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SERVING ••• SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSmS CAPE COD & THE' ISLANDS
I"t eanc 0 VOL. 24, NO. 49
20c, $6 Per Year
FALL RIVER, MASS., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4; 1980
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Encyclical as,ks for 'merciful love In society . ,
. VATICAN CITY (NC) - In an encyclical on the mercy of God, Pope John Paul II said society wiII become more human only if people introduce into their relationships "not merely justice, but also that 'merciful love' whIch constitutes the messianic message of the Gospel." The pope warned against programs seeking. social justice which are not shaped by love and mercy. Programs based only on the idea of justice "in practice suffer from distortions," he
said in the encyclical 'IDives in Misericordia" (Rich in Mercy) released Tuesday. "Although they continue to appeal to the idea of justice, nevertheless experience shows that other negative forces have gained the upper hand over justice, such as spite, hatred and even' cruelty," Pope John Paul said. "In such cases, the desire to annihilate the enemy, limit his freedom, or even force him into 'total dependence, becomes the fundamental motive for ac-
tion; and this contrasts with the essence of justice, which by .its nature tends to establish equality and harmony between the parties in conflict." The notion of "An eye for an eye and a tooth for il tooth," which Christ chalIenged; "was the form of distortion of justice at that time; and today's forms continue to be modelIed on it," the pope said. "It is obvious, in fact, that in the name of an al.' leged justice (for example, historical justice or class justice)
the neighbor is sometimes de'stroyed, killed, deprived of liberty or stripped of fundamental human rights. The experience of the past and of our own time demonstrates that justice alone is not enough, that it can even lead to the negation and destruction of itself, if that deeper power, which is love, is not allowed to shape human life in its various dimensions." Forgiveness. demonstrating mercy is necessary in human relationships, the pope said in the
83- page encyclical. "A world from which forgiveness was eliminated," the pope said, "would be nothing but a world of cold and unfeeling injustice, in the. name of which each person would claim his or her own rights vis-a-vis others; the various kinds of selfishness latent in man would transform life and human society dnto a system of oppression of the weak by the strong, or into an arena of permanent strife beTurn to Page Three
are announce·d for bishop's. anniversary Preparations are underway for and "Simon, Son of John" by observance of the lOth anniver- Father Francis Strahan, whose sary of Bishop Daniel A. Cro- choir group from .st. 'John's Semnin's instalIation as Ordinary of inary, B.righton, wiII be heard at the Fall 'River diocese. The actu- the Cathedral next Wednesday. al installation anniversary will Music for the Mass itself will ! be Tuesday, Dec. 16, but the ob. include settings by· Richard servance will come on Sunday, Dec. 14, when a 5 p.m. Mass of Proulx, whose music for Psalm Thanksgiving will be celebrllted 102, "My Soul, Give Thanks to the Lord," will also be heard. at St. Mary's Cathedral. Oth'er settings will be by Jan Preceding that day a special Vermulst and :Ralph Vaughn 76-page issue of The Anchor will Williams. be published next Thursday, inThe canter for the service will cluding a retrospective view of be Miss Joanne Grota. and the the decade during which Bishop Cathedral Choir will render Cronin has led the diocese and choral selections. many photographs. It is noted Bishop Cronin will be pnnClthat the special issue wilI not. carry any regular .features but pal celebrant for the liturgy, that alI wiII return "in the issue with priests ordained by him as of Dec. 18. designated concelebrants and other priests of' the diocese as Music for ·the iDec. 14 Mass concelebrants. will be in charge of Glenn GiutThe lectors will be Mr. Gerard tari, director of music .for St. A. Hebert, a student at St. Mary's Cathedral. It will feature John's Seminary, and Mr. Roland selections for strings, brass, or- P. ,LePage, a candidate for the gan and choir. permanent diaconate of ,the dioA choral prelude will include "tese.. "Alleluia" by Randall'Thompson The deacons of the Mass will and processional music will offer be Rev. Mr. Benjamin. A. No"Alleluia, Sing to Jesus," Gou- gueira and Rev. Mr. Frank W. nod's "Lovely Appear," Emil Mis and the offertory gifts wiII Reyl's "Ecce Sacerdos Magnus" be presented by members of the
diocesan pastoral council repre- . senting the religious and laity of the diocese. Minor ministers for the ceremony will be seminarians of the diocese and Msgr. John J. Oliveira, episcopal secretary, will be the master of ceremOnies. Busy Decade The bishop will be looking back over a decade that has included upheavals on both the domestic and international fronts, economic problems .and wars and rumors of' war. It is a decade ,that has seen the reigns of three popes and much coming and going of other figures on, the world stage. There have also been the problems which the church has never been without, possibly greater in magnitude at this time in history than in many previous periods.
POPE CONSOLES pastor of collapsed church where 40 died. (NC Photo)
Quake aid given
oA special colIection in aid of "Catholic Relief Services repItalian earthquake victims will . resentatives are presently on the be taken up in alI diocesan par- scene, collaborating with other Nevertheless, the bark of Peter ishes this weekend. In a letter relief organizations to provide has remained afloat with the' to pastors authorizing the appeal shelter, medicine, food and pope as chief helmsman but with . clothing. An emergency allocaBishop Daniel A. 'Cronin said: the bishops of the world as his ."Through the media, we have tion of ORS funds has been indispensable fellow workers. sensed the enormity of the suf- made to open a Southern Italy Bishop Cronin is one of those' fering provoked by the recent Earthquake 'Fund. Howe v e r, bishops and it is for his leader~ earthquake in southern Italy. much more will be needed. "This drastic emergency has ship ,during a difficult time that The proportions of ·the tragedy Turn to Page Seven are' frightful. he is being saluted this month.