SERVING SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS
t eanc 0 VOL. 22, NO. 45
CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS
FALL RIVER, MASS., THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1978
20c, $6 Per Year
Bishops Meet, Score Federal Intrusions With Bishop Daniel A. Cronin in Washington for the fall meeting of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops is Father John F. Moore, editor of The Anchor and diocesan director of the permanent diaconate. It is the first time a priest of the diocese has attended a bishops' meeting in other than the capacity of an aide to the bishop. Preceding the meeting, which began Monday and ends today, Father Moore attended a press conference for members of the Catholic and secular media. NCCB proceedings began with an address by Archbishop John R. Quinn, conference president. He said the church must respond of the malaise of the west by holiness and participation in the search for a solution to human dilemmas. "Defensiveness, withdrawal into a closed, siege mentality is Hut the answer. Neither is a reckless plunge into the secularization process," he said. "The answer is service," Arch:
Cathedral Rector Somerset Pastor Are Appointed SCENES LIKE THIS were common at the New England Conference on the Charismatic Renewal, attended last weekend in Providence by nearly 14,000 persons.
Charismatics Overwhelm R.I. "Vote for Jesus," read the band on the woman's straw hat and in fact the New England General Conference on the Charismatic Renewal held last weekend in Providence had many of the trappings of a political convention. There were banners galore, nearly 14,000 wildly enthusiastic participants, snake dancing in aisles and lobbies, and singing everywhere. At one point, four bishops were doing a modified conga step on the vast stage of the Providence Civic Center, while thousands cavorted on the center's floor. Catherine de Hueck Doherty, 78, founder of Canada's Madonna House, was so carried away with the enthusiasm generated by her talk on "faith like a fire" that despite arthritis necessitating use of a cane, she lay flat on the stage, the better
to grasp the hands reached to her from the audience. When she rose, two bishops tenderly assisted her. Miracles of healing and love were described by Sister Linda
Koontz and Father Rick Thomas of the Lord's Food Bank in Juarez, Mexico. They brought with them two young Mexicans whose mother picked garbage cans for Tum to Page Eight
A Busy Week for Church It will be a busy week in the ed in forms Of revelation, law American Catholic Church. Not and promise," notes an explanaonly does National Bible Week tory leaflet prepared by the U.S. begin Sunday, but the annual Catholic Conference for parish Campaign for Human Develop- use. "As law, it expresses his ment collection will be taken up - will for man; as promise, it gives in all churches this weekend assurance of good things to and the Thanksgiving Clothing come; and to life, it gives not Drive will start, continuing only temporal existence but eterthrough Nov. 26. nal happiness. God's word is The ,Bible week theme is "The also a confrontation with man, Word of God is Light and Life" imposing great responsibility on and the week is being observed its hearer." by Orthodox, Protestant and Among responsibilities exJewish communities in addition pressed in scripture are those reto Catholic groups. lating to care of one's brothers "God's word is light refractTum to Page Eight
Bishop Daniel A. Cronin has announced the appointments of Msgr. John J. Regan as pastor of St. Thomas More parish, Somerset, and of Msgr. Thomas J. Harrington as rector of St. Mary's Cathedral, Fall River. Both appointments are effective Wednesday, Dec. 8. Msgr. Regan, who will retain his posts as financial administrator of The Anchor and direc-' tor of diocesan health facilities, has been rector of St. Mary's Cathedral since 1971. A Taunton native, he graduated from the former Coyie High School in that city and prepared for the priesthood at St. Charles Seminary, Catonsville, Md. and St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore. He was ordained May 22, 1953. Preceding his service at St. Mary's Cathedral, his pastoral assignments were at St. James parish, New Bedford, Sacred Heart, Fall River, and St. Patrick, Falmouth. He was named a domestic prelate June 30, 1974, as was Msgr. Harrington. Msgr. Harrington Msgr. Harrington, who succeeds Msgr. Regan as cathedral rector, has been diocesan chanTum to Page Three
bishop Quinn told the approximately 250 bishops, archbishops and cardinals gathered at Washington's Capital Hilton Hotel. In wide-ranging sessions that followed Archbishop Quinn's introduction, the bishops: -Decried what they see as increasing government intrusion into church affairs. Cited were IRS rulings .requiring some church - connected orga!lizations to submit financial reports and indicating that single-issue political surveys by diocesan newspapers would subject those papers to tax status changes. Also objected to were NLRB efforts to become involved in parochial school relationships with lay employes. -Heard a report from their Planning and Programs committee reversing decisions to release Msgr. George Higgins from work in the fields of labor and socia! action and to close a Secretariat for Human Values, dealing with questions of ethics, science and technology. Widespread protest had greeted both moves, especially that affecting Msgr. Higgins, a 34-year USCC veteran. -Heard presentations on "action items," including a proposed pastoral on the handicapped, possible reception of communion under the appearances of both bread and wine at U.S. Sunday Masses, and a general permission to receive holy communion twice . in one day at non-consecutive Masses. -Discussed a proposal that a National Communications Collection be added to the already existing annual collections in the American church.
Pope Reaffirms Celibacy Rule VATIOAN CITY (NC) - Pope John Paul II has reaffirmed the Latin-Rite tradition of priestly celibacy in a talk t,. +he clergy of the Rome Diocese. The priesthood is not a parttime job but a call to give witness "with our whole being" and the uniqueness of the priestly calling should be shown by the way priests dress, he added. Priests are necessary to men "and not like employes," he said. "We are necessary as those who give witness aod awaken in others the need to "give wit路 ness, and if at times it may seem that we are not necessary, that means we must begin to Tum to Page Three