11.18.05

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FALL RIVER, MASS.

VOL. 49, NO. 44 • Friday, November 18, 2005

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FATHER HENRY J. Dahl, pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Provincetown stands where the church building stood before last January's devastating fire. Plans for a new church building are well under way.

St. Peter's Church is rising from the ashes By

MIKE GORDON

ANCHOR STAFF

PROVINCETOWN Nearly a year after a devastating fire destroyed St. Peter the Apostle Church, grass grows at the site where parishioners once gathered to worship. But plans for a new church have created a buzz, according to pastor Father Henry 1. Dahl.

"People are excited about building a new church," said Father Dahl. "It's been about 10 months since the fire and a lot has happened." Since that time, the old church was demolished and debris was removed and now that area has been grassed in. "It was painful for people to look at," said Father Dahl.

One of the first things planners did was hire an architect, Deacon Tom Palanza. They also formed a building committee and Father Dahl said they have met four times already to go over plans and talk about what the new church would look like.

"Some of the things we discussed with Deacon Palanza were that we wanted a traditionallook for the building and steeple. We wanted it to be easily accessible for the handicapped and we also talked about the entrance."

The former church faced Prince Street and most parish-

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ioners entered it from the rear.

The committee is looking into the possibility of rebuilding on a nearby site that would allow people to enter the front of the church because the position of the building would be reversed.

They are also thinking about having a covered portico at the entrance to protect those arriving for Masses from the elements.

With the talk of rebuilding comes talk of renovating. The rectory, a three-story, 110year-old structure, needs lots of work according to Father Dahl. It has the same electrical system as the former church whose destruction was caused by an electrical fire in the basement.

Cathy Henrique is religious education coordinator for the parish, and a member of the building committee. Her family has attended church at St. Peter's for generations.

"That church meant a lot to the natives and it was a devastating loss," said Henrique.

"It was like losing a family member, but we have to adapt. We're very excited to see what will rise from these ashes. " Henrique and her fellow committee members were getting ready to look at detailed blueprints when she spoke Turn to page 12 - Rising

Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly • $14 Per Year

Parish signature drive on marriage amendment leaps ahead in final leg FALL RIVER ----,- A spirited drive to amass a needed 65,825 signatures from Catholics statewide to forward a proposed Massachusetts constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman is underway as the hourglass nears emptying next week.

Updated figures show that a totll 52,353 Catholics in Massachusetts have taken to heart and taken the time to affix their signatures to the initiative petition.

"In the Fall River diocese we have gathered 14,756 signatures thus far;' reported Bea Martins, diocesan coordinator for Catholic Citizenship, which is promoting the signups and circulating brochures. ''We still have time and we're making every effort to get every valid signature possible in all our individual parishes," she added with a confident outlook.

Since September 21, acitizen ballotcommittee called VoteOnMarriage.org has been collecting signatures in . the Fall River diocese with the endorsement of Bishop George W. Coleman and with the cooperation of pas-

tors.

The deadline is November 25.

111e proposed amendment to the state constitution reads: 'This proposed constitutional amendment would require the state and local and county governments to license and recognize only those marriages that are between a man and a woman. It would prohibit same-sex marriages, but would allow continued recognition of those entered into before the adoption of the proposed amendment."

As The Anchor went to press last week, 76 of the 97 parishes in the Fall River diocese have reported that their congregations have participated in the signature drive, and at least another seven are still in the process of gathering signatures, Martins said. ''We urge pastors who have not yet done so, to conduct the signature drive," she added.

"But with what might be a quarter of parishes still not reporting, we need to make that final push, to get Turn to page 13 - Drive

GHOUSE COMPETITION ence : Technology

BISHOP STANG High School seniors Mark Sullivan, left, and Gregory Su competed in the prestigious Siemens Westinghouse Competition last Saturday at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Two Bishop Stang seniors contenders in Siemens Westinghouse competition Study on cranberries may ultimately impact cancer research.

By DEACON JAMES N. DUNBAR stitute of Technology.

And there they sat, being inNORTH DARTMOUTH Talk about being as cool as cu- terviewed by the news media in cumbers. It was 9:15 a.m. Bishop Stang High School's deWednesday, November 9, just velopment office, calm and colfour days before Mark Sullivan lected, chatting as professionIII and Gregory Su were to put als would about their work, detheir biochemistry project before spite mounting excitement as the National College Board judges in nation's premier science rethe prestigious Siemens search competition for high Westinghouse Competition in school students was to take a mathematics, science and tech- giant step on Saturday.

Make no mistake. This is not nology at the Massachusetts In-

your average locai science fair with exploding volcanoes. It's the smartest kids in the nation advancing the cause of science with a top prize of $100,000 at year's end.

At the time, Sullivan and Su were among 14 young scientists in the region who, as semifinalists, were to present original reach projects to the university judges on the weekend. They Turn to page 12 - Competition

Friday, November 18, 2005

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New Bedford parish to host Gregorian Chant ~orkshop NEW BEDFORD - St. Anthony of Padua Parish, 1359 Acushnet Avenue, will be hosting a three-night' workshop on Gregorian Chant November 20-22.

The workshop will be led by Father John Ringley, a priest of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Conn., and a nationally-known teacher in the art of Gregorian Chant to parishes.

Father Ringley is the former director of the Gregorian Schola at the North American College in Rome.

The workshop, which will begin at 6 p.m. nightly, is designed to help both those who already know and love Gregorian Chant, and those who have never been exposed to it. It is designed to increase the awareness of this great treasure of the Church's tradition, and to help Catholic faithful and Catholic choirs better put it to use in the praise of God. Father Ringley will provide an introduction to the history of the art of Gregorian Chant, and then' guide participants through the use of actual masterpieces, to a deeper

SERVICE

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familiarity with the intricacies a~d the beauty of the sung inheritance.

In the Second Vatican Council's Document on Sacred Liturgy, the Council Fathers wrote that Gregorian Chant is "specially suited to the Roman liturgy. Therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services."

They also reminded bishops and priests that "care must be taken to ensure that the faithful may be able to say or sing together in Latin those parts of the Mass which pertain to them."

St. Anthony of Padua Parish has a 10:30 a.m. Mass each Sunday at which Gregorian chant and other traditional Latin sacred music are sung.

The workshops are open eyents, with no registration required. Area choirs and c;hoir members are especially encouraged to attend.

For more information or directions, visit saintanthonynewbedford.com.

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Vermont's Bishop Angell retires, is succeeded by Bishop Matano

By CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE concerns about the wisdom of bypassing and WASHINGTON - Pope Benedict XVI ac- undermining U.N. authority on such a fundacepted the resignation of Bishop Kenneth A. mental issue.

Angell of Burlington, Vt., November 9. Bishop Four 'years earlier he had publicly denounced Salvatore R. Matano, his coadjutor since last the U.S.-led economic embargo against Iraq, spring, automatically succeeds him., calling it a "violation of Catholic moral teachBishop Angell, who has headed the Burlington ing" and urging his people to pray for innocent diocese since 1992, turned 75 in August. Age civilians dying there because of the embargo.

75 is when bishops are required by canon law In 2001, after a series of violent murders in to turn in their resignation.

Vermont brought new pressures for reinstating Born and raised in Providence, R.I., Bishop the death penalty, he reissued a 1999 statement Angell became a priest of that diocese in 1956 against capital punishment in which he urged following studies at St. Mary Seminary in Balti- his people to "join in courageously opposing the '. , mistaken belief that violence will prevent viomore.

After 12 years in parish assignments he was lence." Later in 2001, when the Legislature was named assistant chancellor and secretary to the considering death penalty legislation, he spoke bishop in 1968. In 1972 he was named dioc- out against it again, saying the death penalty esan chancellor and in 1974 he was made an only serves revenge, not "justice and peace." auxiliary bishop of Providence. ' Bishop Angell's retirement date, November In his 13 years as bishop of Burlington, he 9, was the 13th anniversary of his installation has spoken out on a variety of social issues witli in the Burlington diocese. . , moral dimensions, including same-sex marriage, ' Bishop Matano was born in Providence Sept. abortion, physiciancassisted suicide and the ·15,1946. He was ordained a priest of the Provideath penalty. ' , dence diocese Dec. 17, 1971, after studies at Last spring· he testified against, proposed Our Lady of Providence Seminary College in "death with dignity" legislation in 'the state, ar-, Warwick, R.I., and the North American Col_guing that physician-assisted suicide is still sui- lege, the U.S. seminary in Rome. At the cide and is "an infringement on the.laws of God Gregorian University in Rome he earned a lialmighty, who is the sole author of life and centiate in theology and, following ordination, death.'" . a doctorate in canon law.

When the Vermont Supreme 'Court ru~ed' in In 'Providence, his assignments included as-1999 that gay and lesbian couples'must receive sistant pastor at Our Lady of Grace Parish in all the legal protections and benefits given to Johnston; faculty member of Our Lady of married couples, he,- expressed disappointment Providence Seminary: High School; diocesan with the,r1.!ling but !iaid, "We are most encour- director of the Priests' Personnel Office; and aged and indee!i'relieved that the court did not assistant chancellor, vice chancellor, vicar for strike down Vermont's marriage laws, which administration and co-chancellor. recognize only unions between man and From 1991 to 1992 he served in Washington woman." " ' a t the Vatican Embassy, or apostolic nunciature, The following year he fought against legisla- and returned to the Providence diocese to betion to implement the court decision. The day come vicar general and moderator of the curia th~ legislation .took effect and the state began in 1992. to formally recognize saine-sex partnerships, He was made pastor of St. Sebastian Parish he said, "I am saddened by yet another cultural in Providence in 1997. He returned to Washweakening of God's matrimonial plan for man ington to serve on the nunciature staff from and woman." He urged a constitutional amend- 2000 to 2005.

He was named coadjutor bishop of ment to protect the definition of marriage as being between a man and a woman.

Burlington March 3, 2005, and was ordained a In 2002, when Congress authorized Presi- bishop there April 22. dent George W. Bush to attack Iraq unilaterally The diocese, which covers the entire state and oust Saddam Hussein, Bishop Angell was of Vermont, has about 150,000 Catholics out among religious leaders who expressed strong of a total population of approximately 610,000.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. Several religious organizations led by the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International (TASSC) and Church Folks for a Better America have launched a Website denouncing the practice of torture in the United States, as members of the Bush administration and Congress stepped up efforts this week to cripple an anti-torture amendment sponsored by Sen. John McCain to the 2006 Defense appropriations bill. Nine Senators have joined with the White House in supporting torture.

The www.stopthetorture.org Website will provide people of faith and activists with information and downloadable resources to educate against torture from a faith-based perspective, and to

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strongly challenge politicians who hypocritically emphasize religious values while openly supporting and lobbying for pro-torture polio ci~s.

Sister Dianna Ortiz, director of.

TASSC and a torture survivor herself, said that efforts by President,Bush and Vice-President Cheney to legalize torture are a shameful affront to religious values and a culture of life.

"The President, Vice President and nine U.S. Senators are trying to defeat a Senate bill that bans our military from using torture.

Although 90 senators rejected their efforts, these torture supporters are now working behind closed doors to prevent the antitorture bill from becoming law," said Sister Ortiz. "As Americans and as people of faUh, we call on the Congress of the United States

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to stand firm and to reject unequivocally the use of torture by any American, at any ,time, anywhere, for any reason."

Dr. George Hunsinge'r, of Church Folks for a Better America, noted that the' White House and these nine Senators' effort to defeat the anti-torture amendment is immoral and deserving of shame. "Torture is a religious and a moral issue. It is a profound sin against God," said Hunsinger. "It violates the image of God in all people and undermines the values all religions hold . dear."

The www.stopthetorture.org Website was created to strengthen a growing faith-based network of activists and leaders against torture, and to build momentum for anti-torture legislation in Congress.

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ligious doctrine" and "detailed monitoring and close administrative contact" would "violate the nonentanglement command" of the First Amendment.

Hernandez v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, 490 U.S. 680, 696 (1989).

The bill promotes burden-

Notes from the Hill This briefsynopsis ofpolitical goings on in Boston and Washington is pro ;ided by the Massachusetts Catholic Conference (MCC), the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in this state and governed by the bishops in each of the dioceses in the Commonwealth.

This week they discuss a bill under consideration that would force religious organizations to disclose their financial reports every year.

Originally filed as S. 1074, the Act Relative to Charities in Massachusetts is now on the Senate calendar as S. 2267 and scheduled for debate on Wednesday, November 9. The bill would eliminate religious exemptions in various reporting statutes concerning charities (see Sections 2, 4 (omitting reference in original statute to religious organizations) & 5 of the bill), and 'increase the reporting burdens on all charities (see Sections I & 3 of the bill).

I. The bill is opposed by the Massachusetts Council of Churches, Massachusetts Catholic Conference, the Mas,sachusetts Association of Temple and Synagogue Administrators, the Black Ministerial Alliance, the Islamic Council of New England, Massachusetts Family Institute, and the Christian Science Church.

2. Under current law and according to the longstanding policy of the Attorney General, religious entities are not subject to charitable filing and"financial reporting requirements. See Attorney General's Guide to the Registration and Filing Requirements of the Division of Public Charities, at http:// www.ago.state.ma.us/ filelibrary/reistra.pdf. Because religious organizations are exempt from these filing requirements, they are also not currently subject to the Attorney General's existing power to in.' vestigate and supervise a secular charity's internal operations.

By removing the current exemption, the bill would expand the Attorney General's power to oversee and control the inner workings of churches.

3. The current exemptions are based on the special constitutional status of ch.urches and religion. Guarantees of religious freedom give religious organizations a constitutionally protected "independence from

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Friday. November 18, 2005

some entanglement by the state with the internal administration of churches. It asks the state to take sides in the debates roiling the Catholic Church and do~s so in a manner that affects all religions. For these reasons, the bill should be defeated.

secular control or manipula- The bill contemplates a level of Let's Come Together tion-in short, [religions has] entanglement that far exceeds For Prayer & Praise at a the [constitutionally-protected] the routine. As indicated by the power to decide for themselves, U.S. Supreme Court, state infree from state interference, terference 'with religion that Teaching & Healing Prayer matters of church government goes beyond "routine regulaas well as those of faith· and tory interaction" by involving Saturday, Nov. 19th doctrine." Kedroff v. St. Nicho- burdensome "inquiries into re9:30 a.m. las Cathedral, 344 U.S. 94, 107 (1952). The bill would violate this guarantee by authorizing NATIONAL the Attorney General to secondMORTGAGE guess church leaders on how St. Anthony's Church. they conduct their religious 126 School St., Taunton mission and purpose.

4. The bill's primary sponSponsored by the Diocesan Service Committee.

Low, low rates starting at sor has informed the Roman For more info, call Mary Leite @ 508-822-2219 Catholic Bishops that their decisions about parish closings and other asset-related matters NO POINTS, NO CLOSING COSTS St. John Neumann Parish 1ST, 2ND, 3RD MORTGAGES must. be subject to' government PURCHASE OR REFINANCE inquiries abo'ut whether the East Freetown, MA IMPROVEMENT, REPAIR DEBT CONSOLIDATION Church is "adhering to its state CREDIT CARD PAY OFFS, DIRECTOR OF MUSIC MINISTRY purposes" and whether they are HOME EQUITY, COMMERCIAL properly "carry[ing] out their 2ND HOMES, rumoN, SELF EMPLOYED JANUARY 2006 NO INCOME VERIFICATION mission." Letter from Sen. POOR CREDIT - NO CREDIT Organist/Choir Director for some/all weekend Masses, Marian Walsh to the Roman PAY OFF LIENS & ATTACHMENTS weddings and overall liturgical music coordination FORECLOSURE-BANKRUPTCY Catholic Bishops of MassachuAPPLICATION TAKEN ON PHONE For details, visit www.SJNFreetown.org setts and the Massachusetts NO APPLICATION FEE. Salary commensurate with education/experience FAST SERVICE. WE CAN HELPI Catholic Conference at 2, 8 Please send resume to: (Oct. 11, 2005). The sponsor CALL NOW admits that recent parish closCape Cod 508-362-7777 Re\(. Msgr. Stephen J. Avila, Pastor ings prompted her to file the New Bedford 508-992-1400 PO Box718 legislation. Dear Colleague LetEast Freetown, MA 02717 .

Free application on Internet ter from Sen. Marian Walsh www.ccnm.com e-mail: pastor@SJNFreetown.org (Aug. 16, 2004). It is not the Phone: 508-763-2240 FAX: 508-763-3040 MB#1161 role of government to determine 'APR 5.78, 30 yr $10k min. which churches to keep open or which mission activity to pursue. These are religious FROM THE AUTHOR OF questions concerning religious doctrine that the government THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER WITNESS TO HOPE should not be second-guessing.

5. Under the First Amendment, the government may not "lend its power to one or the other side in controversies over religious authority or dogma." Employment Division of Oregon v. Smith, 494 U.S. 872, 877 (1990). That is preGeorge Weigel's bestselling biography of cisely what this bill seeks to Pope John Paul II set the standard by do as indicated by the Dean of the Boston College Law which all portraits of the modern papacy School: "Some Catholics are are now measured. With God's ClJoice, he unhappy with the Church's ' " , I. gives us an extraordinary chronicle of handling of [the clergy sexual the rise of Pope Benedict XVI as well as abuse scandal and parish closings] ... [and this legislation] an informed and insightful view of the ' 0 ' ..• , ..~. would enlist the attorney genCatholic Church at the dawn of a new era. eral on the side of unhappy Pope Beri~;t:.'~~j ~h}t~e Future Catholics." John Garvey, Opin, p/the ,Catholic Chul'I:h "Incisive and authoritative .... ion Editorial, "No on Church a firsthand, unflinching exploration Disclosure Bill," Boston Globe, Aug. 11, 2005. of issues pertaining to the 6. Though prompted by the Catholic Church and the world." internal ecclesiastical disputes -Library Jountal within one religion, the bill would affect all religions in the ED Commonwealth, imposing onerous reporting requireIlarperCollinsPllblisbers • \\\\\\.I,.lr:"I,,,lli'l'... Clllll A L S O ~ ments, including full financial \'1 ... 1t\\\l.'\\ \ull1llrll,H..~lll'jnl +1', \" • III Itl.'IlI'1l \11111 t\\.'JI(( ILllPll\ l,11'lh~1tlthl)I'" audits, on every denomination .•

Diocesan Prayer Meeting

Speaker: Ms. Barbara Wright

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A portrait of Pope Benedict XVI and a Roman Catholic Church on the cusp of a new age

GOD'S

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Friday, November 18, 2005

~.THE LANDING -

The Church's most precious gem

Proposition 11 of the recently concluded Synqd of Bishops on the Eucharist requested that "the reasons for the relationship between celibacy and priestly ordinat.io~ be properly explained to the faithful, in full respect of the tradition of the Eastern Churches."

In the past two editorials, we discussed why there is a need for such an explanation and gave the history of priestly celibacy in the. early Chu~ch and in the West. Now we tum to the practice and understanding of marned clergy in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches such as the Maronite Melchite, Ukranian and Ruthenian.

It is often said that the present practice in the Eastern churches is more ancient than the practice of strict priestly celibacy in the We~t, but this is misleaQing. The most ancient practice in the C;hurch, as we dIscussed last week allowed married men to be ordained; after ordination, however, these marri~d priests needed to live by a "law of continence," abstaining from conjugal relations. The uniformity of this practice in both East an? West was seen at the fust ecumenical council, held in Nicaea in 325, WhICh decreed what seemed to be a long-standing prudential practice: that, lest their .be any temptation or cause for scandal, no woman could live in the home of a bishop, priest or deacon except for the cleric's mother, si~ter, or aunt..

There were, unsurprisingly, cases in East and West of pnests who faIled in the practice of the lex continentiae, but the principle remained the s~e until the end of the seventh century, when many Eastern Churches, against the objections of the Church of Rome, broke ~om the co~on ?isc!p~ine. At the Council of Trullo in 691, the Eastern bIshops, whIle maintaining the traditional practice of perfect continence for bishops and the impossibility of a priest to remarry after his wife's death, decreed that priests and deacons only needed to maintain a temporary continence - originally one day but later expanded to tluee - before the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. The ascetical practice of temporary abstinence from the good of conjugal relations for the sake of a greater love and self-giving in the Eucharist was akin to a pre-Eucharistic fast from food so that o~e might.hunger more for.the Bread of Life. Nevertheless, temporary continence dId lead to a practical problem over time: a serious lack of availability with regard to daily Mass.

By the 12th century, because of widespread abus.es ~ong unm~ed clergy, who were living with concubines and attempting Illegal marnages, many Eastern churches made marriage prior to ordination compulsory for secular clergy. A celibate who wished to be ordained, or a widowed priest who wanted to continue his ministry, needed to enter a monastery. Eventually tensions and problems developed in many places due to the two different priestly "castes," married and unmarried. Other problems ensued as well. Because the sons of the secular clergy were expected to follow their dads into the priestly'"state, a de-emphasis of the supernatural aspect of the priestly vocation arose in favor of a natural birt1uight.

The present situation - although it varies somewhat among the numerous eastern churches, Orthodo~ and Catholic - maintains many of these historical elements. Bishops and monks are celibate. Married men can be路 ordained, but ordained men cannot marry. The law of temporary continence, while still an esteemed practice, is no longer an ascetical requirement.

While some forces in the West look toward the East and the ordination of married men as a solution to a'crisis in priestly vocations, many in the East note that a married priesthood creates special difficulties. Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir, the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch, said in his synod intervention: "The marriage of priests, even if resolving one problem, also creates other serious problems'" which he then went on to describe. Married clergy need to earn sufficient money to take care of his wife and children; when parishes cannot supply an adequate salary, he often must work other jobs to make ends meet. He noted that it is often difficult if not impossible to transfer priests, because it means dislocating an entire family. A priest's obligations to his family, he simply put, often compete with his commitments to his parish.

Cardinal Sfeir concluded his intervention by urging Roman Catholics not to take celibacy for granted. As one thoroughly immersed "in the tradition of the eastern churches," he said he has learned a particular appreciation for "the relationship between celibacy and priestly ordination."

Although celibacy is undervalued in the "eroticism" of modem culture," he stated categorically that it is "the most precious gem in the treasure of the Catholic Church."

.~ the living word Two YOUNG BOYS ENJOY A SIMPL"E MEAL RECENTLY IN THE FALL RIVER DIOCESAN MISSION IN GUAIMACA, HONDURAS. THE VILLAGERS THERE, WHO HAVE SO UTILE, . MAINTAIN AN ATIITUDE OF THANKSGIVING EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR, ACCORDING TO FATHER CRAIG A. PREGANA, PAROCHIAL VICAR OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI AND ST. ROSE OF LIMA PARISHES IN GUAIMACA.

''THERE IS A lAD HERE WHO HAs FIVE BARLEY WAVFS AND TWO FISH, BUT WHAT ARE THESE FOR SO MANY

PEOPLE?" (JOHN 6:9).

Christ the King The celebration of different crowds to make him king (In feasts on our liturgical calendar 6:15), and he later told Pontius is a great opportunity to do a Pilate directly, "My kingdom is little research and reflect on the not of this world" (In 18:36). original purpose and meaning of The Kingd~m of Clu1st, rather, is these feasts, in the life of the a spiritual one, where he reigns Church. This is particularly true in hearts and wills and souls. It is for the Solemnity of Christ the a kingdom entered by faith and King, that we will celebrate this baptism, where subjects show coming Sunday. their allegiance tluough detachIt was in the Holy Year of ment from earthly things, hunger 1925, that Pope Pius XI announced the institution of this new feast in his encyclical Quas Primas. In this encyclical letter to the Church, the Holy Father laBy Father David mented the great evils in the world that had come A. Pignato about, because "the majority of men had thrust Jesus Christ and his holy and thirst for righteousness, arid law out of their lives." It was the the willingness to carry the cross hope of Pope Pius XI that a new of redemptive suffering. feast in honor of the kingship of "It would be a grave error, on Christ would "hasten the return the other hand," wrote Pius XI, of society to our loving Savior." "to say that Christ has no That Christ is a king, is amply authority whatever in civil revealed throughout sacred affairs, since by virtue of the Scripture, beginning with the absolute empire over all creatures prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah and committed to him by the Father, Daniel, each of whom predicted all things are in his power." Jesus the coming of the Messiah who tried to remind Pilate of this would sit on the throne of David, truth, when he told him, "You and whose kingdom would have would 路have rio power over me if no end (Is 9:6-7; Jer 23:5; Dan: it had not been given to you 2:44). This prophecy was from above" (In 19: 11). And yet, repeated by the archangel who Christ the King prefers to reign appeared to Mary and announced and rule through men's hearts. the Incamation (Lk 1 :32-33).

If, however, enough people Although Christ did npt were to accept the spiritual hesitate to refer to himself as a kingship of Christ in their hearts, king (Mt 25:31-40), he also then the invisible kingdom of resisted <l!1y attempts of the Christ would become more

Putting Into the Deep

visible in the world. As Pius XI pointed out, "When once men recognize, both in private and in public life, that Christ is King, society will at last receive the great blessings of real liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace and harmony." "Oh, what happiness would be ours," added the Holy Father, "if all men, individuals, families, and nations, would but let themselves be governed by Christ!"

To bring about this rediscovery of Christ's kingship, Pope Pius XI felt that a new feast was necessary. Nothing, he said, is more effective than an annual feast to promote the truths of the faith.

Official pronouncementS by the Church usually reach only a few and the more learned among the faithful, but feasts reach everyone. Doctrinal statements speak only. once, but feasts speak every year, and forever. Church teaching affects primarily the mind, but her feasts affect both the mind arid the heart.

And so, the feast of Christ the King was added to the Church's calendar to help the Church and the world remember the universal dominion of Christ, and to promote true worship of the one whose kingdom will have no end. For this reason do we celt<bnite this great feast in the Church, and for this should we pray, as we celebrate Mass this .

Sunday - that Christ the King will reign in our hearts, our wills, our souls and our world.

Friday, Novemb~r18, 2 .

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Thanksgiving: An attitude for living With the falling of autumn leaves comes Thanksgiving. A time for offering gratitude for the bounty we have received: the food we share, the family and friends who surround the Thanksgiving table, the life and faith we enjoy.

The "Casa Cural" or rectory, here in Guaimaca is one of the few places that celebrates the holiday with a traditional Thanksgiving turkey and dressing, vegetables, desserts and even cranberry sauce.

Around the table the Mission Team gathers By with the volunteers from the U.S. It is a special time for remembering our many blessings, including our families back home.

In these parts, the leaves neither change color nor fall.

For the people in town, the fourth Thursday in November is nothing more. In spite of this, the meal of thanksgiving happens quite regularly here and if you have visited Guaimaca, you know the scene.

Whenever we travel to one of the aldeas, or villages, to . celebrate Mass, inevitably a meal follows. The village

welcomes the visit of the parish priest to the community which enables them to celebrate and receive the Eucharist.

The "Delegado de la Palabra de Dios," or Delegate of the Word, invites us to his or her simple home, a one- or tworoom house made of wood or adobe, to share a meal. If there is a table, we sit around it in

Our Mission Father Craig A. Pregana

plastic chairs. We're served a small helping of rice, some spaghetti, beans, and perhaps a small piece of chicken, along with the ever-present tortilla.

The spaghetti is pasty and the chicken tough, however there is no option about eating it as we are the only ones eating. There isn't enough to feed everyone, so we eat as others gathered around the house watch. While it is an honor for the delegado to offer the meal, it is twice the honor to receive it, knowing the

poverty of th~ people who offer it.

We offer grace, as we do for every meal and nearly every event, whether a birthday or anniversary, or even the trip to the aldea. Prayer is part of life here. Thanksgiving isn't so much a day, as it is an attitude for living. Be thankful every day, every meal, every going and coming. This attitude of gratitude is deeply felt and expressed regularly.

Imagine if we met life each day with that· attitude.

In the aldea with such a celebration, the meaning of "Eucharist" couldn't be more tangible: ''Thanksgiving.'' Here the Mass is not a regular event, nor is it one of the many things to do in a day. It is the day; it is the reason for celebrating, the reason for giving thanks. Our mission is to foster gratitude for all we receive from God's bounty.

If the people in Guaimaca, who have so very little, can live with an attitude of thanksgiving, imagine our brothers and sisters in the diocese. Help us, Lord, be grateful not only for

our food, family and friends, but for the gift of the Eucharist so we can live with an attitude of gratitude.

National Shrine of T Our Lady of La Salette

rrlr o j.

.

My View From

947 Park Street -Attleboro,MA02703

NOVEMBER 24 - JANUARY 1.2006 MASS Monday - Friday 12:10 & 5:30 p.m.

Saturday - Sunday 12: 10, 4:00 & 5:30 p.m.

'December 24 - Midnight Mass

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION Every Day 2:00 to 8:00 p.m.

No Confessions Nov. 24, Dec. 25 & Jan. 1, 2006 Dec. 24 & 31: 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.

OPENING CEREMONY & BLESSING Every Day at the Outdoor Manger 4:55 p.m.

ILLUMINATIONS Every Day 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.

CHRISTMAS CONCERTS FR. PAT Tuesday - Sunday - Church 3:00 & 7:00 p.m.

No Concerts: Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year's Day GUESTARTISTS Saturday December 10 3:00 p.m. Servant Song 7 :00 p.m. World Peace Cantata

Queens and quarterbacks do-all, be-all of the board/field.

Those who know me well, . way, they sacrifice themselves The queen runs the show. She, to protect teammates. know that I can watch and like the quarterback, and even enjoy anything remotely resemUnsung heroes, those pawns the free safety, sees the entire are. Much like offensive and bling a sport. Log rolling? board/field and forces the other Fascinating. Water polo? defensive lineman. players to stay on their toes.

Intriguing. Iron Chef The king? Frankly, competition on the he's a big useless dope on Food Network? the chess board. I guess Scrumptious.

I'd have to liken him to a But my favorites goal post. remain the big four . Chess and football are baseball, football, intricate ballets performed basketball and ice by talented specialists, hockey, with football

By Dave Jolivet attempting to outsmart the being the jewel. opponent. That's what Visually, baseball is makes football so enjoyrelaxing, basketball able for me - taking a game I Next we have the rooks. entertaining, and ice hockey is love, chess, and personifying it.

Much like their tight end and stimulating. But football is a . Of the two, which is my whole different, well, ball game. defensive end counterparts, favorite? I'd have to go with they're not the players with the I love to watch football. It's chess. Why? Because pawns most moves, yet they're very the only sport I can enjoy, don't taunt other pawns. effective both long and short regardless of the level of Because knights don't pound competition - be it Pop range. their chests when they capture The knights are the most Warner, high school, college or an opponent. Because the queen pro. (Note: none of this 'applies intriguing of combatants. They doesn't perform ridiculous can't run in a straight line, very to arena football- give me dances when she wins. Because Iron Chef any day of the week.) similar to offensive ends and don't sit out requesting bishops defensive comer backs. These Football is a combination of a new contract. And because players are at their best when brains and brawn, and it's the rooks don't talk trash between' zigzagging across the board/ brain aspect that makes me matches. tingle. field.

Football is one of the most Flanking the queen are the The game is a chess match cerebral of competitions, yet so bishops - the running backs played out on a gridiron.- I love many players appear brain dead. and linebackers of the chess chess.

Eliminate that aspect from board. The bishops can cut You have different players, across the board/field taking out football, and checkmate! with different roles, striving to Football wins. everything in their paths. Like achieve the same goal.

Dave Jolivet is a fonner sports the rooks, the bishops have only On either side of the board ediJor/writer woofrequently gives one move, but they're so much (or field) you have the pawns his view ofthe unique world of more deceptive because that - the first line of defense or sports. move is diagonal, out of the offense. The pawns are the noComments are welcome at ordinary. names of chess. They run tiave;olivet@ancOOmews.org.

Then there's the queen. The interference, they get in the

Father Pregana, or any member of the Guaimacan Mission Team can be contacted at www.HonduranMission.orf:.

Monday December 12 7:00 p.m. Tom Frederick Monday December 19 7:00 p.m. TATIANA Monday December 26 7:00 p.m. Sue & Phil. Fortin

INTERNATIONAL DISPLAY OF NATIVITY SETS In Shrine Theater Monday - Friday 4:00 - 8:30 p.rn.

Saturday - Sunday 2:00 - 8:30 p.m.

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Sunday Nov. 27 12:00 - 8:00 p.m.

CAFETERIA November 25 - .January 1. 2006 Closed November 24, December 24, 25 & 31 Monday - Friday 4:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday 12:00 - 9:00 p.m.

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Friday, November 18, 2005

Christ the King: Our only king Sacred Heart picture as she family and all present in the priority was correct; they would recite the prayer: "0 house renew' their pledge of knew Christ as the King and most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I Lord of their house and Love and Loyalty to Christ place all of my trust in thee." family.

Our King. In fact, our diocese In our first reading the In John's Gospel (18:33was consecrated to the Prophet Ezekiel reminds us 37), Pilate wants to know if Sacred Heart of Jesus on that our king and Lord is one Jesus claims to be king of the Thursday, June 10, 1999 by of compassion. "I myself will Jews. Jesus makes it clear Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, give them rest" says the Lord that kingship is his, but he OFM, Cap., making this .does not call himself diocese one of only a the 'Jewish king. His - - - - - - - - - -....--::::::--.,... handful throughout the kingship is broader l:i0mily of the Week United States so than over one nation, consecrated. The XXXIV Sunda.y in ceremony took place at and what is subject to him is much larger Ordinary Time St. Mary's Cathedral in than Pilate's imaginaFall River, 100 years 1:8). tion or theology. after Pope Leo XIII

By Father When I was growing up in We know as far consecrated the whole Edward A. Murphy Ireland in the late 1960s and back as 1673, one of world to the Sacred early 1970s, in the living room the 12 promises of our Heart on June 11, 1899 God. The lost I will seek out, in most of the country houses Lord to St. Margaret Mary for in Rome. the 'strayed I will bring back, was a picture of President souls devoted to his Sacred In more recent times on the injured I will bind up, the John F. Kennedy. The Irish Heart was: "I will bless every the'Fourth Sunday of Easter, sick I will heal." , place where a picture of my were proud that someone April 30,2000, Pope John We' are fortunate in our from an Irish background heart shall be set up and Paul II declared the canoniza- , diocese of Fall River to have would become president of honored." , tion of Sister Faustina America. But more importhe Sacred Hearts Community Coming from a large Kowalska, a simple uneduwhich promotes the Enthronetantly, when you stepped into family, one of eight children, cated Polish nun, who in 1931 those same houses, in the hall ment of the Sacred Heart of when things got a little tough received from the Lord a way facing you was a picture Jesus in the homes. The (as often they did at home), message of m'ercy, that she ceremony begins with the of the Sacred Heart of Jesus my mother would march all was told to spread throughout family gathered around, the with the red light under the eight of us out to the hallway the world. At the canonization, picture day and night. The and we would look up at the Sacred Heart image. The Pope John Paul II revealed the On the last Sunday of the Church's year we honor Christ the King. It is a timely reminder to us that we must remain loyal to Christ and his Gospel. It seems strange for the Church to give Christ a crown in creating this feast in 1925 when most earthly kings were losing theirs, but his is a higher and inner Kingdom. In the Book of Revelation, the Lord says,' "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the one who is and who was and who is to corrie, the almighty" (Rev

divine image of Our Lord which, in 1931, Jesus asked Sister Faustina to paint an image with the signature: Jesus I trust in You. He further stated that "I desire that the image be venerated, first in your chapel and then throughout the world. I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish ...."

In these days when it is so difficult for parents to bring up their children in a Christian environment, how comforting it would be to have your house consecrated to the heart of Jesus and to put his picture in a prominent place, so that when things get difficult, you will know where to focus.

On this Sunday, as we honor Jesus Christ as King ... May Jesus Christ our one and only, King of Kings and Lord of Lords ... be praised adored and loved, now and forever. Amen.

Father Murphy is the chaplain at Morton Hospital in Taunton and the director of Engli~.h Prayer Groups in the Fall River diocese.

The Canon: Heart and soul of the Mass words, 'This is my Body..." God Last week we looked at the the Son, the incarnate Word, is Preface, which begins the now present on the altar. Only the Eucharistic Prayer. Now let's examine the rest of that prayer, "accidents" or physical properties also called the Canon, from the Greek word for "rule" because it is the normative text according to which our gifts of bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ, offered

By Fr. Thomas M. Kocik to God as a sacrifice for sins and given to us as spiritual food and drink. ' of bread remain as they were The modem Roman Rite before; but the substance of that features four principal Eucharistic wafer is now Christ's Body, Prayers, among which the first, , joined with his Blood. The priest the Roman Canon, holds pride of, raises the Host (from 'the Latin place. While these vary in style hostia, ''victim'') for all to see, and character (as we will see next replaces it on the altar and time), they are generally alike in genuflects in adoration. Then, structure. taking the chalice and bowing Having given thanks for God's slightly, he says, 'This is the cup benefits, the priest extends his of my Blood..." As with the hands over the bread and wine, bread, the "accidents" of wine palms down, and in a prayer' , remain; but the chalice now called the Epiclesis (Greek for contains Christ's Blood, joined "invocation") asks the Father to with his Body. The priest elevates send the Holy Spirit to change the the chalice for all to see, replaces bread and wine into Christ's Body it on the altar, and genuflects. In and Blood. In words from the many churches a bell is rung at Gospel texts and St. Paul's each elevation, and on especially account, he then recalls the solemn occasions the deacon or events of the Last Supper, when server incenses the Blessed Jesus offered his Body and Blood Sacrament. under forms of bread and wine, Before the Consecration, the gave them to his Apostles to eat priest was speaking in the first and drink, and commanded them person plural as our representato do this in memory of him (Lk. tive. At the Consecration, 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:23), that is, to however, he uses the first person offer the Eucharist a memorial singular ("my Body... my Blood"), sacrifice. for Christ is the one consecrating It is the'Consecration. Taking the Eucharist by speaking and the bread in his hands and bowing acting through his ordained priest. slightly, the priest repeats Jesus' After the Consecration we say

Loving' and Living the.Mass

as

or sing a Memorial Acclamation, proclaiming (in variant forms) the Lord's death until his glorious return (l Cor. 11 :26).

Now come the Anamnesis (Greek for "not forgetting") and Offering. In'obedience to our Lord's command to remember him, the priest recalls the saving deeds of God in Christ. But this is no mere remembrance; it is the making present again, and the recalling before God, of Christ's once-for~all sacrifice (Reb. 9:2526). The Mass gives us the opportunity of uniting our worship in a visible way with Christ's

Daily Readings Nov 20

Ez34:11-12,15,- , 17; Ps23:1-3,5-6; feor 15:2026,28; Mt 25:3146

Nov21 Nov22 Nov 23

Nov 24 Nov 25 Nov 26

On 1:1-6,8-20; (Ps) On 3:52-56; Lk21:1-4 On 2:31-45; (Ps) On 3:57-61 ~ Lk 21 :5-11 On 5:1-6,1314,16-17,23-28; (Ps) On 3:62-67; Lk21 :12-19 On 6:12-28; (Ps) On 3:68-74; Lk 21:20-28 On 7:2-14; (Ps) On 3:75-81; Lk 21:29-33 On 7:15-27; (Ps) On 3:82-87; Lk 21:34-36

'sacrifice, offering ourselves with the spotless Victim to the Father through the hands of the priest and together ~ith him.

"Because the Eucharist is celebrated in communion with the whole Church, we remember Our Lady and the saints (the Church in heaven) and make intercession for the pope, the local bishop, and all the living and deceased on pilgrimage to their heavenly home (the Church on earth and in purgatory)."

Finally, our union with Christ in

this sacrifice is reasserted when the priest, raising the chalice and paten (if a deacon is present, he raises the chalice) chants or says the Doxology, a hymn of praise to the Father through, with, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit. To which we assent with a resounding "Amen."

Father Kocik, an author of two books, one on the liturgy, is chaplain at Charlton Memorial Hospital, Fall River, and resides at St. Thomas More Parish, Somerset.

In Your Prayers Please pray for the following priests during the coming weeks Nov. 21 1975, Rev. Stephen 1. Downey, Retired Pastor, Holy Ghost, Attleboro 1994, Rev. James F. Kenney, Retired Pastor, Corpus Christi, Sand- . wich \ '

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1962, Rev. James E. Smith, ~eti拢.ed'C:lfriplaiIf, Bethlehem Home, //--' ~'" , Taunton 1984, Rev. Msgr. Christ<fpher L.'B'toderick, Retired Founder, St. Pius \ \ X, South Yarynouth(.. ..---/ Nov. 24 \ 1991, Msgr. Daniel F. Shalloo, Retir~\,\astor, Holy Name, Fall River , Nov.25 \ \ 1946, Rev. Philias Jalbert, Pastor, Not:rt:iDame de Lourdes, Fall River 1971, Rev. Dennis Spykers, SS.CC. Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes, Wellfleet c路) Nov. 26 1945, Rev. James R. Bums, P.R., Pastor, Sacred Heart, Fall River Nov. 27 1948, Rt. Rev. Patrick E. McGee, Pastor, St. Mary, North Attleboro

Friday, Novem&ej 18, 2005

the anchol(S)

Anchors aweigh to shelter and feed large numFriday 11 November 2005 bers of animals during the long, Homeport - Veteran's Day; St. Martin de Tour's Day cold winter. With all this food The Armistice ending World on hand, Martinmas was a day of feasting before the onset of War I was signed on the 11 th the dark half of the year. The month, on the 11 th day, at the 11 th hour. The timing was purposeful. This date was chosen because it is St. Martin De Tours Day. Martin De Tours (who lived about 316 - 397) was a soldier before a bishop - a saintly. veteran.

Enormously popular during the Middle Ages, traditiomll entree on this day St. Martin is the patron of was roast goose. This is where soldiers - thus Veterans' Day. In another time and place, when our Thanksgiving turkey daily life was regulated by the originated.

Since there were no Native Church calendar, this day was . Americans in Europe, there was called "Martinmas" (the St. no such thing as "Indian Martin's Mass). This was the Summer" .....:...- strictly speaking, day to prepare for winter. The the warm, sunny days after the sheep were brought down from killing frost. This last l)urrah of high pasture. The crops were warmth was called St. Martin's safely stored. The herds were Summer. culled, since it was not possible

Thursday 17 November 2005 - Homeport - St. Elizabeth of Hungary Day My friend The Rev. Lee Attema was pastor of the East Freetown Christian Congregational Church. He is also a full-time registered nurse and a part-time commercial fisherman as well. One fine summer's evening, after the Saturday Vigil Mass, Lee invited me out on his fishing boat. For the sake of ecumenism, I reluctantly accepted.

From New Bedford, we headed. out towards Cuttyhunk in search of the illusive blue fish.

Lee fished from portside, I from starboard. Not a nibble, portside. On starboard, the blue fish kept jumping out of the water and landing at my feet. I would throw them back. They would jump back in. The blue fish, it seems, had jointly decided to skip the bait and

Blessed is he who comes discover that many truly came Listening before talking builds The Sanctus prayer, or the others up and paves the way for "Holy, holy, holy," which is sung intending to be a blessing to the in Mass during the Eucharistic natives, and that they often trust; Prayer, is my personal favorite. endured great hardship and - fmally and over tiine, your As I prepare for the upcoming martyrdom for their efforts. The actions will open the door for you to share the Good News. When holiday season, one particular story of one Spanish Jesuit, phrase from the Sanctus helps Father Eusebio Kino, especially that door opens, don't get on a calm my nerves about getting captures my imagination. soap box; silnply share the together with family, friends, and!

Father Kino was an ltalianblessings of the faith life as you or co-workers who may not born missionary during the late know them from your personal experience. share my Catholic faith. That 1600s to early 17oos. He ministered to native tribes in what is St. Francis, founder of the phrase is, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the r-----------r--=::--...,~ Franciscan order which Lord," and it helps sent hundreds of missionaries to the New remind me of what I am World, gave some of the called to be a blessing, even if others at the best advice on how to be a blessing to others: gathering act hostile "Preach the Gospel toward my faith and my Church. wherever you go; if The holiday season

By Heidi Bratton necessary, use words." starts with Thanksgiving.

In other words, at It is a national feast day holiday gatherings, seek now known as the American to be a blessing by your actions. recalling the three-day celebration Southwest, founding 29 missions Help with the cooking and that the Mayflower Pilgrims had in 25 years and traveling thoucleaning. Get up a game of ball with the Wampanoag Indians with restless young natives and who had helped them survive that sands of miles across desert first grueling year in the New wastes. Following the standard give their mothers a break.

Jesuit plan of evangelization, Realize that, since few families, World. Some of the Pilgrims, Father Kino would first come into neighbors, or co-workers are known as "separatists" back in England, came to this country in a native village with armed guards completely united in their faith lives, holiday conflicts are search of religious freedom as and request permission to live among the people. If permission inevitable. Also realize that, just well as economic opportunity. As Catholics we also have spiritual were granted, he would move like our Catholic forefathers, forefathers who came to the New into the village and spend the next your own motives for interacting World for religious and economic several years learning the native with the assembled "tribe" will reasons. tongue. After he had Ieamed the be mixed. Consequently, your results will be mixed too, but About a hundred years before language and the customs of the the Pilgrims arrived in Plymouth, tribe and had gained their trust, he don't sweat it. Just keep reminding yourself, "Blessed is Catholic religious orders began would begin to share the Good sending priests to the New World News. he who comes in the name of to administer the sacraments to Father Kino's plan of spreadthe Lord."

Heidi Bratton is the at-home the Spanish and French explorers, ing the Good News is one we can and to teach the native people emulate when gathering with the mother offive and the author about Jesus Christ. Hindsight potentially hostile natives of our and photographer of 11 being 20-20, we can see that the own tribes this holiday season: Christian children's books and intentions of the Europeans - enter peaceably, but armed one trade book on mothering . missionaries included - were not with the knowledge of the truth called "Making Peace with always pure, and that the results of the Gospel, and be capable of Motherhood and Creating a of their efforts were sometimes a defending yourself and your faith Better You." Heidi and her mixed bag. If you read any if necessary; husband, John, make their history about our Catholic - send your ears to the home and grow their faith in forefathers, however, you will gathering before your tongue.

Falmouth.

hook routine. This, of course, community in mind. One of the took all the fun out of it. Those scenes showed Peter standing spoilsport blues! Lee warned on a rock. The rock was me jokingly that if I caught still surrounded by rising swells. more fish, and he none, he I once had Portuguese would throw me overboard. If relatives in Provincetown. The I hoped to walk on water, he surname was Francis. My advised, I'd better quickly learn mother told me that, as a where the rocks were. My child, she would drive downphenomenal success at fishing Cape with her parents to visit was setting the ecumenical the cousins at the movement back several months Provincetown General Store. at least. When we got back to She remembered the penny candy, but not ~he names of the parsonage, Lee took a the relatives. I still wonder photo of my standing in his who they were. My relatives kitchen holding two huge blue must have belonged to St. fish. Funny, I look a shade of green in that photo. The color Peter Church, but that would setting must have been off a be long before the mural of St. Peter. The store is still there. I tad.

In our 101 years, the priesthave stood outside and looked hood of the Diocese of Fall River in the windo \ . The church and its mural e sadly gone has produced some fine boatcompletely los in a tragic fire. men: Msgr. Henry Munroe, Fathers Andy Chisholm, Bill This summer, I visited the charred embers nd said a Farland, Dan Freitas, the silent prayer for e grieving brothers Pat and Connie community's los .

O'Neil come to mind. These days Father Marek Thptynski The ship\symb lic of the is out on thf? high seas.

Church is Pl~turel ~ throughout Not satisfied with recrethe history 0-\teliglous art, and ational boating, some of my most often 011\ stormy seas. To brother priests have enlisted as me, this seem\~ppropriate. chaplains in the Navy.

Over 2,000 ye:"s, we have One of my favorite Church . weathered a 101 ,of storms paintings was the mural fortogether ~\d nOL~'only survived, by thrived, with le help of the merly located in St. Peter the Holy Spirit. The is yet another Apostle Church in Provincetown. It was a colorful major gale or two battering the Church in the present day. This, and inspiring piece of art too, we will - with the grace there on the back wall of the of God路 - survive. sanctuary. Brilliant in color and Father Goldrick is pastor of masterful in execution, it St. Bernard Parish, Assonet. reminded me of Salvador Dali.

This was not some off-the-shelf Comments are welcome at StBernardAssonet@aoLcom. commercial product, but an PreviJus columns are at original work commissioned www.StBernardAssonet.org. with the Provincetown faith

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8

Friday, November 18, 2005

Area priests happy to serve diocesan faithful Editor's note: The following is a reflection on the recent two-day diocesan Priests' Convocation held on Goat Island. .

By MSGR. JOHN J. OLIVEIRA, PASTOR, ST. MARY'S PARISH, NEW BEDFORD

.,

i

,,I

Several weeks ago now, it was hard to fmd a Mass on Wednesday or Thursday in the Diocese of Fall River. I will wager that no one attended a funeral in a Catholic Church in our diocese on that Wednesday or Thursday either. .

The reason is that there were no priests around for these. celebrations. While the hospitals were covered for emergencies, all the priests were in a local area for a Convocation.

Bishop George W. Coleman had written a letter to all of the people of our diocese asking for their prayers and sacrifices for the one full day and two partial days while the priests were away. One could sense the assistance of prayer during our deliberations. . ".

Convocation comes from the Latin words meanmg a calling together:' Our bishop called all the priests working in our diOcese to come together for prayer and reflection. ." .

At past gatherings a theme was selected and we hstened to talks on that topic. . .

There was much preparation for this gathering. Months ago a team of consultants, who have worked with other dioceses, met with IJI:ie~ts individually. Any priest who wanted to share his thougI;1ts; refl~tions, cares and concerns, met with a member of the team. This meeting was in person or by phone.

More than 80 priests, greater than 75 percent of the priests of our diocese, expressed their thoughts with the team The team then prepared the convocation based on our sharing with them: . . . The first session was an elucidation of the results of the mtervIe~s.

It was amazing to see the convergence of 1Ssues from all of us. Couched in diplomatically sensitive language, it gave an overview of the responses of the priests of the Fall River diocese. Their hopes, fears, concerns, and joys were there for all to see.

It was a great opportunity for us, and especially for our bishop, one from among us, to be able to clearly get a sense of direction for the future.

The topics summarized were the general observations, positive findings, challenges to MSGR. JOHN J. unity and issues of concern.

OLIVEIRA At the end of the evening meal, the "entertainment" was three priests who shared their stories. Father Thomas Costa reflected on his first days of being a priest. His expectations and the reality were quite different. It helped us all recall our first days out of the seminary and on the job. ' . .

Father Henry Dahl, ordained about 10 years; shared hIS 1deas of pastoring and how it can be messy no matter how much we try to make it perfect. Then Father Bento Fraga shared his journey of priesthood from the beginning to his new experience of living in retirement.

It was good to sense the joy and reality of priesthood as experienced by these men: . . .

The morning session the next day focused on our relationship~ WIth each other. This quotation from Meister Eckhart framed our dehberations: "A man has many skins in himself, covering the depth ol' his heart.

Man knows so many things; he does not know himself. Why, thirty or forty skins or hides, just like an ox's or a bear's, so thick and hard, cover the soul. Go into your own ground and leam to know yourself there."

Small group discussions focused on our priestly ministry and our vision of priesthood. Strong emphasis was placed on how we share that fraternal bond with each other.

In the afternoon we reflected on the effect of the sexual abuse scandal on us. We were to deal with our feelings in various areas from the response of the bishops, the reaction of the laity and the experience of victims. It was a heavy afternoon The final morning continued a discussion of concerns surfaced in the survey arid possible resolutions to a number of them On both days we were able to celebrate Mass with our bishop and pray together for our needs arid the needs of the diocese.

Please know how grateful the priests are for your prayers and support. Please know as well that the priests who serve you in the Fall River diocese dedicated and loving. They care very sincerely about you and about their priesthood. They want'to do everything to make Christ known to you by their lives of service and sacrament.

We know we can be misunderstood and challenged We know we are not perfect. But we also know that God has called us to share His message of love arid truth.

We are happy to be able to serve you and we are grateful for your love and support.

are

POPE BENEDICT XVI waves to the faithful at the end.of his weekly general aUdien~e in St. Peter's Square' at the Vatican November 9. The pope said that the created world IS an "intelligent project" that reflects a divine origin. (eNS photo from Reuters)

World is 'intelligent project' that reflects divine origin, pope says

By JOHN THAVIS CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI said that far from being a product of chance the created world is an "intelligentproject" that reflects a divine origin.

The pope made the remarks at a general audience at the Vatican November 9, commenting about Psalm 136, which gives thanks for creation.

The pope quoted St. Basil the Great, who in the fourth century warned that some people, "fooled by the atheism that they carry inside them, imagine the universe deprived of direction and order, as if at the mercy of chance."

Speaking extemporaneously to the crowd in St. Peter's Square, the pope said St. Basil's words had "surprising relevance" today.

"How many people are there to-

day who, fooled by atheism, think and try to demonstrate that it would be scientific to think that everything . is witlIout direction and order;' he said. .

"Through sacred Scripture, the Lord reawakens the reason that sleeps and tells us that in the beginning is the creative word, the creative reason, the reason that has created everything, that has created this intelligent project," he said.

The pope'said it was inIportant to understand that "the cosmos is also love." He said Psalm 136 correctly points to the created world as the place to find visible signs of divine charity.

'The signs of God' s love are seen in the marvels of creation and in the great gifts he has given to his people. The Fathers of the Church teach us to recognize in created things the greatness of God and his

merciful love toward us," he said.

St. Basil, he said, was filled with wonder as he reflected upon the mystery of creation. The pope quoted tlIe saint's description of . God as "beauty greater than any that can be desired, the beginning of all beings, tlIe source of life, the light of understanding, inaccessible wisdom."

The pope said the presepce of God in creation was a "cosmic revelation" available to everyone, but he said one must have "clear eyes" to contemplate and understand this revelation, a process that is aided by prayer.

He said the reading ofPsalm 136 also underlines that the creator addressed in prayer is "not a cold, distant God, but one who loves his creatures and suffers when they are unfaitlIful to him, when they reject his merciful fatherly affection."

Cardinal, rabbi discuss humans' link to God's infinite nature VATICAN CITY (CNS) - The infmite, limitless nature of God does not prevent finite and imperfect humans from establishing a loving relationship with the divine, said a top Vatican official and a leading rabbi at a Vatican-sponsored conference.

"Man lacks the ability to embrace something that has no limits" said Cardinal Paul Poupard, president of the Pontific~ Council for Culture. Buthumans can transcend "the most basic levels of consciousness," opening them up "to the revelation of mystery" and God, he said November 9 in his address to conferenre participants.

The cardinal chaired the international conference November 9-11 at Rome's Lateran University; it brought together scientists, mathematicians, philosophers and theologians to discuss infinity.

The conference was part of tlIe "Science, Technology and the Ontological Quest" project, funded in part by tlIe John Templeton Foundation.

Israeli Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, a scholar, mathematician and founder of the Israeli Institute for Talmudic Publications, said the more aperson thinks about God's infinite nature, "the more remote God becomes."

How can a finite being "cross an infinite gap" to reach what may seem an unreachable God? he asked November 9. "The religious answer is we cannot get to God because we are finite beings, but God can get to us," he said.

"As long as I reach up my hands, I will never

touch him, but he can reach up with his finger and touch me," ~ai~ the rabbi. .. " The rabbi SaId the monotlIelstlc ,concept of ?ne God" is not like the number one In mathematiCs, which "can have another number" and "can b~ cut into parts, like one-half." The oneness of God IS "a different kind of one," he said. . . The rabbi ~aid people might need to get nd of preconceived images of God to meditate on God's infinity, which becomes ~ emotional. challenge, since a God with no phySIcal features IS harder to grasp and contemplate.

Cardinal Poupard said, "God is infinite not because he may be very big, ?r very old, but simply because he is." Th.e cardlOal .clt.e~ St. Thomas Aquinas, who descrIbed God's mflmty as depend.illg "on his reality ~f I?~e ~ct, not on quantity.".

People lack the ab1ltty to embrace somethIng that has no limits," he said, but tlIey "constantly search to transcend tlIeir own limits."

Compared to the ever-expanding uni v~rse, "man feels small, but not impotent. Immersed In the cosmos, man has the ability to understand and transform reality," the cardinal said., . " Humans can transcend phySIcal realtty and empirical knowledge in order to r~ach deeper le.vels of reality," that lead them to expenence God, SaId Cardinal Poupard.

9

Friday, November 18, 2005

'Extraordinarily ordinary' Italian mother was model of holiness

POPE BENEDICT XVI meets with bishops from Austria at the Vatican. The pope told the bishops, who were on their "ad /imina" visits, that they cannot be afraid to present the full teaching of the Catholic Church just because some modern listeners might disagree. (CNS photo from L'OsseNatore Romano)

Pope tells Austrians don't be afraid to present Church's 'full' "teachings

By CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

VA11CANCITY -A bishop's words must be chosen carefully, but he cannot be afraid to present the full teaching of the Catholic Church just because some modem listeners might disagree, Pope Benedict XVI said.

"It is true that we bishops must act with prudence, but that prudence must not stop us from proclaiming the Word of God in all its clarity, even those points which people hear less gladly or that are sure to provoke reactions of protest or even derision," the pope said.

Pope Benedict made his remarks November 5 in a meeting with the bishops of Austria who were completing their "ad limina" visits to the Vatican. Bishops make the visits every five years to report on the status of their dioceses. l11e pope told the bishops it was

clear that secularization was present not only in Austria, but also among many Austrian Catholics who doubt the Church's teaching authority and question its moral code.

The preaching of the Gospel, he said, cannot be tailored to what people claim they want to hear.

Certain themes, especially regarding morality, "are not presented enough in cateehesis and in preaching in your dioceses" or they are presented with "equivocation," particularly when addressing young people.

"Perhaps some of those responsible for preaching fear that the faithful will pull back if they speak clearly. But experience has shown that the opposite is true," he said.

"Make no mistake," the pope" said, "a Catholic catechesis presented in a mutilated way is a contradiction in itself."

Pope Benedict did not specify

the moral issues he felt~ more attention.

The call to conversion is a central part of the Gospel message, he said. People need to know that God loves them, that Christdied for them and that God's grace can help them to live better lives.

Pope Benedict also told the bishops that clear preaching is not enough. Priests and religious educators, starting with the bishops themselves, must give a convincing witness, particularly with how they celebrate the Mass and with frequent use of the sacr;unent of confession.

The Catholic art, architecture and music of Austria, he said, are a treasure that the bishops should draw upon, but they do not make the country Catholic.

"It is not enough to praise God with our mouths," he said. ~'He wants our hearts."

By CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE The beatification underscored VICENZA, Italy - An Italian concern by Italian Church leadwoman who raised 11 children was ers about the small size of modbeatified and held up as a model of ern families in Italy, which has one of the lowest birthrates in the sainthood for all mothers.

Eurosia Fabris, known simply world.

In early November, Pope as "Mamma Rosa" throughout her adult life, was beatified No- Benedict urged the Italian governvember 6 in the northern Italian ment to adopt policies and tax city of Vicenza, not far from the laws to help bigger families, farming town where she was which he called "a richness and hope for. the entire country." born.

"In today's social context, famPope Benedict XVI has stopped presiding over beatifica- ily groups with numerous children tion Masses, but a decree was " are a witness of faith, courage and read in his name by Cardinal Jose optimism, because without chilMaria Saraiva Martins, head of dren there is no future," the pope the Congregation for Saints' said.

He was speaking to the Italian Causes. Beatification is the last Association of Large Families, a major step before sainthood.

Fabris was born in 1866, and group formed by couples with at as a young woman was known least five children, which was lobfor her deep sense of faith. She bying for additional tax breaks for taught religious education and larger families. sewing to children in her parish.

At 18, she began caring for two babies whose mother had died. After marrying, she had nine children of her own; three of them became priests. After a life dedicated to homemaking and charity work, she died in 1932.

"Mamma Rosa should be seen as a model of holiness for everyone," said Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia of Vicenza, who celebrated the Mass.

"As a wife and mother, she lived the evangelical simplicity of self-sacrifice for love. She accepted daily family life with all its troubles and sufferings, joys and hopes, in a continual search for God's will," he said.

ITALIAN EUROSIA Fabris, The vice postulator of her known as "Mamma Rosa" sainthood cause, Father Fabio during her adult life, was beLongo, told Vatican Radio that her life was "extraordinarily ordinary" atified November 6. (CNS and said that sainthood is acces- photo from Catholic Press Photo) sible to everyone. o

Polish church sets up tribunal to gather testimony about pope's life KRAKOW, Poland (CNS) - In the Krakow cathedral where the future Pope John Paul II celebrated his nrst Mass as a priest, a special tribunal was established to gather testimony about the pope's life and holiness.

Although the Diocese of Rome is handling Pope John Paul's sainthood cause, a secondary tribunal was set up in Poland to interview Polish witnesses and review the things he wrote as a student, priest, auxiliary bishop and archbishop of Krakow before being elected pope in 1978.

Krakow Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, the pope's longtime secretary, presided over an evening prayer service recently as the Polish tribunal members took their oaths of office.

Archbishop Dziwisz became the future pope's secretary in 1966, serving him first in Krakow,

then in Rome.

"I had the good fortune to remain with him for almost 40 years, and I can say that he never treated anyone badly;' the archbishop said during the service.

"Although difficulties and suffering were not lacking in his life, they did not beat him down, but rather reinforced his determination to give himself to God," the archbishop said.

As archbishop of Krakow and later as pope, Pope John Paul never failed to celebrate or assist at Mass each day, Archbishop Dziwisz said.

He spent long periods in prayer preparing for his celebration and long moments in thanksgiving after each Mass, he said.

Pope John Paul also would write homilies, letters and pastoral letters in his chapel in front of the Blessed Sacrament, Archbishop

Dziwisz said.

The archbishop said Pope John Paul's prayerful union with God was something many people ~aid they could feel when they were with the pope.

"Contact with him broughtpeople closer to God; people were, in some way, attracted by the divine presence," he said. ''I often met people who said that alight~efromhim This flowed from the depths of his union with God through prayer."

Reporting on the event, Awenire, the Italian Catholic newspaper, also cautioned against ~gthe process would conclude quickly.

In a report, the newspaper quoted Cardinal Jozef Glemp of Warsaw as saying: ''It is a very rich process with many witnesses, and it will not be possible to conclude it

by June" when many expect Pope Benedict to visit Poland. ,

,

FHday, November 18, 2005

New Jersey teens discuss talk show that won them·ProclaimAwards .WASHINGTON (CNS) Some talk shows win annfuls of awards. Some get armfuls of attention.

One small talk show is getting both: ''Realfaith TV," a project of the Diocese of Trenton, N.J., aimed at teens, has won not only awards including three Proclaim Awards THE CAST of "Realfaith TV," a project of the Diocese of from the Catholic Communication Trenton, N.J., is seen on the set of the show in an undated' Campaign - Qut is getting feedback .for its teen-age on-air hosts; photo. "Realfaith TV," which is getting feedback for its teen- and guests. . : age on-air hosts and guests, has' won ~everal aw~rds, in~ Jack Byrn~,-16, one ofthe hosts, eluding three from the Catholic Communication Campaign. said people have recognized him (CNS photo courtesy Realfaith TV) occaSion, even though his hair is

on

considerably trimmer now than when the upcoming season's episodes were taped over the summer.

Byrnes said his school, Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, N.J., made him cut his curly, Afro-· like locks. "We 'picked' it out on one show," he recalled, referring to using a pick comb on hIs hair.

'That was cool."· .

Catherine Smith, 17, a junior at Notre Dame High Sch901 in Lawrenceville, N.J.; and the other co-host, said people will rec~gnize her from the other .side of the counter ai-the Starbucks where she works. "I'm a minicelebrity.. You

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could say that," she told Catholic News Service in a telephone interview before reporting for an afterschool shift at the coffee shop: "I get recognized." . -Smith said she first became aware of "Realfaith TV" from the video for the Trenton diocesan Bishop's Appeal campaign. Later, she said, "I was in my religion class.

The girl in front of me had a flier about show auditions, and she said, 'Oh, I'm not going. Do you want it?'''

Being chosen for th~ show "was an unexpected pleasant result" of getting the flier, she said. Now, she added, she is considering a career in broadcasting.

The series began in 2000 and with its high-school hosts, correspon-' dents and panelists, has undergone a compl~te turnover since its debut.

But "Realfaith TV" won more Proclaim Awards this year than any other print, aural or visual submission. It took top honors in the television talk show category and the TV public service and paid announcements category, as well as the radio public service announcements category. The public service announcements, which promote the series, get commercIal time during TV and radio shows popular with teen audiences in the Trenton Diocese, includ1ng MTV's 'Total RequeSt live."

The 2005 awards marked the fourth year in a row that "Realfaith TV" has been honored by the Proclaim Awards, which recognize achievements in diocesan communications through radio, TV, print and the Internet.

"I was just blown away" upon hearing of the latest awards, Bymes said, adding he first heard of the show by reading about it in his parish bulletin. "My mom said, 'Why don't you try out?' I went down to audition ... and two weeks later they said I had been selected," Byrnes said his two favorite interview subjects from the show have been Christian contemporary singers Rebecca St. James and Tony Melendez. Smith said her favorite episode was a tribute to Pope John Paul II, which will gefan en~ core showing next year on the first anniversary of his death.

The Proclaim Award-winning episode dealt with teens who resort to cutting and burning themselves to get attention. On the schedule before the year is out are programs dealing with personal difficulties, being the only practicing Catholic in your family or group of friends, being less selfish and more selfless, and using dance, drama, music and the arts as a way of sharing faith.

"Realfaith TV" is available on Catholic and/or public access cable channels in the Diocese ofTrenton as well as in the New York, Boston and Detroit archdioceses and the dioceses ofBrooklyn and Rockville Centre, N.Y., Harrisburg, Pa., and Baton Rouge; La. It can also be seen on Comcast cable systems throughout New Jersey on the CN8 channel.

Friday, November 18, 2005

thea~

The 40th anniversary of

Vatican II Jesuit expert continues to examine Vatican II's implementation Editor's Note: This is a continuation of a major series of articles this fall to mark the 40th anniversary of the end of the Second Vatican Council.

The stories are meant to show that the implementation of the Council and their effects are ongoing.

By CINDY WOODEN CATHOL:IC NEWS SERVICE

VATICAN CITY - From a very specific perspective, a Jesuit who served as a theological expert at the Second Vatican Council continues to examine its deliberations, outcome and implementation.

Forty years after serving as a "peritus" or expert at the council, Jesuit Father Paolo Molinari is shepherding the sainthood cause of Pope Paul VI, the pope who presided over three of the council's four sessions and oversaw its implementation until his death in 1978.

Father Molinari told Catholic News Service that Pope John XXIII set up the council and "thought it would be a happy family gathering. But it was not only that.

"The council launched discussions that required the Church to deal with a myriad of

. theological issues that already had begun to be debated by some bishops and theologians, and not always in a way consistent with Church teaching," he said.

"The council lasted four years and, in between one session and another, there was much discussion in an attempt to clarify 路the issues," Father Molinari said.

To further complicate matters, the media covered the process at a level completely unknown at previous councils.

Many of the debates and attempts to influence the bishops took place in newspapers and magazines rather than on the council floor, in small group meetings or through private correspondence.

The public discussion sharpened the differences between socalled liberals and conservatives by making it appear that some people in the Church thought everything really was open to debate, Father Molinari said.

For the 81-year-old Jesuit, the council's focus on Scripture is the key to understanding the positive changes in the Church over the past 40 years.

By strongly supporting biblical scholarship, promoting Bible reading and study among the

faithful and raising its stature in the Mass, he said, the council helped make all Catholics familiar with the main themes of God's revelation.

Knowing "how God has loved and cared for humanity, his coming to us in Jesus Christ and Christ's giving himself up to death for us facilitated a new, stronger relationship with Jesus Christ," the Jesuit said.

The focus on a relationship with Jesus, lived within the community of the Church, strengthened Catholics' understanding of the gift of the Eucharist and of what Christian life is meant to be: "It is a unity arising from love lived in a vocation of selfgiving," whether in the priesthood, religious lif~, marriage or as a single person, he said.

Father Molinari said the scriptural vision of God creating the world, accompanying his people as they move through it, calling them to act uprightly and to care for the weak also has had huge implications for the way the Church and its individual members relate to the world.

Following the example of Jesus, he said, the council affirmed that "when money, governments, knowledge or even religion are used to exploit

11\ people, it must be criticized."

While the council's Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, "Lumen Gentium," spoke of the Church as the "people of God" or as a "pilgrim" Church, he said, "the 'Body of Christ' was the most important expression: The life that flows from Jesus, the head; unites us with each other and sends us out into the world."

As for the ongoing debate about what the council intended for the Church, Father Molinari said a certain lack of prudence was demonstrated even before and during the council by those who wanted nothing to change and those who wanted everything to change.

He said that far from trying to turn the clock back many Church leaders and faithful to-

day are trying to recuperate "certain values and practices that were put aside, or even ridiculed, mainly because the way they were expressed no longer spoke to people."

"It is not that these people say 'We have gone too far,' but that they say 'Maybe we are missing something, n' he said.

The need for moments of silence and for an appreciation of the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist are examples, he said. So is the decision to publish a catechism of Church teaching accessible and intelligible to modern men and women.

"The Holy Spirit is active in the Church, guiding the wise activity of those who are neither closed-minded nor rebels," Father Molinari said.

In honor of Sister Lucia dos Santos, seer of Fatima, who died February 13,2005, age 97.

Lucia pray for us.

St. Anne's Prayer "Good St. Anne, Mother of Mary, and Grandmother of Jesus, Intercede for me and my petitions. Amen."

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"I am the light ofthe world; whoever follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light oflife. " John 8:12 There will be refreshments served in the Parish Center immediately following the service. For more information call Estelle Stanley 508路775-4319.

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Friday, November 18, 2005

Competition

dents, who have well above av- sors tell me they wish their erage critical thinking and com- graduate students did what these munications' skills and I think kids are doing at the high school those provide them the oppor- level. It's that competitive. Last tunity to go above and beyond." year's winner designed a way She noted that the research to generate electricity using project "is not a required one. ocean wave energy. It's comBut they chose to spend their mercially viable. And he did it in summer time tocomplete it and his garage!"

Whaley noted that since 1998 do their research at U-Mass Dartmouth nearby." "we're been the proud sponsors, Miskel also recalled that in his and Siemens has been commitfreshman year, Su "was de- _ ted to math, science and techscribed by one of his teachers nology education for many The Siemens as a sponge, who just soaked years. 'concepts up so easily. He and Westinghouse competition is the Mark Sullivan work so well to- , nation's premier. We partner with the College Board and they gether."

James Whaley, vice president judge the process with leading of the Siemens Foundation, educators and scientists from talked about why the Foundation across the nati·on." He said they sponsors this competition, and team up with the nation's "best" why it is important to recognize universities, such as MIT, Georstudents like Su and Sullivan, and gia Tech, Carnegie Mellon, Notre their accomplishments.

Dame, the University of Austin "We're excited about the and UC-Berkeley. whole process," he stated. "It's In recent weeks the compewonderful to meet these young tition has taken place in other people and feel their enthusiasm sectors of the nation. and commitment ... and to see "Af~er this weekend, we look their projects. They want to ahead to the first week in Demake the world better. Some cember. That is when we bring day these kids are going to win the top individual winner and the the Nobel Prize. Their level of top team winner from each of science projects are at the Ph.D the six regions for the nationals level. I've had college profes- in New York City."

Continued from page one

up. In addition, Siemens Foun- helped program a number of dation awarded $2,000 to Bishop video games - 2D and 3D space shooters - to adventure-based Stang High School.

Who are these outstanding role playing games. In college, Stang students and how did they he intends to study his first love, computer science, and has become' a project team? .

Su, a member of the National sought an early action accepHonor Society, enjoys rock tance at MIT. climbing, basketball and track He is the son of Mark Sullivan and has been a volunteer at Jr., and Rolande Sullivan of Fall Dartmouth Community Televi- River, and attends Holy Name sion for the past four years. He Parish there, where he has been has played the piano for 10 an altar server. years. He plans to study chemiIt seems natural that Su and cal engineering or chemistry, and Sullivan would be partners in the has applied at UMass-Amherst research. Both had taken adand at Worcester Polytechnic vanced placement physics and Institute. chemistry, among a bevy of Su is the. son of Dr. Timothy other courses.

Su, a chemistry professor at Su recalls that his research UMass-Dartmouth, ,and followed an oxidant research Madeline Su, a registered nurse done by his sister Kristin, a 2003 at fharlton Memorial Hospital in graduate of Stang. Sullivan said Fall River, who sometimes as- Greg's particular study of cransists and is a substitute' nurse at berries "piqued" his interest and Stang. He resides with his par- he became involved. ents in Westport, attends St. According to Stang's AcaJulie Billiart Parish adjacent to demic Principal Mary Ann Stang.

Miskel, "in all of their time at Sullivan is also a National Stang Greg imd Mark have been Honor Society member and a incredibly focused, heavily moparticipant iIi the school's ski tivated, wonderfully moral stuclub. and math team. His hobbies include waterskiing, tubing and laser tag. He had already Continued from page one taken several advanced video game design courses at Bristol Community College, where he with The Anchor. She said they community is doing well despite The exterior will be clapwere trying to cover all the the hardship. "It helps us to fo- board or gray shingles in keepbases because they wanted the cus on what we're about. It's ing with the flavor of the area's r--------~-----------~ new house of worship to be as about people, not a building," historical district. he said. . great as what they lost.

Father Dahl said he will soon "We're going forward and "Although the process seems be meeting with people to dewe're enthusiastic about the slow, this will determine what termine the feasibility of a capiThe Post Office charges The Anchor70 cents for notifiprocess. I can't tell you ..what the parishioners live with for the tal campaign and added that he cation of a subscriber's change of address. Please help it meant that Bishop George W. next 100 years." frequently gives progress reus reduce these expenses by notifying us immediately Coleman wanted to rebuild."

Father Dahl said he was ports following Mass to keep when you plan to move.

She said that the next Catho- thankful for all the support the his faith community abreast of Please Print Your New Address Below lic church is a long 'distance town and the community at the prpgress. away and it's always been nice large have given. "There have "I remind myself that someNAME: to have a parish in been some spontaneous fund- day I may not be here," said FaProvincetown. raisers and raffles and brought ther Dahl. "I try to be as trllnsSTREET ADDRESS: When asked about her pas- in more than $125,000. There parent with the assembly as tor, Henrique said, "He's a great are a lot of people who are look- possible. We want them to be CITY, STATE, ZIP: person and is doing an excel- ing forward to the new happy about this church and we lent job. He inspires us. I'm church." . want to do this right."

NEW PARISH: _ I' thankful he's here."

Some of the items from the Another member of the 1 Currently, religious educa- former church like the recov- building committee, Edward 1 MOVING DATE: 1. ~iohnhanlld MTahsses are in the pa~- ered statues of S1. Joseph, Gage, attended Masses at the IS a. e rectory space IS Jesus, and Mary, as well as the former church during the suml also being used for classes. tabernacle will be incorporated mer for more than 45 years. He Please attach your Anchor address label below so we 1 Because the town of into the new church. The in- moved here seven years ago can update your record immediately.

1 Provincetown has a declining terest is to maintain the ocean and said "It's a good feeling to 1 population, the new church will theme in the church interior; know they are rebuilding."

1 seat 400 people, 100 fewer than and Father Dahl said the pliln is Gage said although the Please Cllt and adhere address the previous building. to have many stained glass win- former church structure can1 Father Dahl said the faith dows. label in this space not be duplicated, everyone seems ~o like the general design that Deacon Palanza has proNATIONAL SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF LA SALETTE posed.

CLIP THIS ENTIRE FORM AND MAIL TO: "The plans are going well . • .. CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS ~ •• ~. and we're hoping they can ~ _ 6 ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BAZAAR II _ ~ ~ break ground about a year from now," said Gage. '~What's'nice To kick-off our ,Christmas Festival of Lights we have our is that everyone has been able , Annual Christmas Bazaar th th to offer their input."

November 25 - 26 Noon - 9:00 p.m.

P.O. BOX 7 - FALL RIVER, MA 02722 Gage praised the work Father h November 21 Noon - 8:00 p.m.

Dahl has been doing and said that THANK YOU despite the problems in regard Knitted Items Arts & Crafts Items Raffle To subscribe to The Anchor, please provide your name, to the rectory, "everyone is exCurtains Bought Goods Religious Articles/Jewelry address, city, state, zip code and parish, along with a check cited and ready to pull up their Greeting Cards Baked Goods for $14.00 made payable to The Anchor for a one-year shirtsleeves and dig right in.

Pictures with Santa Claus We-'ll have a beautiful church subscription. Mail it to the above address.

947 Park Street • Attleboro, MA • ~O8-236-906~ • Festival of Lights - Nov 24 - Jan I, 2006 when it's all said and done." are among more than 1,000 of the brightest science and math students in the U.S. the nation's premiere high school science-research based competition attracts each year.

Previous winners have discovered new galaxies, built a gyroscope that converts ocean wave energy to electricity, and researched new way& to fight brain cancer.

The hopes of Su and Sullivan were on their study: Mechanism of Q!1ercetin's Inhibition of Free Radical Formation.

In essence, it examines how quercetin, a natural compound in cranberries, may prevent a potentially dangerous form of iron from reacting with hydrogen peroxide and producing free radicals, which are capable of causing cancer.

Such research into the mechanisms by which antioxidants operate could help scientists understand how certain natural products are beneficial to one's health.

Their mentor was Dr. Maolin Guo, of UMass-Dartmouth.

On Saturday night, in MlTs Walker 'Memorial Building's Morss Hall, Sullivan and Su were pleased ':Vhen it ,was announced each had copped a $1,000 scholarship as runners

Rising

,ARE YOU MOVING?

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Friday, November 18, 2005 Ministries at 508-299-PRAY. SOCIAL EVENTS

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION ATTLEBORO Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration is held at St. Joseph's Church, 208 South Main Street. For more information call 508-226-1115.

NEW BEDFORD - Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is held each Monday at St. Joseph-St. Therese Church. It follows the 8 a.m.

Mass and continues until 2 p.m. For more information call 508-995-5235.

WEST HARWICH - Our Lady of Life Perpetual Adoration Chapel is in need of volunteers. Consider signing up to spend an hour with the Lord. Empty slots are: Monday at 2 a.m. and 9 a.m.; Wednesday at 11 a.m.; Thursday at 3 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Friday at 10 p.m. and Saturday at 6 a.m., 11 a.m., 3 p.m., 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. For more information call 508. 430-4716.

HEALING MASSES ATTLEBORO La Salette Father Andre Patenaude will lead a healing service Sunday at 2 p.m. at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette. For more information call 508-222-541 O. LECTURES/ PRESENTATIONS MASHPEE - The Third Order of Carmelites of St. John of the Cross will meet Sunday for the celebration of an 11 :30 a.m. Mass at'Christ the King Parish. Studies in the parish center will follow and it will conclude with prayer in the St. Jude's Chapel. They meet every other Sunday to pray the Liturgy of the Hours and rosary af 6:30 p.m. in the chapel. For more information call Dottie Cawley at 508-4772798.

TAUNTON - A Diocesan Prayer Meeting will be held Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at St. Anthony'.s Church, 126 School Street. It will feature a talk by guest speaker Barbara Wright and is sponsored by the Diocesan Service Committee. For more information call Mary Leite at 508-8222219.

MISCELLANEOUS ATTLEBORO Our Lady. Queen of Peace Medjugore Prayer Group meets Monday nights at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph's Church, 208 South Main Street to pray the rosary and learn about Medjugore. For more information call 508-226-1115.

ATTLEBORO - The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette, 947 Park Street, will hold its annual Christmas Bazaar November 25-27. It is open from noon to 9 p.m. in the chapel on Friday and Saturday and until 8 p.m'-on Sunday. For more information call 508-222-5410.

INDIA - Father Paul Cruz of India seeks donations of rosaries, statues and holy pictures for St. Antony's Church.

They are also seeking pens and pencils for their school children. Send items in care of: Father Paul Cruz, St. Antony's Church, Kanjirakodu P.O., Kundara 691 501, Kollam, Kerala, India.

ATTLEBORO - Singer musician John Polce will present his Bethany Nights Program tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette Shrine. It includes music, prayer and healing. For more information call 508-222-5410.

NEW BEDFORD - The A Cappella Vocal Ensemble Sine Nomine will perform Sunday at 3 p.m. at St. Lawrence Martyr Church. For more information call 508992-4251. .SUPPORT GROUPS NEW BEDFORD - Courase, a support group for those dealing with same-sex attraction issues while trying to live chaste lives, meets November 26 at 7 p.m. in the rectory of St. James Parish, 233 County Street. The meetings combine prayer and sharing as members strengthen and encourage each other to walk together with the Lord. For more information call Father Richard Wilson at 508-992-9408.

NORTH DARTMOUTH TAUNTON - The annual. - The Diocesan DivorcedSnowflake Bazaar will be held Separated Support Group will Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. meet November 28 from 7-9 at Marian Manor. It will include p.m. at the Family Life Cenbaked and knitted goods and ter, 500 Slocum Road. It will a Chinese auction. For more in"clude the presentation information call 508-822- "Journey to Freedom," by guest speaker Dottie 4885.

Levesque. For more information call Bob Menard at 508RETREATS 673-2997.

NORTH EASTON - A DEVOTIONS Family Retreat will be held Sunday from 2-4 p.m. at the FALL RIVER St. Father Peyton Center, 518 . Washington Street. It is an Mary's Cathedral, 327 Secopportunity for family mem- ond Street, will host a First bers to reflect on how they Saturday devotion Mass on pray together and will in- December 3 at 9 a.m., folclude recitation of the rosary, lowed by exposition and adodiscussion and refresh- ration of the Blessed Sacments. For more informa- rament until Benediction at tion call Holy Cross Family noon.

D ri V e

Continued from page one

every Catholic involved, because this initiative is so very, very important."

Martin said she hopes the numbers are higher than initial reports reflect, because pastors had other means ofgetting the material for the registration from other sources, such as the Massachusetts Catholic Confere!1ce, the public policy voice for the four Catholic bishops with dioceses in the Commonwealth.

If Catholics in Massachusetts and that includes the dioceses ofFall River, Springfield, Worcester, and the archdiocese of Boston - can muster the approximately 66,000 valid signatures needed, it is only the beginning.

Otherfigures offered indicate that in Boston, 137 of the 303 parishes have held registrations.

In Worcester, 28 of 130 parishes have reported thus far.

In Springfield, only 14 of 130 parishes have responded to date.

The amendment, if adopted by 25 percent ofthe Massachusetts legislature and a simple majority of the citizens voting in the 2008 statewide election, would help decide who is eligible to marry in the Bay State: Martins said that the current concerns are that although the. results indicate a sufficient number of signatures from Catholics and other denominations interested in constituting marriage as between one man and one woman, eliminating any new same-sex unions, the signatures must be validated.

"If the signatures taken in the parish church and submitted as they have to be to the town, city or state government are found invalid for one reason or another, they are lost to us," said Martin. "Our assistance to

parish volunteer coordinators stressed that the signers use the same signature on file in his or her respective voting office; and official residential address as well, all of which makes for a qualified signature."

Martin also said that the "raw" numbers show that less than 10 percent of the signatures in the Fall River diocese have not been certified, ''which is very positive."

She said a number of parishes conducting the signature drive did not contact Catholic Citizenship for assistance, and "did not use the best techniques for ensuring successful . results."

Martin has also put out a call for volunteers for Monday, November 21 and Tuesday, November 22, to pick up the signed petitions in the various 351 communities in the state.

"I have petitions from Cape Cod that need to go to Springfield, and vice versa," she stated. ''We will have envelopes for teach town. The drivers need to get them to the town or city clerk's office and get it receipt.

Then we need to go back and collect them in the first week of December, photocopy the certified documents, log them, and deliver them to the Massachusetts Secretary of State."

Anyone wanting to obtain a copy of the initiative petition for their signature can obtain one online at Macathconf.org.

"Martins says that volunteers are needed to help deliver or pick up petitions especially on November 2122. She invites those who can help to contact Catho.lic Citizenship at either 508-678-3351 or 617-7557668.

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On December 10, 1925, Our Lady appeared to Sister Lucia (seer of Fatima) and spoke these words: "Announce in my name that I promise to assist at the hour ofdeath with the graces necessary for the salvation oftheir souls, all those who on the first Saturday of five consecutive months shall: 1. Go to confession; 2. Receive Holy Communion; 3. Recite the Rosary (5 decades); and 4. Keep me company for IS minutes while meditating on the 15 mysteries ofthe Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me."

In a spirit of reparation, the above conditions are each to be preceded by the words: "In reparation for the offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary."

Confessions may be made during 8 days before or after the first Saturday, and Holy Communion may be received at either the morning or evening Mass on the first Saturday.

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Friday, November 18, 2005

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Local girl to compete in Florida Twirl Championship

THE FRENCH Honor Society of Bishop Feehan High.

School, Attleboro, recently sponsored a Mitten Tree service project. Members of the' group collected hats, scarves, gloves and mittens and donated them to the St. Vincent's Thrift,Shop and the school's Christ's Closet.

From left: Courtney Kipp, Kyle Rossi, Andrew Knoll, Peggy McQuaid and Caitlin Kripper.

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ATTLEBORO - Jordan Foster, a sixth-grader at St. John the Evangelist School, has been selected to compete in the 2006 Twirl Mania Pre-Teen Gold Invitational Championships to be held at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida in February.

Twirl Mania brings together twirlers from different leagues to celebrate the sport of twirling. Athletes travel from Ireland, England, Scotland, Netherlands and Thailand to take part in the Twirl Mania contest.

Jordan is the current Pre-teen Miss Majorette of Massachusetts, and Pre-teen Miss Majorette of the Northeast. She also won Advanced Solo and 2-Baton events 'at the 2005 BayState Games, and went on to Nationals at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana to place top-10 in four advanced open events.

JORDAN FOSTER

SEVENTH-GRADER Ibraam Agayby of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School, New Bedford is flanked by first-grade helpers Samantha Serdahl and Miranda Gillett as he gets ready to carve out a face on his pumpkin. Below, students 'display their handiwork.

STUDENT COUNCIL members were recently elected at Holy Trinity Regional School, West Harwich. Front row, from left: Mary Nichols, Christina Catanzaro, Nikki Yannatos and Jessica Menard. Middle: Joseph Fonts, treasurer; Ailbhe McDonnell, secretary. Back: Frank.Pagliaro, . president; Denise Taylor, advisor; Linda Mattson, advisor and Christina Fonts, vice-president.

Friday, November 18, 2005

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Study finds U.S. Catholic teens less religious than Protestant teens

By JERRY FILTEAU CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON (CNS) - A wide study of U.S. teenagers has found that Catholic teens lag behind their Protestant counterparts on many measures of religious belief, experiences and activities.

Only 10 percent of Catholic teens, for example, said religion was "extremely important" in shaping their daily life, while 20 percent of mainline Protestant teens, 29 percent of conservative Protestant teens and 31 percent of black Protestant teens felt that way.

Forty percent ofCatholic teens said they had never attended any parish-based religious education, compared to 19 percent of mainline Protestants, 13 percent of conservative Protestants and 12 percent of black Protestants. ''Mainline'' refers to generally ecumenical and liberal denominations, while "conservative" refers to evangelical, Pentecostal and fundamentalist denominations.

Forty percent of Catholic teens said they attended religious services once a week or more - just slightly below black and mainline Protestant teens but 15 percent lower than teens in conservative congregations.

But when it came to attending religious services more than once a week, only 6 percent of Catholic teens said they did so; among Protestant teens the numbers were significantly higher-13 percent for mainline, 24 percent for black and 29 percent for conservative.

The study found that such differences "can be significantly explained by the lower levels of religiosity of their (Catholic teenagers') parents" when those parents are compared with Protestant parents. Notably, the parents of the Catholic teens were far less likely than their Protestant counterparts to participate in organized parish activities outside worship.

Highlights ofthe findings were published in the fall issue of The CARA Report, a quarterly publication of the Center for Applied Research in the .Apostolate at Georgetown University.

The National Study of Youth and Religion was based on a national telepho~e survey of 3,370 teenagers and their parents in all states and follow-up personal interviews with 267 of the teen respondents in 45 states. It was conducted in 2002-03 by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with funding from the Lilly Endowment. Of those surveyed, 816 were Catholic, including 238 Hispanic Catholics.

Youths in the phone survey were 13 to 17 years old. Because of a time lag of several months between the survey and the indepth personal interviews, a few participants in the follow-up phase were 18 when they were interviewed.

Earlier this year the findings were reported and analyzed in a book, "Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers," by University of North Carolina sociologist Christian Smith, principal investigator in the project.

The researchers also studied teens ofno religious affiliation and of other religious affiliations, including enough Jews and Latterday Saints to provide statistic路ally meaningful data.

On most questions of religious beliefs, attitudes or involvement, only Jewish teens - who were oversampled to obtain statistically valid findings - ranked lower than Catholic teens on a number of questions. For example, only 8 percent of the Jewish teens said religious faith was "extremely important" in shaping their daily life.

Because of the significant differences petween Catholic and Protestant teens in many areas, Smith devoted a full chapter of "Soul Searching" to analyzing the "lower levels ofreligiosity" found among Catholic teens as a whole.

The researchers tested for various demographic factors such as regional location, age, gender, parents' marital status and the higher proportion of Hispanics among Catholic teens, he said. They found that when they controlled the data for those variables, the lower level of Catholic teen church attendance, importance of faith and youth-group participation remained "nearly the same as without the controls."

The variables that did make a difference were parental, Smith said. "It appears that the relative religious laxity of most U.S. Catholic teenagers significantly reflects the relative religious laxity of their parents," he said.

"Compared to their Protestant peers, U.S. Catholic parents of teenagers are somewhat less likely than conservative and black - but not mainline - Protestant parents of teens to attend church regularly and are more likely than the same to attend infrequently or never," he wrote.

"U.S. Catholic parents ofteen. agers are also much less likely than all of their Protestant counterparts to participate in organized activities at church other than regular worship services, such

as Bible studies, potluck meals, music practices and small groups," he added. "Catholic parents of teens are less than half as likely as all U.S. parents, including nonreligious parents, to do so weekly or more often, and nearly 10 percent more likely never to do so at all."

Besides being less likely to be involved in parish community life, Catholic parents ofteens were less likely than their Protestant counterparts to say their faith is extremely or very important in their lives or to be married to someone of the same faith. Smith said.

After introducing controls for lower parental religiosity, the researchers found the gaps between the Cath~lic and Protestant teens on church attendance and the importance of faith narrowed significantly, he said, and when they introduced the effect of parental involvement or noninvolvement in the parish community outside of worship, the difference between the teens became "statistically insignificant."

Introducing controls fo{those variables, however, did not entirely explain the large gap between Catholic and Protestant teens in youth-group participation, the study found. Even when those factors were taken into account, Catholic teens participated less in religious youth groups than the Protestant teens . with similar parental backgrounds.

He suggested that this seemed .to be more ofan institutional problem, with evidence that Catholic parishes tend to devote fewer resources to youth ministry than do their Protestant counterparts.

He suggested that to regain the religious potential of its youths, the Catholic Church needs to "invest a great deal more attention, creativity and institutional resources into its young members - and therefore into its own life."

"Undeniably, the future shape of the U.S. Catholic Church vitally depends on it." he said.

The researchers also produced a separate 67-page report analyzing just the Catholic data., which was commissioned and published by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry.

Data comparing Hispanic and white Catholic teens were provided to the Instituto Fe y Vida (Institute for Faith and Life), which analyzed them for thefr implications for Hispanic ministry. The institute published its findings in a 24-page booklet, "Perspectives on Hispanic Youth and Young Adult Ministry."

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Lift your spirits

By CHARLIE MARTIN -

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

STARS Maybe I've been the problem Maybe I'm the one to blame But even when I turn it off and blame myself The outcome feels the same I've been thinking maybe I've been partly cloudy Maybe I'm the chance of rain, And maybe I'm overcast, and maybe All my luck's washed down the drain Refrain: I've been thinking about everyone, everyone you look so 10'1ely But when I look at the stars, when I look at the stars, I see someone else When I look at the stars, the stars, I feel like myself Stars looking at our planet Watching entropy and pain And maybe starting to wonder How the chaos in our lives could pass as sane I've been thinking about the meaning of resistance Of a wor1d beyond our own, And suddenly the infinite and penitent Began to look like home Everyone, everyone you feel so lonely Everyone, everyone you feel so empty When I look at the stars, when I look at the stars When I look at the stars, I feel like myself When I look at the stars, the stars, I see someone

everyone, everyone you look so lonely." He questions how the "chaos" in our lives could pass as "sane."

Another aspect of life keeps him from falling into depression.

He says, "When I look at the stars, I see someone else ... I feel like myself." Looking up at the heavens helps him change his outlook. Witnessing the beauty above him, he understands that the Creator has not abandoned him to a'lonely, uncertain destiny.

Many of us can identify with the character's feelings. Past events or mistakes may cause you to doubt if you can create a better life. Perhaps you observe repeated disappointments, especially in how you connect with others. Further, the current state of pain in God's family can leave you thinking that "chaos" reigns supreme in 21stcentury life. .

How6er, like the person in the song, surprisingly simple experiences can diminish this sense of worry.

By looking up at the stars, the

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restores hope in himself and in what this world can be. It seems to tell him that despite his discouragement, in reality something very different is occurring. He recognizes that the God who made the stars is also the God who dwells within him.

When you feel down on yourself, or depressed about others' lives, what lifts you up?

Maybe, like the guy in the song, you find relief in the wonders of nature. A few days of hiking, Sung by Switchfoot camping, rafting or some other Album: Nothing Is Sound outdoor activity often ease Copyright (c) 2005 by Sony personal hurts. Not that they suddenly disappear, but you find a Here is a new release from one of my favorite groups, new perspective that empowers Switchfoot The single "Stars" off you to make a change, alter an their new disc "Nothing Is -Sound" attitude or just find a new reservoir of hope. In my own life, this is getting lots of attention.

Like much of Switchfoot's approach always has helped me work, this song contains sufficient see that no matter what I am content for several columns-worth facing, God is in it with me. of discussion. The combination of There are many roads to challenging lyrics with the restored hope. Your own way to Switchfoot sound makes this feel better might be quite different ''near Christian" group popular路 from mine. Finding a way to feel with those who seek meaning and good about yourself or to feel insight in music. optimistic about the world is The person in the song God's will for you. At times, all of expresses his dissatisfaction about us will feel pessimistic or down. how he has been living. Using a Ask God to help you rediscover all weather metaphor he says, the good that life holds for you.

"Maybe I've been the partly So, look for "stars." Or, if not stars, then some other sign from cloudy, maybe I'm the chance of rain." He wonders if "all my luck's God of the goodness in you. washed down the drain."

Despite cloudy days, your life is a He knows he's not alone in this wonder, and God's blessing is situation: "I've been thinking about your heritage.

Friday. November 18, 2005

Israeli authority says it might have found Holy Land's oldest church

By JUDITH SUDILOVSKY CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

'Esther: The Feast ofMtisks , to be performed at Stonehill'CiJllege, EASroN~ Ellen Kushnerwill perform her 'original IJlusical drama, "Esther: The Feast of Masks," at the Chapel of Mary at Storiehill College', 320 Washington Street, on November 29 at 7 p.m.

The event is路free and open to the. public.

Kushner - host of Public Radio International's 路"Sound and .

Spirit," which is heard on more than 11 0 radio stations nationwide

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Call 50B-675-7151 or FAX 508-675-7048 or E-mail Thefinchor@Anchornews.org This Message Sponsored by the Following Business Concerns in the Diocese of Fall River GILBERT C. OLIVEIRA INSURANCE AGENCY FEITELBERG INSURANCE AGENCY

and on 89.iWGBH every Sunday morning at 11 in the Boston area - created this unique performance piece that blends music and story.

"Esther: rThe Feast of Masks" brings the Biblical story of Esther to life by juxtaposing it with the stories of four modem characters, all dealing with their own issues of identity.

All of the characters are performed by Kushner, accompanied by three of Boston's finest musidans - Michael McLaughlin (music director, piano, accordion, guitar and vocals), Joseph Kessler (fiddle and vocals), and Mary Casey (vocals and guitar).

According to Kushner, who is also an award-winning author, "For hundreds of years, the Jewish people have been celebrating the spring festival of Purim by putting on masks and costumes and acting out the story of the Book of Esther.

Nowadays, it's mostly the kids who put on Purim plays - but in the Old Country, it was the adults who put on the masks and acted out irreverent, even subversive portraits of their own life and times. Because there are things you can say from behind a mask that you can't always say by yourself."

"Esther: The Feast of Masks" tells a story traditionally enjoyed around the PUrim holiday, but it is appropriate for all seasons.'

The event is sponsored by Campus Ministry and part of the HERS TORY Series from the Women's Center at Stonehill College. AIl are welcome to attend.

For more information, contact Campus Ministry at 508-565-1487.

JERUSALEM - The Israel Antiquities Authority said it has uncovered what may be the Holy Land's oldest church.

The antiquities authority said the find - during the course of construction at a prison in Megiddo, Israel - signified an "important contribution to 'the study of the development of early Christianity into a recognized religion."

Two well-preserved mosaic tile floors with three Greek inscriptions were discovered during the exploratory excavation, which was carried out as .required by Israeli law before any construction can be conducted. .

Rather than crosses, the mosaics are decorated with the fig~ ures of two fish, early symbols of Christianity. One of the inScriptions memorializes a' woman named Akaptos, who donated a table to the church, as a "lover of God who contributed to the God Jesus Christ."

Yotam Tepper, Israel Antiquities Authority excavation site director, said the wording of the inscriptions, the letter forms and other finds date the structure to the third or fourth century. He said the wording and the mosaics are "very rare," especially from that

period.

Other biblical experts, however, questioned categorizing the find as the oldest church.

"I think this is a little myth to boost tourism," Franciscan Father Michele Piccirillo, a biblical archaeologist from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Jerusalem, told The Guardian newspaper in Britain. "The idea that it is ancient comes from the pottery and the shape of the letters on the inscriptions, but this is not definitive."

Until the fourth century, Christianity was a banned religion by the Roman rulers of the region and had to be practiced in secrecy.

Until now Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, West Bank, have been considered the two oldest churches in the Holy Land, although both have been rebuilt over the centuries and very little is left of their original structures.

Megiddo, the biblical Armageddon, was a major (;rossroads during bib,lical times, and many battles were fought there. The Book of Revelation says Armageddon is where the final battle between good and evil will be fought.

The antiquities authority said it would consult with international experts to discuss the future of the mosaics.

PRISON INMATES clean a mosaic showing the Christian symbol of fish on the floor of what is believed to be an ancient Christian church in Megiddo, Israel, recently. Excavations inside the Megiddo maximum security prison in northern Israel unearthed the remains of a structure that included a mosaic with inscriptions in Greek and murals of fish as well as an altar, the Israel Antiquities Authority said. (CNS photo from Reuters) .