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VOL. 49, NO. 46 • Friday, December 2,2005
FALL RIVER, MASS.
Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly • $14 Pc.' Ycu
Marriage amendment signatures seen sufficient to get it on 2008 ballot By DEACON JAMES N. DUNBAR
ARCHBISHOP SEAN P, O'Malley and Bishop George W. Coleman visit with Karen Ferreira and her two-month-old son David, during a recent tour of Saint Anne's Hospital. The archbishop is visiting all the Caritas Christi hospitals and along with Bishop Coleman, blessed patients and met with families, With them are hospital president Michael W. Metzler and Dominican Sister Vimala Vadakumpadan. (Anchor/Gordon photo)
Retreatants find Sacred Hearts Center a haven for renewal By DEACON JAMES N. DUNBAR
WAREHAM - The language of the brochures is beckoning. "Situated on 128 acres of meadows and pine forests, the atmosphere of tranquility and fellowship lends itself to reflection and peace by quiet nature walks through the woods, and by filling up with strength from quiet time spent by the shore of Cape Cod." Another says: "A casual walk to the waterfront ... will reveal a variety of trees, and wildlife. Finches, bluebirds, cardinals, deer, squirrels, doves, starlings, and an occasional red fox abound
" A resort? No.
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FALL RIVER - An estimated 120,000 signatures, more than twice what is needed to put a proposed Massachusetts constitutional amendment on the 2008 state ballot, were submitted to city and town clerks by the 5 p.m., deadline on Thanksgiving Day Eve, backers ofthe petition reported. "It's wonderful, thanks be to God, that so many people found it in their hearts to answer the call to defme marriage as the union of one man and one woman," Bea Martins, diocesan coordinator for Catholic Citizenship, said. The Diocese ofFall River accounted for nearly 16,000 signatures. She spoke to The Anchor from Bourne, where signatures obtained
through parish registration drives were being delivered to the town halL A citizen ballot committee called VoteOnMarriage.org had been gathering the signatures through Catholic Citizenship, the Massachusetts Catholic Conference. and the Massachusetts Fanlily Institute sincc September, ending November 25. "The only thing bothering us is that experience shows an average of 10 to 20 percent of the voters do not give a valid signature," Martins noted. "But we're of the opinion we'll still arrive at the approximately 66,000 valid signatures needed." The proposed amendment to the state constitution reads: 'This proposed constitutional amendment would require the state and local and 'Iilrn to page nine - Signatures
It is the Sacred Hearts Retreat Center on Great Neck Road in Wareham, overlooking Buzzards Bay on the gateway to Cape Cod, sponsored by the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. It is a popular spiritual haven known to thousands in the Southeastern Massachusetts region and beyond who have come there to reflect upon their lives through prayer, solitude, spiritual direction and meditation. "We are host to those who are looking for a private day of prayer or those interested in a directed, guided, or private retreat," said Deacon Frank R. Tremblay, administer of the Retreat Center. Turn to page eight - Haven
Annual Appeal for Retired Religious is December 10-11 , . I ..
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WITH A peaceful backdrop of a creche and a light dusting of snow, the Tabernacle in the chapel at the Sacred Hearts Retreat Center in Wareham offers a perfect setting for focusing on the Eucharist (AnchoriJolivet photo)
NORTH DARTMOUTH The 18th annual appeal for the Retirement Fund for Religious will be conducted in Catholic parishes across the United States on December 10 and 11. Coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, D.C., the appeal benefits the projected $8.1 billion retirement liability of the nation's religious orders. Countless religious have served scores of parishes throughout the 101 years the Diocese ofFall River has been in existence. "It should be known that retired religious pray daily for tlle Church, particularly for those whom they served in the past," said Mercy Sister Elaine Heffernan, diocesan episcopal representative.
Sister Heffernan said that the Fall River diocese has had great responses to the appeal in tlle past, and she hopes the trend continues. "This diocese contributed $140,341.24 last year," she said. "This brings our total diocesan contribution for all the years of collection to $2,480,264. "The Diocese of Fall River has given without stint to assist religious congregations of men and women to care for their elderly and retired members: This aid has enabled the religious to continue their service to the people of the diocese in spite of reduced numbers available for their works." More than 38,000 Catholic religious in the United States are now Turn to page JJ - Religious