t eanc Qf VOL. 36, NO. 48
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Friday, December 4,1992
I FALL RIVER, MASS. I
FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly
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New catechism mix of traditional, up-to-minute V ATICAN CITY (CNS) - The entance, by ways known to him newly published universal cate- alone. The church prays for people chism mixes traditional Catholic who have made an attempt on views of sex with updated applica- their own life," it adds. In the field of bioethics, the tions of principles on violence. War and capital punishment are catechism opposes non-therapeutic reluctantly accepted as last resorts, genetic engineering "intended for genocide is considered a mortal the production of selected human sin, and "blind obedience" cannot beings according to sex or other be used to justify participation in pre-established criteria." It opposes producing human war cnmes. , The new catechism is an exhaus- embryos for experimentation, but tive colIection of existing church says that prenatal diagnosis and teachings. It was written by a surgery on embryos is valid if they papally appointed commission to "respect the life and integrity of help bishops develop local cate- the embryo." The indissolubility of marriage chisms. , "Every citizen and government ' and opposition to artificial birth must work to avoid wars," says the control are reiterated. Although separation and civil catechism. If peaceful methods fail, a nation can use military means in divorce may be tolerated to solve self-defense, but strict "just war" practical problems, the couple remains married in the eyes of the criteria must be followed. The catechism lists the criteria church. "The separation of spouses mainas: - "The damage inflicted by the taining the matrimonial bond may aggressor to the nation or com- be legitimate in certain cases," it munity of nations is lasting, grave says. "If civil divorce is the only posand ascertainable." - All other means to stop the sible means to ensure certain legitaggression "have proven to be imate rights, such as the care of children' or the safeguarding of impractical or inefficient." - The defensive military action property, it may be tolerated withhas a significant chance of suc- out constituting a moral fault," it says. ceeding. However, remarried Catholics - "The arms used do not cause whose first spouses are still alive evils and disorders worse than the evil to be eliminated. The power of have only limited participation in modern means of destruction church life. "They are not cut off from the weighs very heavily in assessing church, but they may not have this condition." "Blind obedience is not enough access to Communion. The main to excuse" people who commit way they may lead a Christian life is to, bring up their children in the war crimes, the catechism says. faith," it adds. Genocide and other actions and The catechism says it is legitiorders "against the rights of peomate for parents to want to space ple and their universal principles" is the catechism's definition of war their children, but they must do this by periodically abstaining from crimes. Genocide "must be condemned sex or through natural means based as a mortal sin," it says. "One is on the woman's fertility cycle. The catechism condemns artifimoralIy bound to resist orders to insemination, donation of cial commit genocide." , Nations have the right to require sperm or egg and loaning of the uterus. military service of their citizens Artificial insemination techbut must also respect conscienniques "practiced by the couple tious objectors willing to perform themselves ... are perhaps less alternative service, it says. worthy of condemnation, but they Regarding capital punishment, remain morally unacceptable," it the catechism says that govern- says. ments have the right to inflict Married couples can enjoy sex penalties in keeping with crimes, because God wanted 'it to be "a and this can include the death source of joy and pleasure," it penalty "in cases of extreme adds. gravity." Homosexual acts are wrong but Regarding suicide, external and homosexuals "must be welcomed mental factors can' lessen a per- with respect, compassion and senson's moral guilt, it says. sitivity," it says. "Serious psychic troubles, anx"All types of unjust discriminaiety or a deep-seated fear of an tion against them should be avoidordeal, suffering or torture may ed," it says. make someone intending suicide The catechism notes that homoless responsible for his action," it sexual tendencies are a major trial says. for many people. "Eternal salvation for people "Homosexual people are called who have killed themselves should to chastity" and should seek not be despaired of. God can grant strength through the grace of the them the chance for salvific rep- sacraments, it adds.
ENJOYING ~ TRADITIONAL American Thanksgiving with Father Robert S. Kaszynski, pastor of 1St. Stanislaus Church, Fall River, are members of his family and five seminarians from Poland who are considering service in the Fall River diocese. From left, clockwise, the pastbr's brother-in-law George Pereira, seminarians Marek Chmurski, Wieslaw Winiarski, Tadeusk Swierz. nephew Rob Pereira, Father Kaszynski, niece Kris Pereira, seminarians Mieczyslat Stack, Marek Tuptynski, niece Patty Pereira, sister Janet Pereira. '
St. Anne'sHospital to open A.IDS residence By Marcie Hickey Sister Joanna Ferhandes, OP, chairperson of St. Artne's Hospital, Fall River, ann?unced at a World AIDS Day lobservance Tuesday that the hospital will establish an AIDS residence program in a house nearlthe hospital campus. Initiated in partnership with Hospice Outreach, the residence wilI be the first bf its kind in southeastern Massactiusetts. Sister Fernandes n!tade the an. I nouncement d unng ~ press conference at Stanley Street Treatment and Resources,1 Inc. in Fall River. site of Project Aware, an AIDS counseling and testing program which sponsordd the AIDS Day observance. I The house, owned by St. Anne's I
hospital and located in a residen- an example by providing a shelter tial neighborhood, wilI accommo- where spiritual, emotional, psychodate up to eight persons in the logical and physical needs of AIDS intermediate and end stages of victims can be met, Sister FerAIDS. nandes said. "Providing for this type of unmet "In the Roman Catholic tradition, we at St. Anne's believe it is need in our community is at the our mission - indeed, our respon- very core of what it means to be a sibility - to reach out in a caring' Catholic hospital," she said. The residence will be open to way to those in our community who have contracted this terrible HIV-infected persons of the Greatdisease," said Sister Fernandes. "It er Fall River area who are not in is hard enough to be homeless, need of acute hospital care but hungry, cold. But to be afflicted who have nowhere else to live, she with the AIDS virus as weil is explained. Three beds will be reserved for hospice care, with the incomprehensible to most of us." She added that "As a society we rest for intermediate and transido not embrace persons who have tional patients. The residence is intended to be a AIDS. We do not provide the care volunteer effort, though staff memand services they need." St. Anne's Hospital hopes to set Turn to Page 10
R~flections on a meeting By Bishop Sean 9'Malle y" OFM CaPl' Last week I met witih a group of about 40 Porter victir.s at a prearranged place in Attleboro. In the past I have had num'erous rneetings with individualsl and groups of victims. Ordinarily I have not commented on the corhent ofthese meetings, but since i the victims themselves have chosen to do so, I feel compelled to sh~re with the Catholic community Isome of my conversations with them. I am impressed with the sincerity of the group in th:eir desire to address the problems of child abuse. I regret that ~ome people
suspect their motives. Their sincerity and zeal are obvious. I told them that I share their desire to safeguard children from the evils of sexual abuse which can permanently destroy a person's chances for a healthy and happy life. Many of the Porter victims have led a tragic existence and are still struggling to rebuild shattered lives in the face of great odds. When a priest abuses a child, the horror is compounded on account of the trust and reverence which Catholic people feel toward their clergy. Some of the victims spoke of their hatred of the church and the clergy. Their experience has
been so negative that they have written the Church off entirely. I am greatly saddened by this. There are so many good, faithful, generous people in Gur Church who truly sympathize with them and would like them to be part of our community of faith despite the brokenness that exists in the Church. I think of the priests and sisters who taught me in school and worked in our parish. They never gave us bad example; they taught us how to love God and people. Theirs were lives of selfsacrifice and service. Turn to Page Two