VOL. 34, NO. 48
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Friday, December 7, 1990
F ALL RIVER, MASS.
Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly
Grey Nuns' foundress canonization Sunday d'Youville, which she passed on to her son.
With Catholic News Service reports '
In a Dec. 9 ceremony at St. Mother d'Youville The congregation's foundress Peter's Basilica, Pope John Paul II will canonize Canadian-born Marie was born Marie Marguerite DuMarguerite d'Youville, foundress frost de Lajammerais Oct. 15, 170 I, ofthe Sisters of Charity of Quebec, in Varennes, a smal1 village near known as the Grey Nuns. Montreal. At age II she was sent for two In the Fal1 River diocese, the Grey Nuns, a branch of the origi- years of schooling at the Ursuline nal foundation in Montreal, have Sisters' Convent in Quebec City, staffed Sacred Heart Nursing Home after which she returned home to in New Bedford since 1917. They help care for her five younger have been in the Fal1 River diocese siblings. In '1722 she married Francois since June 9, 1890, when they arrived to open St. Joseph's Or- d'Youvil1e. The marriage became phanage, which later became a trial for the young wife as she Mount St. Joseph School, closing was treated coldly by her motherin 1986. in-law, with whom she lived, and Among those who will be pres- was given little attention by her ent at Sunday's canonization are husband, who was rarely at home. Father Marc H. Bergeron, pastor Madame d'Youville soon learned of St. Joseph's Church, New Bed- that her husband was engaged in ford, and Father Clement E. Du- illegal liquor trade with the Indifour, pastor of Sacred Heart ans, squandering what he earned Church, also in New Bedford. _ and eventuaHy his inheritance Sacred Heart Nursing Home is in - through gambling. When he Father Dufour's parish. died in 1730, he left Madame Both priests have ties to the d'Youville a penniless widow with Grey Nuns. As a youngster, Father two smal1 sons. Four other chilBergeron served Mass at the nurs- dren died in infancy. ing home and he stil1 visits a sister To pay her husband's debts and he knew as a boy. Now over 100 support her family, Madame years old, she is living in retire- d'Youvil1e opened a dressmakeing ment in the community's mother- shop. As time went on, debts were' house in Beauport, Quebec.. paid, sons Francois and Charles a . entered the seminary and Madame At St. Joseph's Orphanage child, Father Dufour's mother de~··: .d'Youville devoted her time to parveloped great devotion to Mother Turn to Page II
as
Painting by F, l\arrette. SOM
MOTHER d'YOUVILLE
THE BEAUTIFUL new parish center of Corpus Christi Church, Sandwich, was bathed in sunshine for last Sunday's dedication ceremonies. (Studio D photo)
Corpus Christi center dedicated By Pat McGowan with historical material from 1960 Anchor articles by Russell Collinge
Under smiling skies, members of Corpus Christi Church, Sandwich, gathered last Sunday for the dedication of their new parish center, which took place in the context of a Mass at which Bishop Daniel A. Cronin was principal celebrant with Very Rev. George W. Coleman, pastor, .Rev. Felician M. Plichta, OFM Conv., parochial vicar, and many priests of the diocese as concelebrants. Rev. James A. center. Still to come are a church Road and Service Road in East Calnan, also a parochial vicar and rectory which will adjoin the Sandwich, about three miles from at Corpus Christi, was master center at Quaker Meetinghouse Turn to Page Seven of ceremonies, and Permanent 'Deacon Richard J. Murphy Sr. assisted. At the presentation of the gifts, crosses, later to be blessed and placed in each room of the building, were among the offerings. At the conclusion of the liturgy, theWASHINGTON (CNS)-Cathcrosses were blessed, then the bisholics in this diocese and throughop 'moved through the building, out the country wil1 be asked to blessing each room. contribute to the needs of retired At the conclusion of the cere- and aging religious at parish colmonies, Women's Guild members lections this weekend. , were hostesses for refreshments Nearly $20 mil1ion has been disserved from the center's brand- tributed to religious orders this new kitchen. year to meet the needs of their Sunday's festivities marked the retired and aging members, accordsuccessful conclusion of a building ing to the Tri-Conference Retireprogram that began April I of this ment Office, which runs the annual year, when the bishop blessed the national col1ection. site of the center-to-be. Now comAn additional $2 million in supplete, the structure covers 21,000 plemental grants will be made by squar<; feet and houses the parish Dec. 30 to meet the emergency hal1 where Sunday's Mass was needs of up to 28 orders. offered, and which wil1 henceforth Last year's co!lection totaled be used for.Sunday and holy day $22.86 million, down slightly from Masses. 1988, when the col1ection broke The hall can accommodate over records for first-year col1ecfions 500 people, in contrast to the 320 by raising $25 million. seats available at the present CorFall River, however, was among pus Christi Church, which was 28 dioceses whose 1989 donations constructed in 1901. Today, pointed increased over 1988 levels. out Father Coleman, there are Among retired religious benesome 900 young people enrol1ed in fited by the fund in the Fall River religious education classes alone, diocese are Sisters Irene Putney, while the parish numbers nearly OP, and Frances Sebastian Dwyer, 2,000 families in Sandwich and the SUSC. nearby communities of Sagamore An insert in last week's Anchor and Forestdale. . described Sister Putney of the Such figures, said the pastor, Dominican Sisters of St. Cathepointed up the necessity ofthe new rine of Siena as having been pro-
Collection will ben,efi~ retire<l religious fessed in religious life over 60 years ago and still serving at the Park Street, Fall River, motherhouse of her community through sewing for sisters in the infirmary and performing the duties of a sacristan. Sister Dwyer, 64 years a religious and retired from a long teaching career, cqntinues ministry through daily prayer for her former students and their families. The 1988 col1ection was the first of a planned- 10-year series of appeals by the tri-conference office, composed of representatives of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and the Conference of Major Superiors of Men. The tri-conference office uses financial data and retirement needs surveys completed by religious orders to calculate eligibility and the size of grants, used solely for the needs of retired members. Orders have also begun their own fund qrives to further meet the needs of their aging members. It is estimated that $5.6 .billion would now have to be on hand to meet the retirement needs of all religious sisters, brothers and priests in the United/States.