call themselves secularists are part of a loose conspiracy of organized destruction. At the same time, however, it’s difficult to deny that those organizations who, for example, have sought to remove any reference to God from public assemblies and places, who have pushed not only for universal access to abortion but to have those opposed to it pay for it, or who have trumpeted respect for those in the LGBTI community only to treat as moral and civic pariahs supporters of traditional Marriage, have justly earned the Attorney General’s description.

Their ire at the term “destruction” seems to come not from its use describing their attempted annihilation of the Judeo-Christian values that they believe stand in their way, but from Barr’s blaming their moral revolution for the disastrous consequences he documents. “Among these militant secularists are many so-called ‘progressives,’” Barr quips laconically. “But where is the progress?”

Barr’s third major point builds on the point of organized destruction, by illustrating with authority how law — especially judicial activism — is strategically being used as a “battering ram” to bring about moral revolution. The goal, Barr contends, is not just replacing traditional values with new ones, but forcing people of faith and religious institutions to subscribe to practices and policies antithetical to their beliefs and consciences, like paying for abortions, being browbeaten to bake cakes for same-sex weddings, or being compelled to have their children taught in public schools about sexual practices contrary to their faith.

Such attacks, Barr says, remind him of Roman emperors who refused to leave Christians alone to practice their faith but forced them to offer religious sacrifices to pagan deities or the emperor.

He makes plain that such attacks are not only a “monstrous invasion of religious liberty,” but also wholly unAmerican, something that would fill not just the founding fathers but most Americans throughout the last 243 years with outrage.

What is to be done to remedy this trend? Barr mentions briefly on three things.

First is individual moral renewal: we can only transform culture and society if we ourselves are transformed.

Second is to focus far more vigorously on the moral education of children: there can be no moral rebirth unless we do a better job in passing along faith and values to the newer generations — and not just particular religious values, but the general values that the founding fathers recognized make a free society possible to endure.

Third, lawyers must take greater leadership and responsibility for the way the courts are being used to bulldoze believers and their values. They must vigorously resist the secular desire to expel religious viewpoints from the public square and to limit the free exercise of faith.

Like a pre-exilic prophet, the Attorney General focuses far more on the analysis of the problem than on giving detailed steps toward a solution, leaving a bleak and dark landscape even among readers and YouTube watchers prone to accept his conclusions.

For those engaging in the types of socially calamitous behavior he describes, however, their reaction to his speech burnish his prophetic credentials.

Anchor columnist Father Roger Landry can be contacted at fatherlandry@ catholicpreaching.com.

November 15, 2019 †

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Pushing back against evil

uring a recent speech in Texas, I mentioned that “Drag Queen Story Hours” are being sponsored by local public libraries across the country. Toddlers and kids are brought in and placed in front of cross-dressing men who read children’s stories to them, stories that encourage them to reject fundamental gender differences between males and females. The LGBTQ agenda, I also noted, is being energetically promoted to upend and rewrite public school curricula even for kindergarten and pre-school-aged children.

During the Q & A after the talk, one of the parents in attendance, with a measure of frustration in his voice, asked what the average person can do to push back against the seemingly endless

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expansion of error and evil in our society.

His question is a common one.

I usually reply by saying that we cannot yield to discouragement over the apparently widespread moral decline around us, nor dissipate our personal energy in worry and anxiety about the state of the world.

Instead, we need to recognize how God has entrusted to each of us a small garden that He asks us to tend. If we tend that plot well, He will extend the reach of His grace in ways we cannot foresee or imagine, and we will actually contribute to stemming the

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tide of error and evil well beyond the limited confines of our particular plot.

This implies that each of us has different responsibilities, depending upon our particular state in life, our commitments, and our employment and family situations.

By attending carefully to those responsibilities and conscientiously tending our gardens, the air around us can indeed begin to change.

A true story I recently heard brought this lesson home in a powerful way.

A woman, facing complex health issues, felt a strong impulse one morning to pray for her oldest son while she was confined to her bed. He lived far away in a large metropolitan area and worked in his spare time for a ride-sharing company.

Later that day, her son called home, and she mentioned that she had felt the need to pray for him earlier. “That’s interesting,” he replied, “because I had something unusual happen today.”

He then told her about picking up a pregnant woman with two young children. After greeting them, he looked at his phone and started driving. The address on his screen subconsciously caught his attention; meanwhile the woman was speaking to someone on her phone in the back seat. After several minutes of thinking about the address, the young driver suddenly realized where they were headed: the local Planned Parenthood abortion clinic.

He decided to make a couple of wrong turns to buy some time so the woman would finish up her phone conversation. When she kept on talking, he pulled the car over and brought it to a complete

stop. As she paused her conversation, he turned and said to her, “I’m sorry but I have to let you know that because of my religious beliefs, I simply cannot take you where you are going. I will return you to where I picked you up and refund your fee.” The woman was surprised, but seemed to understand, and he drove her and her three children back to the pickup point.

That young driver made an intentional decision, within the confines of the particular garden God had given him to cultivate, to push back against a present evil he became aware of.

Another person of lesser determination might have said, “Who am I to get involved in this person’s choices? Am I my brother’s keeper?” He recognized, however, that he was already unwittingly involved, and that each of us, in fact, is our brother’s keeper. He was concerned about a neighbor and her little family gathered in the back seat of his car. He knew he could not be party to the wrongdoing she seemed poised to carry out against her unborn child.

We don’t know what happened after he dropped her off. Maybe, sadly, she just ordered another ride. Maybe, however, she reconsidered her choice. Any time we try to do what is right and push back against evil, any time we seek to act with resolve on behalf of what is good and true, new options open up, the air changes around us, and we contribute to renewing our world.

That’s what each of us can do as we take care of our own garden.

Anchor columnist Father Pacholczyk earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-doctoral work at Harvard.

He is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, and serves as the director of Education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia.

See www.ncbcenter.org

Faith Gingras, center, serves Mass with her brother Adam at Holy Family Parish in East Taunton. (Photo by Matt Laird)

New altar server’s journey is a witness to the power of faith

By Matthew Laird

Diocesan Seminarian matthew.laird@sjs.edu

EAST TAUNTON — “Helping makes me happy.”

This simple yet powerful sentiment perfectly sums up the Christian spirit of Faith Gingras, a parishioner of Holy Family Parish in East Taunton who recently became an altar server.

The daughter of Deacon Kevin Gingras, ordained in May of this year, and Allison Gingras, a Catholic author and inspirational speaker, Faith is a member of the deaf community.

Though she did not join the Gingras Family until her adoption in November of 2009 from the Wuhan province of China, her journey into their lives began long before that.

“We felt called to adopt, after some time of prayer about how the Lord may be calling us to expand our family,” Allison told The Anchor. “We were blessed to find a wonderful adoption agency in Boston.”

That adoption agency was

China Adoption with Love Incorporated, an international organization in Brookline which has been guiding couples through the adoption process since 1995. For Deacon Kevin and Allison, that process began Feb. 21, 2008 when they attended an orientation meeting.

“We waited over a year to be matched,” Allison explained, “and then six months, once we had Faith’s picture, to get approval to travel to China and bring her home.”

Though the process was long and arduous at times, the faithfilled couple never doubted that the Divine Hand was present throughout guiding them.

“God was guiding every single decision and keeping our hearts at peace while we waited,” Deacon Kevin explained. “We spent many hours in Adoration — both as we decided, worked through the mounds of paperwork and awaited her arrival. It was during this time we learned how to trust in His plans for our lives.”

During this time of intense 8 Turn to page 20 November 15, 2019 †

9

Y

In the big inning

ou are probably aware already that in the beginning of the game the Houston Astros dominated and led by two runs, but in the big inning (seventh) the Washington Nationals scored three runs and went on to win the seventh and deciding game of this year’s World Series. I am telling you this in case you are not a sports fan, but more importantly to show you that we here in Kalaupapa are not cut off entirely from the outside world. Indeed we have our own “big in-

10

nings” here, and while the World Series may have occupied much of your time, we have been busy with several pilgrimages to this land of Saints Damien and Marianne.

In the first “inning” Father Daren Zehnle from Springfield Diocese in Illinois arrived here and spent the better part of a week resting, praying and playing with my cats. Later in the week Sister Dolores from Kaimuki and Sister Gloria

† November 15, 2019

from Ecuador visited the settlement bringing me apples, cheese and other items and taking pictures

of my feline friends. Then on Saturday the Damien Council of the Knights of Columbus arrived and almost immediately went to work cleaning the church yard as well as the church itself. I was delighted to see them wielding shovels, brooms and mops and

was most happy that they had not come armed with their swords. If they had, I would likely have gotten the point right away.

Sunday dawned bright and early and saw some of us at our Kalaupapa International Airport awaiting the arrival of three incoming planes. Our “big inning” was about to begin as we looked to see Bishop Larry step down from the plane like the team’s closer striding from the bullpen.

Bishop Larry would lead us in celebrating Mass accompanied by his 26 fellow pilgrims and our local

community. Soon after the arrival of the pilgrims a cavalcade of vans departed the airport and began to proceed toward Kalaupapa town. We stopped as usual at Papaloa Cemetery to pay respects at the graves of Bishop Larry’s great grandfather, John Santos, as well as that of the cofounder of Damien Tours, Richard Marks.

It was then that the scramble began. The lead van carrying 16 pilgrims had broken down and John and I had to go find replacements, my old paddy wagon and Meli’s truck. Meantime many of the pilgrims hoofed it to St. Francis Church where Bishop Larry celebrated Mass and hit a home run with his homily. After Mass all gathered in Damien Hall, believed to be in its original form, Our Lady of Sorrows Church built

by Father Damien. Reinforced by a hearty lunch and refreshed by cold, sparkling water, we then set out for Kalawao and Father Damien’s church, St. Philomena, in the original settlement. There Damien had cared for so many patients during his 16 years in the settlement. I expect that there will be many more World Series and many more Most Valuable Players but none will measure up to Saints Damien and Marianne. So keep on coming, pilgrims. After all, we are only in the early innings.

Aloha.

Anchor columnist Father Patrick Killilea, SS.CC., is pastor of St. Francis Parish in Kalaupapa, Hawaii.

Bishop’s Blog Editor’s note: In order to keep all readers informed of what the bishop is writing about in his blog, The Anchor will run the two weekly blogs from Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., that have appeared since our last publication date. To keep up with the Bishop’s Blog as they appear, visit fallriverdiocese.org and click on “Read the Bishop’s Blog.”

Celebrating Priests, Peace, and Saints — October 30 As October (Respect Life month) comes to a close, I wanted to take this opportunity to share one of our diocese’s most valuable commodities — our retired priests and deacons. These men continue to assist me and serve the people of the Fall River Diocese by offering Mass, hearing Confessions, serving on parish and diocese committees, and of course, through their prayers.

Twice a year, at the Cardinal Medeiros Home for Retired Priests, retired clergy join me to share a meal and receive an update on the diocese.

It is evident those who are still physically able desire to serve in ministry. What joy to spend time with these faithful men, whose stories and love of the Church, encourage my own priest-

hood.

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to spend time with them and ask you please remember them, especially the infirmed, in your prayers.

Mass for Peace Procession from St. Anne’s Shrine to St. Mary’s Cathedral A Special Mass for Peace in Our World.

The Columbus Day Procession and Mass for Peace is a long tradition in the Fall River Diocese. It was first held in 1975 especially to pray for peace in Portugal but its emphasis has since broadened to include

peace and justice worldwide Happily, the weather cooperated for a prayerful candlelight procession from St. Anne’s Shrine to St. Mary’s Cathedral including reciting the Rosary and singing Marian hymns.

A few aspects of the Mass which I particularly enjoy is that it is celebrated in Spanish, English, and Portuguese, and the wonderful singing, which participants offered so enthusiastically and with

such faith.

The Mass for Peace, which began in 1975, continues to draw over 700 people to pray for peace.

I was delighted to look out into the cathedral and see every seat filled, even the choir loft was filled that evening. The Mass initially intended as prayers to Our Lady of Fatima for peace in Portugal, now included many troubled places in our world needing our prayers, such as Syria, Iraq, North Korea, and many other places.

I pray you will mark your calendar for Columbus Day 2020, to join

us in the 45th annual Candlelight Procession and Mass for Peace.

All Saints Day, Friday, November 1st, is a Holy Day of Obligation.

The faithful can find Masses throughout the diocese, beginning on the vigil of the Holy Day on October 31 into the evening of November 1.

I welcome you to join me at 6 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral on November 1, where I will be celebrating an All Saints Day Mass in Spanish.

The Fall River Diocese website offers links to all diocesan parishes which can be used to help locate a Mass. If you need help finding a Mass outside the diocese, MassTimes.org is a good resource.

Sincerely yours in Christ, Bishop da Cunha

Ad Limina Visit with Pope Francis — November 6 This week I am in Rome, with about 20 of my fellow Region I Bishops, for our ad limina visit with Pope Francis.

As faithful people, we are called to trust in God’s timing, even when it appears inopportune. This mandatory meeting with the pope and other Vati-

can officials is formally called ad limina apostolorum, which means “to the thresholds of the Apostles.” This is a pilgrimage all bishops are required to do typically every five years, however, due to the change of pope in 2013, this is the first one for our region

and for the U.S. since 2011.

During the bishops’ time in Rome, we will visit the Tomb of the Apostles so as to be reminded of whose work we continue and to remind us of our Apostolic succession. We will also celebrate Mass in the

four major Basilicas of Rome — St. Peter’s Basilica, the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, the Basilica of St. Mary Major, and Archbasilica of St. John In The Lateran.

The bishops will also attend several meetings of various councils and

congregations in the Vatican Roman Curia; four of the meetings are mandatory for all the bishops to attend and we divide into smaller groups so that all the Dicasteries are visited by some of the bishops. I am visiting the 8 Turn to page 19

November 15, 2019 †

11

St. James-St. John School in New Bedford selected to represent Commonwealth in annual D.C. Christmas tree display

By Dave Jolivet Co-Editor

davejolivet@anchornews.org

NEW BEDFORD — It’s loads of fun for youngsters to decorate a Christmas tree as the wonderful season approaches each December. But not many can imagine being part of a national Christmas tree lighting event in the nation’s capital.

But that’s exactly what some students and their families as well as a handful of faculty and staff at St. James-St. John School in New Bedford have been involved with for several weeks leading up to a trip to Washington D.C. to be part of the annual National Christmas Tree Lighting event on December 5.

“Sandi Duxbury, the Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Partnerships of the diocesan Catholic Schools Alliance, received an email from the National Park Service and the U.S. Department of Education offering schools across the country the opportunity to apply to represent their particular state or U.S. Territory by creating Christmas ornaments with images that represent their home state,” principal Cristina Viveiros-Serra told The Anchor. “Sandi forwarded the email to all the diocesan schools.

“Daphne Costa, our middle school math and science teacher took the lead on this and started the application process on Google. Jennifer Vescio, our middle school English, Language and Arts teacher assisted Daphne and got 12

the application out. Weeks later we heard back from the Park Service that St. James-St. John School was selected to represent the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

“We were shocked and very excited that a little 200-student school was chosen to represent our Commonwealth in

the final decisions saw the value and excitement that St. James-St. John exhibited on its application. In fact, Mrs. Costa was one of the first in the state to send in the completed application. They couldn’t help but see the excitement at the school.”

Viveiros-Serra explained that the email

Massachusetts is about; and we couldn’t use things like logos from the Patriots or Red Sox and such; but people, places or things that make people think of Massachusetts,” said Viveiros-Serra.

Twenty seventh- and eighth-graders began creating the ornaments during their recess time and after

Daphne Costa, center, the middle school math and science teacher at St. JamesSt. John School in New Bedford is surrounded by students who painted Christmas ornaments that will represent the Massachusetts tree at the annual National Christmas Tree Lighting Event on December 5 in Washington, D.C. (Photo courtesy of St. James-St. John School) Washington, D.C. We are thrilled.”

Duxbury told The Anchor, “It’s fantastic that a Catholic school was chosen to represent Massachusetts.

Of the 50-plus schools involved, only two are Catholic schools and that makes it even more impressive.

“It’s a smaller school but the people who made

† November 15, 2019

informed the school that they would send information on what the program entailed and the parameters that had to be adhered to for all schools. Additionally, the actual blank ornaments would be sent to each school.

“The Park Service told us that we should paint images that represent what

school.

The images they chose to paint covered a wide range of scenes near and dear to Massachusetts’ residents and visitors, including: Plymouth Rock, the Mayflower, the Boston skyline, a portrait of Emily Dickinson, the Cat in the Hat representing Dr. Seuss, the Boston Freedom

Trail, the Duck Boats, Paul Revere, the North Church, the state flower (appropriately enough, the mayflower), Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick,” cranberry bogs, and of course a big old “Lobstah.”

“We had a former art teacher who came back to help the students with their creations, offering tips and advice.

“The students really had to research just what makes Massachusetts so special and they did a wonderful job and they learned a great deal about our Commonwealth.”

The students and the teachers gave of their free time to complete the project.

Each state, territory or district has a tree in the display and each tree carries 24 ornaments.

Fifteen students and their families, and three staff members, including Viveiros-Serra, will be heading for the ceremonies in the nation’s capital from December 4-7.

The school has set up a Facebook fund-raising site to help defray the costs of the trip; and folks can contact the school or send donations directly to the school to help.

“This is the first year that the students involved will be invited to a special reception the night before,” added Viveiros-Serra. “On December 4 we will go see the trees and there will be special musical performers at the reception.”

On December 5 the actual lighting of the trees 8 Turn to page 17

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, November 17 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Robert A. Oliveira, Pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Fall River

Sunday, November 24 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Edward A. Murphy, Co-Pastor of Annunciation of the Lord and St. Andrew the Apostle Parishes in Taunton

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass

on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, November 17 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from Espirito Santo Church in Fall River

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass

on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, November 27 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church in Providence

Annual appeal helps religious communities care for aging members The annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection will be held December 7-8 in the Diocese of Fall River. The parish-based appeal is coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO), and proceeds help hundreds of U.S. religious communities to care for aging members. Some 30,000 senior Catholic Sisters, Brothers and religious order priests benefit.

Last year, the Diocese of Fall River donated $123,331.22 to the collection. In 2019, the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts received financial support made possible by the Retirement Fund for Religious.

The 2018 appeal raised $27.7 million, and 360 religious congregations across the nation received funding.

Distributions are sent to each eligible congregation’s central house. Communities combine this assistance with their own income and savings and apply it toward

various retirement expenses, such as medications and nursing care.

“We are humbled and profoundly grateful for the countless Catholics who honor the service and witness of senior religious through their prayers and generosity,” said Presentation Sister Stephanie Still, the NRRO’s executive director.

Catholic bishops of the United States initiated the Retirement Fund for Religious in 1988 to help address the profound lack of retirement savings among U.S. religious communities. Since the collection’s launch, U.S. Catholics have donated $872 million to the annual appeal.

Despite this generosity, many congregations still struggle to provide for aging members. Most older religious served for low wages that did not include retirement benefits. Today, numerous communities face a critical shortage in retirement savings. More-

over, retired religious now outnumber wage-earning members, resulting in declining income and a rising cost of care.

Proceeds from the annual collection allow the NRRO to offer assessment tools, educational programming, services and resources that enable communities to evaluate and prepare for long-term retirement needs. The NRRO also coordinates an extensive network of volunteer consultants, including experts in eldercare and financial planning, to help congregations lower costs while enhancing care.

“Donations to the Retirement Fund for Religious enable our office to provide financial assistance for an array of direct needs,” said Sister Still.

“They also underwrite education and resources that help religious communities stretch retirement dollars and plan for the future.”

Visit retiredreligious. org to learn more.

New Catholic Foundation offices to hold Open House November 26 FALL RIVER — The Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Fall River will be hosting an Open House of its new offices on November 26 from 4-6 p.m.

The offices are located at 423 Highland Avenue if Fall River.

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., will bless the new office spaces.

A wine and cheese social event will follow.

An RSVP is required.

To respond email events@ catholicfoundationsema.

org by Friday, November 22.

To advertise in The Anchor, contact Wayne Powers at 508-675-7151 or waynepowers@ anchornews.org November 15, 2019 †

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A Catholic teaching seldom explored

atholic social teaching is often referred to as “the best kept secret of the Catholic Church.” This teaching concerns the role we as disciples of Jesus Christ play to make our world a more just and peaceful place. Drawn from magisterial documents such as St. Pope John Paul II’s 1991 encyclical, Centesimus Annus, Catholic social teaching is ultimately rooted in the life and teaching of Jesus and given unique expression through the personal witness of greats such as Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker Movement, Lech Walesa and the Polish Solidarity movement, and St. Oscar Romero and his heroic witness in El Salvador. The dignity of persons, the rights of workers and preferential option of the poor are some of the well-known principles of Catholic social teaching.

A perhaps lesser known doctrine, and yet one that is important for our lives and times, is the “universal destination of goods.”

In the “Catechism of the Catholic Church,” section 2402, the “universal destination of goods” is explained: “In the beginning God entrusted the earth and its resources to the common stewardship of mankind to take care of them, master them by labor, and enjoy their fruits. The goods of Creation are destined for the whole human race. However, the earth is divided up among men to assure the security of their lives, endangered by poverty and threatened by 14

violence. The appropriation of property is legitimate for guaranteeing the freedom and dignity of persons and for helping each of them to meet his basic needs and the needs of those in his charge. It should allow for a natural solidarity to develop between men.”

In our society, which promotes material gain and unlimited consumption, we often focus on our economic freedom and miss the notion that money and goods are ultimately destined for the common good of all. The “universal destination of goods” may sound like an abstraction, but it has significant implications for the life of every disciple.

Does this teaching mean that we are all called to live as St. Francis of Assisi or St. John the Baptist, to give up everything and beg for our very subsistence? Perhaps not, but all followers of Jesus are called to a lifestyle of simplicity nonetheless.

What does a simple lifestyle mean for me? For you? While each Christian must discern the meaning of this in their life, there is a deeply personal demand placed on each of us to lead a life of detachment and simplicity. Each person and each family must think, pray and act on this calling to the best of their ability, capacity and conscience.

By no means, however, is this discernment about the simple life merely a private matter. Our per-

† November 15, 2019

sonal choices have a social impact. The universal destination of goods reminds us that we are interconnected with our brothers and sisters across time and space. The choices we make personally have

an impact on those in our local community, the Church and around the world. And as part of an integrated ecology, as Pope Francis teaches, we are also called to consider how our lifestyles impact the environment in which we live and will leave to our children.

The social dimension of the universal destination of goods also has eco-

nomic and political implications. How to apply this doctrine to public policy is also a matter of serious discernment and discussion. Disciples should seek to allow this teaching, deeply rooted in Scripture, tradition and the lives of the saints, to form our approach in matters of justice and peace. Disciples should look to Jesus Christ for guidance on how to avoid the overwhelming predominance of ideology and partisanship in our politics. In the end, it is not an endorsement of socialism to say that our approach to politics, while always respecting our economic freedom, ought to be animated by this sense of the social purpose of goods and the common good of all.

In closing, the Gospels

are replete with messages from Jesus about our attitudes towards money and the goods of this world.

Detachment from material things, leading a simple lifestyle, and caring for the poor are inescapable parts of the Christian life. Even our talents and gifts are to be shared for the common good of others! With this in mind, let us prayerfully and purposely reflect and act on the meaning of the “universal destination of goods” for us personally, as a Church and as a society.

Peter Shaughnessy is president/principal of Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth. He resides in Fairhaven with his wife, Anabela Vasconcelos Shaughnessy (Class of ’94), and their four children: Luke (Class of ’24), Emilia (Class of ’25), Dominic (Class of ’27) and Clare (Class of ’30).

On All Saints’ Day, fourth-graders at Holy Name School in Fall River dressed as their favorite saint. At the conclusion of the school Mass, the students presented the information they had researched about each saint. Pictured with them is Father Daniel Nunes, parochial vicar.

F ocus

on

C hurch Y outh

One of New Bedford’s finest, Officer Christian Gomes, recently visited Holy Family-Holy Name School in New Bedford. He spoke to the P3 and the Kindergarten classes about stranger danger, safety rules when riding in a car or on a bike, and how to be safe on Halloween night. Pictured is Office Gomes with the Kindergarten class.

The Bishop Stang High School Library was recently awarded a federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant for $12,000 from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC).

LSTA is administered on the federal level by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in the Commonwealth by the MBLC. With this award, Bishop Stang High School Library will implement its school library diversity project “People, Places, and Things: Celebrating Diversity at Bishop Stang High School.” Emike Okhipo, left, science teacher and school Diversity Council advisor, will serve as assistant project director. School librarian/project director Ann O’Leary, back right, will collaborate with community leaders during the project. Pictured with them are Stang members of the Diversity Council.

Preschool students from St. James-St. John School in New Bedford had a great time at Silverbrook Farm in Acushnet.

November 15, 2019 †

15

St. Anthony’s parishioner named 2019 Veteran of the Year continued from page five

were shipped out to Vietnam together in April of 1967.

“We hit it off right away,” Keller told The Anchor. “He was the type of guy who would give you the shirt off his back, and in battle, you knew he had your back.

“He is so deserving of the Veteran of the Year award. Pat put his heart and soul into everything, from his service as a Marine, to his dedication to his family, to his service to his parish.”

Keller, a resident of Minnesota, is a member of the Lutheran Church and their shared faith was just another common denominator that bonded Robitaille and him.

“Pat was and is a very devout Catholic,” added Keller. “He didn’t see any limitations in what he did or does. He always thought he was seven-feet tall.”

Keller was there when Robitaille was wounded at Khe Sanh. “It was pretty bad. He took a lot of shrapnel from a mortar explosion. We loaded him on a medevac to take him to a hospital in Japan. I figured after he healed he would be sent Stateside. But several month later, a chopper came in and off came Pat on a pair of crutches. I couldn’t believe it.”

Keller and Robitaille remained friends after the Vietnam War ended.

“We rented an apartment together in 1970.” Eventually Keller was married and when he and his wife were going to move into an apartment, the pipes were damaged and the dwelling was uninhabitable. “Pat 16

naturally to me and doing work in the community and doing work with the gave us his room in the ofRobitaille is also the veterans,” said Robitaille, ficers’ quarters and he slept chaplain and life member “I was the third child of on a bunk,” Keller told The of the V.F.W. Post # 7239 eight children. My parents Anchor. “I don’t know many in Acushnet and an active squeezed all of us into one people who would do that.” member of the New Bedapartment and they took Keller and his wife and ford Marine Corps League. care of us. And on top of Robitaille and his wife reIn concluding his that they invited my grandmained friends and visited nomination letter to the parents in. Like there was each other. “We had some Veteran of the Year selecplenty of room.” good times,” added Keller. tion committee, Hanks Robitaille credited his In addition to all his wrote, “I’m pretty sure mom and dad Lionel and duties at St. Anthony of that I could go on further Bernadette. “This is a famPadua Parish in New Bedabout Patrick F. Robitaille, ily that was always giving, ford, Robitaille is still especially for the very active in veterans Church. You were inaffairs. volved in the Church.

“He was one of the They would always early joiners to Chapdo work. They would ter 499 of the Vietnam always volunteer to Veterans of America help fix things. They’d and actively particialways help at fundpates as a life member raisers and donated to in many of their veterfund-raisers.” ans’ causes and parade He credited the activities,” said Hanks.

Marines, saying, “We Robitaille got his are taught, and I still Knights of Columbus live by the mantra that Patrick and Katherine Robitaille chapter to become you do what’s expectinvolved with the ed of you. You fight Wreaths Across America but hopefully I have given for the man on the right program. “It was part of his you enough to realize what and fight for the man on inner need to remember a patriotic humble and the left and you depend on and honor his fellow veter- sincere individual that I each other and that’s how ans,” said Hanks. “Through am recommending for the you survive. You also live his tireless efforts, as of V.T.H. Veteran of the Year by the mantra that no man 2018, 600 veterans buried Award.” is left behind and that’s at the Bourne National The committee agreed. the way it is in the Marine Cemetery were honored “It’s more than approCorps and that’s the way it with wreaths and ceremopriate that Pat received this should be in the communies at their grave sites. award,” Keller told The Annity. No one should be left During this period he also chor. “He is very deserving; behind in the community.” places wreaths at some of a loyal Marine, family man An emotional Robitaille the various monuments at and member of his church.” remembered his late wife Fort Taber in New Bedford.

Accepting the award Katherine, “Most of the “Recently in order to at a ceremony at Rachel’s man that I am is because further extend the honLakeside in Dartmouth of my wife. My wife was oring of veterans at the on November 7, Robitaille always there for me. She Bourne National Cemetery, often deflected any credit always supported me. She he established the adoption from himself to others, always encouraged me. She of an additional section specifically his family, the always sacrificed time for of 63 graves, consisting of Marine Corps and the me. That’s why I was able WWII veterans who will be training he received there, to accomplish what I acadded to the list of veterand mostly his beloved wife complished. She’s why I’m ans honored at the 2019 Katherine who passed away standing in front of you toWreaths Across America in 2017. day. She’s a big part of that. ceremony.”

“Giving comes kind of

† November 15, 2019

I miss her very much, she was a big part of my life.

“When you put all those things together, the Marine Corps, military training, my wife, my parents; that’s what I brought into the community.”

Robitaille lauded the men with whom he served in Vietnam, especially at Khe Sanh and Hill 881 South during the Tet Offensive. “The Marines there had no way to get supplies in. They couldn’t get off the hill; they didn’t want to get off the hill,” he said. “That helped protect the site face on. So we flew there and we supported them every day.

It was a battle getting in, a battle getting out. But this type of determination was a learning experience for me.

It always showed that I could do almost anything I tried to do. After doing this, I could push and I had pushed my mind and my body beyond extremes I never thought I could do. And so did the men with me.”

Along with his work with the SE Mass. Veterans Housing Program and the Wreaths Across American Program, Robitaille and his siblings created the Robitaille Legacy Fund, a non-profit organization to honor the lives of their parents. Its mission is to support the restoration and preservation of longstanding religious architectural structures in New Bedford.

To learn more about the Legacy Fund, visit robitaillelegacy.org.

For more information on Wreaths Across America, visit wreathsacrossamerica.org; and for information on the Veterans Housing Program visit vetshouse.org.

Bishop Francis X. Irwin

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests and deacons during the coming weeks:

Nov. 15 Rev. Thomas F. LaRoche, Assistant, Sacred Heart, Taunton, 1939 Rev. Daniel E. Doran, Pastor, Immaculate Conception, North Easton, 1943 Nov. 16 Rev. John Brady, Former Pastor, Sandwich, New Bedford, Wareham, 1856 Nov. 17 Rev. Henry R. Canuel, Former Pastor, Sacred Heart, New Bedford, 1980 Nov. 18 Rev. William Beston, C.S.C., Chaplain, Paul Dever School, 2004 Nov. 19 Rev. Msgr. Lester L. Hull, Retired Pastor, St. MaryOur Lady of the Isle, Nantucket, 1982 Rev. Philodore H. Lemay, M.S., La Salette Provincial House, Attleboro, 1990 Nov. 21 Rev. Stephen J. Downey, Retired Pastor, Holy Ghost, Attleboro, 1975 Rev. James F. Kenney, Retired Pastor, Corpus Christi, Sandwich, 1994 Nov. 23 Rev. James E. Smith, Retired Chaplain, Bethlehem Home, Taunton, 1962 Rev. Msgr. Christopher L. Broderick, Retired Founder, St. Pius X, South Yarmouth, 1984 Nov. 24 Msgr. Daniel F. Shalloo, Retired Pastor, Holy Name, Fall River, 1991 Rev. Brian Marggraf, SS.CC., Retired, Damien Residence, Fairhaven, 2018 Nov. 25 Rev. Philias Jalbert, Pastor, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Fall River, 1946 Rev. Dennis Spykers, SS.CC., Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes, Wellfleet, 1971 Nov. 26 Rev. James R. Burns, P.R., Pastor, Sacred Heart, Fall River, 1945 Rev. Charles Porada, O.F.M., Conv., 2000 Nov. 27 Rt. Rev. Patrick E. McGee, Pastor, St. Mary, North Attleboro, 1948 Nov. 28 Rev. Adrien A. Gauthier, Pastor, St. Roch, Fall River, 1959

YARMOUTH — Retired Auxiliary Bishop Francis X. Irwin passed away at the age of 85 on October 30 after a brief illness, surrounded by his family in his Cape Cod home.

A native of Medford, Bishop Irwin attended St. Joseph Catholic School, Boston College High School, Boston College, and St. John Seminary. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1960.

After briefly serving at St. Joseph Parish in Roxbury, Bishop Irwin was assigned to St. Mary Parish in Revere for two years and then at St. Patrick Parish in Lawrence for six years. He served at St. Camillus Parish in Arlington from 1968 to 1970 while earning his master’s degree in social

work from Boston College.

In 1970 Bishop Irwin began working for Catholic Charities for the Arch-

diocese of Boston, where he continued for almost 20 years. He served as the archdiocese’s secretary of social services from 1985 to 1993. He was the pastor of St. Susanna Parish in Dedham 1991-1993

and pastor of St. Agnes in Arlington 1993-1996.

He was ordained an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston and titular bishop of Ubaza in 1996. He chose the motto “To live in joyful hope.”

In 2009 Bishop Irwin resigned as auxiliary bishop, having reached the mandatory age of retirement. He returned to his home in Cape Cod and celebrated weekly Mass at St. Pius X in Yarmouth. He celebrated his last Mass there in September.

Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley, OFM, Conv., celebrated a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Raphael Church in West Medford on November 2. Bishop Irwin was interred at St. Paul Cemetery in Arlington.

New Bedford school to take part in national Christmas tree event continued from page 12

will take place. “All of the students and their families will be guaranteed a special seating area to witness the tree lighting.

“And barring any unforeseen circumstances, the students will get to see the President of the United States and his family. They won’t meet him, but it will be a thrill just to see one of our nation’s presidents.”

After the December 5 lighting ceremony a daily lighting will take place and visitors will be able to see the 56 trees and the ornaments from December 9 through Jan. 1, 2020.

A press release from the National Park Service explained, “Through a partnership with the National Park Service, the U.S. Department of Education worked with state art

and education agencies to identify elementary, middle and high schools whose students would create the ornaments for the America Celebrates display. Over 1,500 students will participate in this year’s project.

The project is funded by the National Park Foundation.

“The National Christmas Tree Lighting has strong ties to education.

In 1923, a letter arrived at the White House from the District of Columbia public schools proposing that a decorated Christmas tree be placed on the South Lawn of the White House. On Christmas Eve that year, President Calvin Coolidge walked from the Oval Office to the Ellipse and pushed a button that lit the first National Christ-

mas Tree. It was a 48-foot fir donated by Middlebury College in Vermont. Since 1973, the National Christmas Tree has been a living tree which can be viewed year-round in President’s Park — one of America’s 419 national parks.”

Viveiros-Serra added, “It will be a very meaningful and memorable trip for our students and families, many who have never traveled outside of Massachusetts to journey to our nation’s capital.”

If you are interested in supporting this effort, checks can be made payable to: St. James-St. John School, 180 Orchard Street, New Bedford, Mass., 02740; or call the school at 508-996-0534, or visit the school’s Facebook page.

November 15, 2019 †

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Around the Diocese Winter is coming at the shelter at Sister Rose House, 71 Division Street in New Bedford, will soon activate its Extreme Weather Overflow Shelter. The overflow opens when temperatures drop below 28 degrees. Volunteers are needed to help assemble cots with pillows and blankets from 4 to 5 p.m.; serve shelter guests and residents from 5 to 7 p.m.; and to monitor bathrooms and sleeping hall in two- to four-hour shifts from 6 to 10 p.m. Volunteers can sign up alone or sign up as a team of co-workers (all must be over 18). Many hands are needed. Please contact Robin Muise to volunteer at muiserobin@comcast.net or call 774-553-5490.

The Eucharistic Apostles of the Divine Mercy Cenacle group invites all to join them every Monday (except holidays) from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. at St. Patrick’s Church hall, 306 South Street in Somerset. Meetings include teachings from St. Faustina’s diary that are relevant to our lives and Spiritual walks. Readings from the Bible and “Catechism” will also be included, followed by the Divine Mercy Chaplet and Rosary prayer. For more information, call 508-646-1019.

A Monthly Healing Service is offered at St. Patrick’s Church, 82 High Street, Wareham on the first Thursday of every month. Services offer God’s healing touch through Eucharistic Adoration, anointing of the sick and prayers for healing and peace for those recovering from addictions, reconciliation in relationships, Marriage issues, for the sick and suffering and those grieving the loss of loved ones. Services start at 6 p.m. with Reconciliation (Confession) followed by Rosary at 6:30. All are welcome. For further information, contact Father Rowland, 508-295-2411, info@stpatrickswareham.org or frrowland@stpatrickswareham.org.

A timely symposium on behavioral healthcare — “Innovations in Addiction Treatment: Epidemiology and Etiology of Internet Behavior” — will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on November 18 at Salve Regina University’s Bazarsky Lecture Hall, O’Hare Academic Building, 36 Ochre Point Ave, Newport, R.I., and feature a leading authority on Internet addiction. To register, visit https://newport-bhworkshop.eventbrite.com or call 401-845-1502.

A Mass for Deceased Bishops, Priests and Deacons will be celebrated at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River at 12:05 p.m. on November 22. All are welcome to attend.

St. Vincent’s Services is conducting a Winter Coat Drive. Please consider helping the children and youth at St. Vincent’s by donating a new coat (with tags) this winter. Coats are needed for children ages 10 to 18. Donations can be dropped off at St. Vincent’s Reception Desk, 2425 Highland Avenue, Fall River, Mondays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information contact Janice Johnston via email at JJohnston@SaintVincentsServices.org or call 508-235-3329.

The Archdiocese of Boston Black Catholic Choir will be performing at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 47 South Sixth Street in New Bedford, on Sunday, December 1 beginning at 3:30 p.m.

There is no cost to attend and a light supper will follow.

St. John Neumann Parish, 157 Middleboro Road in East Freetown, cordially invites all to its Advent Taizé Service on Sunday, December 1 at 7 p.m.

The Catholic Community of Central Fall River will host Advent Lessons and Carols in honor of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception on Sunday, December 8 beginning at 3 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, corner of Spring and Second Streets in Fall River. The event will feature choral music, hand bells and hymns for all.

To submit an event for consideration in The Anchor’s “Around the Diocese” listing, please send the information by email to davejolivet@anchornews.org.

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† November 15, 2019

Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese Acushnet — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Parish on Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Evening prayer and Benediction is held Monday through Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

ASSONET — St. Bernard’s Parish will have Eucharistic Adoration every Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed on the altar at the conclusion of 9 a.m. Mass and the church will be open all day, concluding with evening prayer and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.

ATTLEBORO — The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette holds 6:30 p.m. Mass followed by the Chaplet of Divine Mercy Adoration at 7:15 p.m. every Wednesday evening.

ATTLEBORO — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. John the Evangelist Church, North Main Street, Mondays and Wednesdays from 5-6:30 p.m.

Brewster — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road, on First Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. buzzards Bay — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Margaret Church, 141 Main Street, every First Friday following the 8 a.m. Mass, ending at 5 p.m.

DARTMOUTH — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Mary’s Church, 783 Dartmouth Street, every First Monday of the month, following the 8 a.m. Mass, ending with evening prayers and Benediction at 5 p.m.

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 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, from 8:30 a.m. until 7:45 p.m.

FAIRHAVEN — St. Mary’s Church, Main St., has Eucharistic Adoration every Wednesday from 8:30-11:30 a.m. in the Chapel of Reconciliation, with Benediction at 11:30 a.m.

FALL RIVER — St. Anthony of Padua Church, on the corner of Bedford and Sixteenth streets, has Eucharistic Adoration accompanied by music and prayer every first Wednesday of the month from 6-7 p.m.

FALL RIVER — St. Anthony of the Desert Church, 300 North Eastern Avenue, has Eucharistic Adoration Mondays and Tuesdays from 8:45 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Thursdays following the 8 a.m. Mass until Friday at 8 a.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 and concluding with 3 p.m. Benediction in the Daily Mass Chapel. A bilingual holy hour takes place from 2 to 3 p.m. Park behind the church and enter the back door of the connector between the church and the rectory.

FALL RIVER — St. Joseph’s Church has a Holy Hour every Tuesday from 6-7 p.m., with Benediction at 6:45 p.m.

FALL RIVER — St. Michael’s Church has Eucharistic Adoration every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with Benediction at 5:30 p.m.

Falmouth — St. Patrick’s Church has Eucharistic Adoration each First Friday following the 7 a.m. Mass, with Benediction at 4:30 p.m.

HYANNIS — St. Francis Xavier Parish in Hyannis, 347 South Street, Hyannis, has Eucharistic Adoration from noon to 3 p.m., daily Monday through Friday.

MANSFIELD — St. Mary’s Parish, 330 Pratt Street, has Eucharistic Adoration every First Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with Benediction at 5:30 p.m.

MASHPEE — Christ the King Parish, Route 151 and Job’s Fishing Road has 8:30 a.m. Each First Friday Mass ends with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Adoration continues until Benediction at 5 p.m.

NEW BEDFORD — Eucharistic Adoration is held every Thursday, with Confessions, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. James Church. Please use the side entrance.

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.

NEW BEDFORD — St. Lawrence Martyr Parish, 565 County Street, holds Eucharistic Adoration in the side chapel Fridays from 7:30-11:45 a.m. ending with a simple Benediction NORTH DARTMOUTH — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Julie Billiart Church, 494 Slocum Road, every Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., ending with Benediction. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available at this time.

NORTH DIGHTON — Eucharistic Adoration takes place every Wednesday following 8:00 a.m. Mass and concludes with Benediction at 4 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration also takes place every First Friday at St. Nicholas of Myra Church, 499 Spring Street following the 8 a.m. Mass, ending with Benediction at 4 p.m. The Rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 8 a.m.

NORTH EASTON — A Holy Hour for Families including Eucharistic Adoration is held every Friday from 3-4 p.m. at The Father Peyton Center, 518 Washington Street.

NORTH EASTON — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at Immaculate Conception Church Chapel on the first Wednesday of the month beginning after the 8:30 a.m. Mass, until 6:40 p.m. Those wishing to make a monthly commitment can sign up on the parish website at www.icceaston.org or call the parish office at 508-238-3232.

ORLEANS — St. Joan of Arc Parish, 61 Canal Road, has Eucharistic Adoration every First Friday starting after the 8 a.m.

Mass and ending with Benediction at 11:45 a.m. The Sacrament of the Sick is also available immediately after the 8 a.m.

Mass.

SEEKONK ­— Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish has perpetual Eucharistic Adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the chapel at 984 Taunton Avenue. For information call 508-336-5549.

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.

Taunton — Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament takes place every First Friday at Annunciation of the Lord, 31 First Street. Exposition begins following the 8 a.m. Mass until 9 a.m.

Taunton — The Chapel of St. Andrew the Apostle, 19 Kilmer Avenue, Taunton, will host Eucharistic Adoration Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 7 p.m.

Taunton — St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Taunton will host Eucharistic Adoration on Mondays following the 9 a.m. Mass and the St. Jude Novena, until 11:30, ending with Benediction. It will take place at Holy Rosary Chapel during the summer months.

WAREHAM — Eucharistic Adoration at St. Patrick’s Church takes place 9 a.m. Thursday through 7 p.m. Friday. Adoration is held in our Adoration Chapel in the lower Parish Hall.

† PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION † ATTLEBORO — Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, 71 Linden Street in Attleboro.

East Sandwich — The Corpus Christi Parish Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 324 Quaker Meeting House Road, East Sandwich. Use the Chapel entrance on the side of the church.

NEW BEDFORD — Our Lady’s Chapel, 600 Pleasant Street, offers Eucharistic Adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day. For information call 508-996-8274.

SEEKONK ­— Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish has perpetual Eucharistic Adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the chapel at 984 Taunton Avenue. For information call 508-336-5549.

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 are invited to sign up to cover open hours. For open hours, or to sign up call 508-430-4716.

The Knights of Columbus Chapter #14557 recently provided scholarship funds to each of the New Bedford Catholic Schools: Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth; St. James-St. John School, St. Joseph School, Holy Family-Holy Name School and All Saints Catholic School, all in New Bedford; and St. Francis Xavier School in Acushnet. From left: Knight Roland Benjamin; Marianne Glynn, Holy Family-Holy Name; Financial Secretary Knight Tom Alden; Grand Knight Bob Keegan; Sue Massoud, All Saints Catholic; Faith Piazza, St. Joseph’s; Cristina Viveiros-Serra, St. James-St. John; Denise Peixoto, Assistant School Superintendent; and Peter Shaughnessy, Bishop Stang High School.

Bishop’s Blog continued from page 11

following Dicasteries and Congregations: Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life; Secretariat for Communications; Congregation for Bishops; Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; Congregation for Clergy; Congregation for Divine Worship; Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors; and the Secretary of State.

In next week’s blog, I will provide more details on my ad limina visit.

You can read more about the Roman Curia and all the Dicasteries, Congregations, Councils, and Commissions that make up the Administration of the Holy See by clicking here [on actual blog].

The main purpose, and highlight really, of our ad limina visit, is

the meeting with Pope Francis to present our report on the state of our dioceses. Ahead of our visits, our diocese submitted a quinquennial report which cov-

ered 20 different areas of work in the diocese that we report on such as finances, vocations, ministries and apostolates, essentially, the report covers every aspect

of diocesan affairs over the last eight years.

This will be a week filled with many opportunities to share the relentless hard, and remarkable, work of the

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., kneels at the Tomb of St. Paul.

Fall River Diocese, especially with Pope Francis.

Our meeting with the Holy Father will take place on Thursday, November 7; all the Region I bishops meet with the pope as a group. I have already seen Pope Francis a couple of times in the dining room and in the chapel but Thursday is when we will meet and speak with him personally.

Again, I very much look forward to sharing the details of my ad limina visit, along with other details of this important week in Rome, in next week’s blog. Until then, please know I am remembering each of you in my prayers.

Sincerely yours in Christ, Bishop da Cunha

November 15, 2019 †

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A testimony to the power of faith continued from page nine

prayer, Allison came to be convinced that her new daughter would be deaf.

“As we prayed about our new little girl, Allison had a strong feeling she’d be deaf,” Deacon Kevin told The Anchor. “Unable to shake this conviction, she and our boys, home-schooled at the time, began to take ASL classes with a wonderful, local ASL teacher. We spent three years learning ASL as a family.”

Since then, Allison has developed a great expertise in the signed language, serving as Faith’s interpreter. She can be seen on Sundays signing for Faith in the front pew, helping to make the Mass alive for her. While the two now share this special bond, it was not always this way.

“While Faith instantly connected with her new dad, it took a little over two weeks for her to warm up to Allison,” Deacon Kevin told The Anchor. “It was very painful after all the waiting and given how much Allison longed to have a bond with Faith. Through patience and tending to her needs, Allison eventually won her over, and now they are incredibly close.”

Through it all, the couple sees the journey as helping them understand their relationship to God as His own “adopted children.”

“We learned the true meaning of being adoptive children of our Heavenly Father,” Allison remarked.

“Faith has been this incredible ray of light in our lives. She is a very special, sweet, and caring young woman!”

For Faith, becoming an altar server was just the most recent achievement in a life-long process of incredible growth.

“She arrived with zero ability to communicate,” Allison told The Anchor. “It has been overwhelmingly beautiful to watch her gain a voice and share her heart and thoughts.

Every day we learn more and more about her dreams, hopes, and funny little insights. We are blessed beyond measure.”

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Faith loves her parents dearly and is grateful to them for sharing their strong faith with her.

“They teach me lots of things,” Faith remarked. “They teach me about Jesus, Mary, and God, and always bring me to church. They take good care of me.”

Additionally, she sees God as instrumental in her growth.

“I love God,” she told The Anchor. “I can pray to Him and He helps me. I very much enjoy church. I didn’t when I was little. I used to misbehave. But now, I come happily!”

Faith holds a great devotion to St. Gemma Galgani, an Italian mystic who was miraculously healed from spinal meningitis as a teen-ager, a healing which the saint later attributed to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Suffering from scoliosis herself, Faith views Galgani, the patron saint of back injuries, as a powerful intercessor.

At many times in her life, Faith has had the need to wear back braces. While helpful, the devices induced a great deal of pain and often hindered her ability to move freely. At one point, the curvature of her spine was so severe that doctors anticipated the need for complicated surgery.

Together, the family devoted themselves to daily prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the intercession of St. Gemma Galgani.

After months of constant prayer, the family was informed at their next medical appointment that not only had the curvature of Faith’s spine halted, it had decreased. As such, surgery was no longer necessary, and many medical professionals viewed the improvement as nothing less than miraculous.

The family had great faith and at many points in her life, Faith has reflected on the significance of her own name. She views it as a telltale sign of who she is.

“My parents named me Faith because they needed a lot of faith to

† November 15, 2019

believe they could come to China and bring me home,” she told The Anchor. “It is a pretty name.”

Faith’s recent decision to become an altar server stems from her intense desire to help others.

“Helping makes me happy,” Faith explained. “I have always liked watching the priest or the deacon set the altar and clean up after Communion. My parents asked if I wanted to serve, but I was nervous. My big brother Adam asked if I would be less scared if he served with me. I liked that idea and said, ‘Yes, I’ll try!’”

Having now served several Masses with her father and brother, Faith is glad she had the bravery to make the decision.

“I like it even more than I thought I would,” she told The Anchor. “It is really fun!”

Kevin and Allison hope that

Faith’s example helps to inspire other members of the deaf community in Fall River to become more involved in their parish communities. They challenge the Diocese of Fall River to do all it can help facilitate this greater involvement, offering the Boston Archdiocese as an example.

“The Boston Archdiocese has a wonderful Deaf Apostolate, that has been incredibly helpful to us as a family navigating the Catholic faith with a child who is deaf,” Deacon Kevin told The Anchor. “Allison learned how to interpret the Mass from Father Shawn Carey, a priest in the Boston Archdiocese, who is also deaf. We highly recommend reaching out to this apostolate for ideas on how to be more involved in the Catholic Deaf community.

They can also help you navigate getting more involved in your own parish.”