The ANCHOR An Anchor of the Soul, Sure and Firm-St. Paul
Fall River, Mas.s., Thursday, Dec. 31, 1970
Vol. 14, No. 53
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© 197(1 The Anchor
Reports Indicate Success In Development Campaign The Chicago archdiocese led WASHINGTON (NC) - First reports from a quarter of the the 38 gave its returns as nation's dioceses indicate finan- $440,540 with contributions in cial success for the anti-poverty from all but 18 of its 450 collection begun by the bishops parishes. Hartford, Conn., reLouis this Fall as part of their new ported $243,925, St. Campaign for Human Develop- $117,866, and Los Angeles and ',Washington, D. C., each more ment. The campaign, which has an than $156,000. The figures already available open-ended goal of $50 million, was started with the twin aims include the nation's largest dioof educating Catholics about the cese, Chicago, as well as some of problems of poverty in the the smallest. Auxiliary Bishop Michael United States and of providing money to solve some of pover- Dempsey of Chicagq, directOl' of the campaign told newsmen in ty'!'! causes. .' The first of planned annual November that the bishops exnationwide collections was taken pected the November collection upon Sunday, Nov. 22, just be- to yield approximately $7 million. If the giving patterns already fore the Thanksgiving holiday. Contributions fr01ll 38 report- indicated should continue to ing dioceses totalled $2,096,074 hold, the campaign could bring with many other of the total 156 in perhaps half a million dollars dioceses relating that money was more than the bishops expected. While most dioceses reported still coming in from their pastors Turn to Page Three and parishes.
Lauds Msgr. John Silvia As Parish-Minded Prelate Rev. Msgr. John A. Silvia, late ,pastor emeritus of St. John the Baptist Church, New Bedford, who died on Wednesday, Dec. 23, was eulogized by Rev. Manuel P. Ferreira as a man of principle, a sower of priestly dedication and an architect of vocations. Speaking at. a concelebrated Mass of Requiem, offered on Monday in St. John the Baptist Church with Most Rev. ,Daniel A. Cronin as principal concelebrant, Father Ferreira, administrator cif the New Bedford parish, wove the threads of Monsignor Silvia's priestly life and his own personal experiences into the tapestry of a man of God and a real churchman. The text of the eulogy follows: "All I want is to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and to share his sufferings by' reproducing the pattern of his death. That is the way I can hope to take my place in the resurrection of the dead." (Phillipians, 3:10) Your Excellency, Bishop Cronin, Your Excellencies, Bishops
Connolly and Gerrard, My Brother Priests: Beloved Sisters, Family of Monsignor Silvia, friends and parishioners of St John's. About a year ago, the famify, Brother Priests, friends and parishioners of St. 'John's joined toTurn to Page Two
World Tending TowardU.nity Favors Brotherhood, Peace In accord with the wishes of Pope Paul, Most Rev. Daniel A. Cronin, S.T.D., has directed that Catholics of the Diocese of Fall River join in the world-wide observance of January 1st as a Day of Peace and that' prayers for peace be offered at every Mass. In his message for the celebration of this Day of Peace, Pope Paul writes of the world's hopes after World War II: "The world breathed again . . . . Everyone seemed ready to accept radical ch'anges, in order to avoid new conflicts . . . . There was talk of justice, of human rights, of betterment of the weak, of orderly coexistence, of organized collaboration, of world union ... The way to peace, as a normal and fundamental condition of life in the world, seemed to have been finally planned." But today still sees wars, continued and even increased social and racial and religious discrimination, and a· return to the old mentality. The Pope sees this old mentalityas the' supremacy of economic interests, exploitation of the weak, class hatred, national prestige and political power, crime and violence as a burning ideal. In contrast to this present situation, the Pope sees "fortunately another set of ideas and facts . . . before our gaze; and it is that of progressive peace." Despite problems and breaks in its continuity, despite inconsistencies and difficulties, peace marches on because everyone realizes that peace is riecessary. As the' Pope significantly points out, peace "has in its favor the moral progress of humanity, which is indisputably directed toward unity. Unity and peace, where freedom unites them, are sisters. Peace benefits from the growing favor of public opinion, which is convinced of the absurdity of war pursued for its own sake and believed to be the only and unavoidable means of settling controversies among men. Peace avails itself of theeven closer network of human relations in the fields of culture, economics, commerce, sport and tourism. We must live together, Turn to Page Six
Illustrating (1 quotation from T. S. Eliot, is this new pointing by 'Vlrgmia Brqderick depicting the peace that is Christ in the midst of turbulence and Yi01enCe of the world.
Abortion and Euthanasia Threats Vexing Britons LONDON (NC)-The growing threat of legalized abortion, and the dwindling number of births in the country are worrying British Catholics. This is the assessment made by Norman St. John-Stevas, a Catholic member of the House of Commons and an outspoken foe of legalized abortion. The euthanasia threat was also the subject of discussion at the annual meeting of the Hu~ 'man Rights Society, a largely Catholic group. Dr. Margaret White stated that a supporter of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society, a lobbying group, had saist that, if parliament passed a voluntary euthanasia law, the next goal would be involuntary euthanasia. "If they had their way, we would have '1984' by the year 1974," she said. St. John-Stevas has called for a government inquiry into the working of the Abortion Act. More than 250 members of parliament have signed a motion asking for the inquiry. The increasing number of abortions, nearing 100,000 per year, is placing a strain on the
Bishop Cronin To Offer Mass At Notre' Dame
Msgr. John A. Silvia ,
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Bishop Cronin will visit Notre Dame Parish, Fall River on Sunday morning, Jan. 3 and offer the 10:30 Mass. Following- the Mass a reception will be held in the _auditorium of Jesus Mary Academy and parishioners may avail themselves of the opportunity to meet the new Shepherd. This is the second parish to be visited in the Bishop's parish visitation plan.
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national health service and leading to a revolt within the nursing profession, he said. In many places, nurses are exercising the option allowed them by the act and refusing to participate in abortions, he added. Limiting the time during which an abortion can be performed to the first 20 weeks of pregnancy instead of to the 28 weeks now allowed would "eradicate some of the worst cases of abuse," St. John-Stevas said. He said he regarded as a "sinister" development the organization of a new pressure group seeking the establishment of a birth control service offering contraception, abortion and sterilization as a means of family plan'1ing. At the Human Rights Society meeting, Dr. White criticized local governments for their lack of interest in old people. Often, she' said, elderly persoris suffering from loneliness neglect to take care of themselves, become malnourished and are admitted to geriatric wards. Another member of parliament, Mrs. Jill Knight, said Britain Turn to Page Three
DAY OF PEACEr;t-:JANUARy 1st"