- - '~---- -_.-

VOL. 48, NO.2· Friday, January 16, 2004 FALL RIVER, MASS. Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly • $14 Per Year

Religious, lay people, legislators willrally to defend traditional marriage

DIOCESAN GRADE schools in Fall River recently celebrated the "First-Ever" Futbol Salajamboree and did so with a formal check presentation representing the donation made byCitizens-Union Savings Bank to help fund the start-up costs for the program. From left, JeffPettine of Citizens-Union Savings Bank presenting the check to James McNamee, principalof Bishop Connolly High School; William Sampaio (program volunteer-director), Jean Willis,principal of St. Stanislaus School, Principal Anne Conlon of Notre Dame School and HolyUnion Sister Marie Baldi, principal of St. Michael School. Nearly 100 students participated inthe jamboree held at Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River. Sponsored by Citizens­Union Savings Bank and the south 'Coast angels Football Club, Futbol Sala, or "no-walls"soccer is a combination of soccer and basketball. Students in Fall River diocesan gradeschools who elected to sign up will begin league play on January 24.

said Marian Desrosiers, assistantdirector of the of the Pro-LifeApostolate led by Father StephenA. Fernandes.

The youths are from all fourCatholic high schools in the dio­cese. Bishop Feehan in Attleborois sending 25; Coyle and Cassidyin Taunton, 18; Bishop Connollyin Fall River, 78; and BishopStang in North Dartmouth, 171.

Nine more students hail fromHoly Family Parish in Taunton,and another four from NeustraSenora de Guadalupe Parish inNew Bedford.

They, and 70 adults from nu­merous parishes across the dio­cese will board seven buses atHoly Name of the Sacred Heartof Jesus Churchyard on January21 at 7:45 a.m., that will take themto Washington. They will be liv­ing heralds of the sponsors'choice of"Build Unity on the LifePrinciples," the theme for theJanuary 22 rally on the Ellipseand march to the U.S. Capitol and

Turn to page J3 - Lift

• Young adults 'areamong those headingfrom the diocese towitness to the Respectfor Life cause.

'Life principles' thethrust, is theme of

2004 March for Life

By DEACON JAMES N. DUNBARAND CNS NEWS REPORTS

FALL RIVER - An esti­mated 375 people, including arecord number of young peoplefrom the Fall River diocese, willaccompany Bishop George W.Coleman and 10 members of theclergy to the nation's capital Janu­ary 21-23 for the annual Marchfor Life to show solidarity for thePro-Life Apostolate's right-to-lifemovement.

Some 305 young people, thelargest contingency of youth thediocese has ever sent to the an­nual peaceful demonstration nowobserving its 31 st anniversary ofthe Supreme Court's Roe v. Wadedecision that legalized abortionvirtually on demand, representschools throughout the diocese,

PARTICIPANTS IN the 2003 March for Life head towardthe U.S. Capitol on their way to the Supreme Court building inWashington. Hundreds of thousands of people are expectedfor the upcoming 31 st annual march, which marks the 1973Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade that legalized abor­tion on demand. (CNS photo by Don Blake, The Dialog)

of marriage in the Commonwealth of Massachu­setts.

A number of religious, lay leaders, clergy, andpeople from many faiths are expected to gather atBishop Connolly High School on Sunday, January25, at 2 p.m., to set in motion an overturn of theNovember 18 ruling by the Massachusetts SupremeCourt to allow same-sex marriages in the state.

Massachusetts Legislators have been ordered byTurn to page J3 - Marriage

Call Senate President Travaglini: Don't delay marriage voteBy MASS. CATHOLIC CONFERENCE fice needs to be swamped. The message is simple:

The Boston Globe and Herald newspapers re- Vote on February II! Don't wait for the court toported January 13 that Senate President Robert E. rule on the separate issue of creating civil unions.Travaglini may postpone the February I I vote on In March will be the presidential primary, in thethe marriage issue. Travaglini's spokesperson Ann summer will be the Democrat National Conven­Dufresne said that Travaglini will wait until a de- tion, and in the fall will be statewide elections.cision comes down from the Supreme Judicial Any delay beyond February I I increases theCourt on the civil unions issue. If the SJC fails to chances that the marriage vote will get lost in allissue a ruling before February 11, Travaglini will these shuffles. So calls are critical..call off the joint session and not vote on the Mar- And don't forget to contactyour own legisla­riage Affirmation and Protection Amendment. ,tor~ to urge their supportfQrMA &J!,A. C~1l61?-'

(MA & PA) until a ruling comes down. The SJC 722-2000 to be transferred to 'your' state senatorcould simply hold off indefinitely until after the and state representative. Stay on top of the fast­deadline passes for voting on MA & PA this year moving marriage developments by visitingand the amendment dies. www.macathconf.org'or calling;617-367-6060.

Please call Travaglini's office at 617-722-1500 A complete list of'state senators and representa-or E-mail RTravagl@senate.state.ma.us. His of- tives in the Diocese ofFall River is listed on page 10.

By AIME A. LACHANCE JR.SPECIAL TO THE ANCHOR

FALL RIVER - A group calling itself the "OneMan-One Woman Coalition for Marriage" hopesto muster a: veritable army of supporters in an at­tempt to protect and retain the unique relationship

• The meeting will take place January25 at 2 p.m., in Bishop Connolly HighSchool, Fall River.

'the'a~ Friday, January 16, 2004

, . .' _I ®bUuary .' 1. . .

Sister Mary Oliveira SUSC

Pastoral councils should offeradvice, not orders, pope says

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pastor cannot delegate his role tothe lay faithful. He must lead, buthe must also listen to advice."

"People have a right and obli­gation to speak and pastors havean obligation and right to listen,"the cardinal said. .

"The plenary session was inmany ways an affirmation of thesystem in most dioceses of theUnited States," he said.

Turning to the discussion onpastoral ministry at shrines, sanc­tuaries and other places of pil­grimage, Pope John Paul said,"These sacred places attract nu­merous faithful searching for Godand, therefore, open to a more in-

.cisive proclamation of the GoodNews and to the call to conver­sion."

The pope said it is importantthat the priests assigned to workin the shrines have a well-devel­oped pa~toral sensitivity, a "pa­ternal sense of welcome," and arcgifted preachers and catechists.

Shrines often are places whereCatholic faithful seek the sacra­ment of reconciliation, he said.

"The confessor, especially ina shrine, is called to reflect in hisevery gesture and word the mer­ciful love of Christ," he said.

Cardinal Maida said the con­gregation members wanted to ac­knowledge the importance ofpriestly ministry in shrines.

The cardinal said the plenarymeetings of Vatican congrega­tions "are very important in thelife of the Church."

The meetings bring togethercardinals, bishops and expertsfrom ai'ound the world and providetime for "a real dialogue," he said.

"I always leave these meetingsenergized," he said. "You see thatthe Church really is the livingbody of Christ."

Jan. 251987, Rev. Jack Hickey, a.p., Dismas House, Nashville, Tenn.

Jan. 201952, Rev. Roland 1. Masse, Assistant, Notre Dame de

Lourdes, Fall River

Please pray for the followingpriests during the coming weeks

In Your Prayers

Jan. 24195 I, Rev. Edward H. Finnegan, S.J., Boston College Faculty1977, Rev. Thomas F. McMorrow, Assistant, Our Lady of

Victory, Centerville .1999, Rev. Cornelius J. O'Neill, Pastor, Sacred Heart, Taunton

Jan. 211983, Rev. Msgr. Henri A. Hamel, Retired, SI. Joseph, Fall

River - .

_ Jan. 191999, Rev. Thomas E. O'Dea, Associate Pastor, SI. Lawrence,

New Bedford .

at Catholic shrines and sanctuar­.ies.

Cardinal Dario Castril,lonHoyos, prefect of the congrega­tion, told the pope the membershad examined various aspects ofthe functioning of the councils,"some of them very worrying,and proposed indications topresent to Your Holiness."

The cardinal said the.congregation's proposals for thecorrect functioning of the coun­cils underline the "diverse andspecific participation of each ofthe faithful in the edification ofthe Church."

The proposals, he said, wouldhelp local church structures "rec­ognize, defend and distinguish withgreater clarity the particular gift ofeach member of the Church andheal or remove the possible confu­sion of roles, functions or theologi~cal and canonical conditions."

Cardinal Adam J. Maida ofDetroit, a congregation member,said the discussion was based onthe vision of the Church as a com­munion of people in Christ.

"We all have a responsibilityto contribute to the life of theChurch," he said, but the rolespeople play are distinct based onwhether they are lay or ordained.

Cardinal Maida said the ple­nary was an opportunity to sharewith cardinals from other coun­tries and from the Vatican theoverwhelmingly positive experi­ence of parish councils and dioc­esan pastoral councils in theUnited States.

. Problems arise, however,when people think in politicalterms and feel that a consultativerole is meaningless unless theyhave decision-making powers, thecardinal said. .

But in the Church, he said, "a

Jan 19 1 Sm 15:16-23;Ps 50:8-9,16­17,21,23; Mk2:18-22

Jan 20 1Sm16:1-13;Ps 89:20-22,27­28; Mk 2:23-28

Jan 21 1 Sm 17:32­33,37,40-51; Ps144:1-2,9-10;Mk 3:1-6

Jan 22 1 Sm 18:6­9;J9:1-7; Ps56:2-3,9-14; Mk3:7-12.

Jan 23 1 Sm 24:3-21;Ps 57:2-4,6,11 ;Mk3:13-19

Jan 24 2 Sm 1:1-4,11­12,19,23-27; Ps80:2-3,5-7; Mk3:20-21

Jan 25 Neh 8:2-4a,5­6,8-10; Ps 19:8­10,15; 1 Cor

. 12:12-30 or12:12-14,27; Lk1:1-4;4:14-21

Daily Readings

By CINDY WOODEN

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

VATICAN CITY ...:.- Parish'councils and diocesan pastoralcouncils are to offer advice, notorders, to the pastor and bishop,Pope John Paul II said.

. "A balanced relationship be­tween the role of the laity and thatwhich properly belongs to the di­ocesan ordinary or pastor must besafeguarded," the pope told mem­bers of the Congregation forClergy.

. Meeting the congregationmembers January 10, the popesaid that lay people must "take an .active part in the mission of theChurch," offering their input andexpertise, but without confusingtheir role with the role of thebishop or pastor.

"In exercising·theiroffice, le­gitimate pastors never are to beconsidered simply executors ofdecisions deriving from the ma­jority opinions" of the parish ordiocesan pastoral council, he said.

The hierarchical structure ofthe Catholic Church was willedby Christ, the pope said. While allmembers of the Church have anequal dignity and a role to play,the roles are not the same for ev­eryone.

The congregation held its ple­nary meeting January 8-10 at theVatican; the meeting focused oncollaboration with lay peoplethrough parish and pastoral coun­ci Is and on the ministry of priests

11111111 " I11111II111111 " III "THE ANCHOR (USPS-545-D20) PeriodicalPostage Paid at Fall River, Mass. Publishedweekly except for the first two weeks in Julyam the week after Chrisunas at 887 HighlandAvenue, Fall River, Mass. 02720 by the CatholicPress of the Diocese ofFall River. SUC6criptionprice by mail, postpaid $14.00 per year.POSTMASTERS sem address changes to TheAnchor, P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA 02722.

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FALL RIVER - Holy Union tician at B.M.C. Durfee HighSister Mary Oliveira, 73, for- School.merly known as Sister Claire She was also a volunteer co­Edward, of the Holy Union ordinator of religious studies atCommunity at 570 Rock Street, Our Lady of Health Parish indied Jan uary 8 at the Ph iIIi P Fall River; and after her retire­Hulitar Impatient Hospice Cen- ment was a pastoral minister atter in Providence, R.I. St. Mary's Cathedral in Fall

Born in Fall River, one of River until a few months beforenine children of the late Fran- her death.cisco and Clara (Afonso) Within her community, Sis-'Oliveira, she graduated from ter Mary was for several years aEspirito Santo School and Sa- director of novices; and wascred Hearts Academy. She en- Peace and Justice coordinatortered the Holy Union Novitiate for the U.S. Province of the

. on Aug. 22, 1949, and made her Holy Union Sisters and its rep­final profession of vows on Aug. resentative on the International22, 1958. Holy Union Peace and Justice

She earned a hachelor's de- Committee.gree from Villanova University Besides her Holy Union Sis­in Pennsylvania, a master's de- ters, she leaves a brother, Ed­gree in counseling from Provi- ward Oliveira of Brockton; anddence College, a master's de- two sisters, Holy Union Sistergree in education with a major Belmira Oliveira, and Theresain Learning Disabilities from Nientimp, both of Fall River.Bridgewater State College, and She was also the sister of the latea certificate in pastoral ministry Sister Lia Oliveira, FMM; Mar-from Sl. Joseph's College in garet Silvia, BeatriceWest Hartford, Conn. Vasconcellos, Maximine

Sister Mary taught in. Oliveira and Alfonso Oliveira.Taunton at Immaculate Concep- Her funeral Mass was cel­tion School and at S1. Anthony's ebrated Monday in S1. Mary'sSchool where she was also a Cathedral, Fall River. Burialprincipal: at S1. Michael's was in S1. Patrick's Cemetery,School in Fall River; and for 25 Fall River. The Waring-Sullivanyears was a special .needs Home of Memorial, Cherry(cache!" in the' Fall, Ri vcr· Puhlic"PI ace, 178 Winter Street, FallSchool System; and' later as a River, was in charge of arrange­special needs tutor and diagnos-' ments.

Sex abuse audit report includesnational recolTIlTIendations

BISHOP WILTON D. Gregory, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops,discusses the results of a national audit of diocesan policies and practices mandated by thebishops' "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People." Bishop Gregory, flankedby Kathleen McChesney, executive director of the bishops' Office for Child and Youth Pro­tection, and National Review Board member William Burleigh, gave the briefing in Washing­ton. They said nearly 90 percent of U.S. dioceses have fully complil;ld with the requirementsset forth to better protect minors against clerical sexual abuse. (CNS photo by Nancy Wiechec)

Friday. January 16, 2004

DATES

138.2.]

16

SPRING OPEN HOUSE: February 26. 2004

WEEKEND COURSE: '/23-24;2/20-2';3/19-20Death and Dying-Pastoral, Psychological andTheological Perspectives. Catherine O'Connor, CSB

ANNUAL EVELYN UNDERHILL LECTURE:Saturday, July 10, 2004, 10:00 am-12:00 noon ,Presenter: Rev. Ronald Rolheiser. OMI

(~~~

http://www.bc.edu/lrepm ,

MARCH:

Introduction to Lay Presiding and Preaching, Hudson. NH (Konicek. SI)

Moving Toward Collaborative Leadership in Today's Parish (Part I of Series)(Stypa/Husmer) •

Women, Changing the Face of Christianity (Griffith) 20Parish Staffs; Can We All Just Get Along? (Part II of Series) (Stypa/Husmer) 2.3

In Dialogue; The Many Faces of Silence in the Church (Remillard) 258.2.9

A'PRIL: DATES

The Maturation of the Faithful and Its Potential Impact on an Evolving Church

(Sofield, STlJuliano. SHCJ)

Leadership Issues in the Church Today: Educating .fer Collaboration and

Group Dedsion Making in a Redefined Church (Sofield, STlJuliano, SHCJ) 3

From pastoral Care to Pastoral Prayer: Workshop for Parish Nurses (Konicek, SI) 2.8

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Mary Magennis Chestnut Hill, MA 02467-3931

Boston College Institute of Religious 800-487-1167 or 6 17-552-8440

Education and Pastoral Ministry (IREPM) email: irepm@bc.edu

FEBRUARY: DATES, "

In Dialogue; Maintaining a Spirituality for Ministry (Remillard) 2. 8. 12.

Addiction and Ministry; A Comprehensive Introduction (McDargh/Costikyan) ]

Advanced Lay Presiding and Preaching (Konicek, SJ) '9. 2.6 8. 3/4. 11, 18, 2.5

The Future of Religious Life in the Catholic Church (Johnson, SND) 2.1

Restorative Justice as Model of Healing a W,:,unded Church Community (Petersen) 2.4

LECTURES, SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS

SPRI NG SEM ESTER 2004

Continuing a Tradition of Excellence in Educating for Ministry since '97'

Come and learn why your help is critical,

and what you can do before February 11, when

the legislature takes up the Marriage Affirma­

tion & Protection Amendment.

3

INSTITUTE OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATIONAND PASTORAL MINISTRY

All rallies will start at 2 p.m. and finish at 4 p.m.

For more information, contact

traditionulrnurrial!c@hotllluil.com or call 508­

842-0914.

BOSTON COLLEGE

The locations: St. Peter-Marion HighSchool,

781 'Grove Street, Worcester; Bishop Connolly

High School, 373 Elsbree Street, Fall River;

and Cathedral High School, 260 Surrey Road,

Springfield.

Please make your VOICE heard!

OnSunday, January 25, rallies'to protect

marriage as the union between one man & one

woman are scheduled in the cities of Fall River,

Springfield and Worcester.

- Diocesan Announcement -

tion develop and carry out train­ing programs for diocesan re­view board members and safeenvironment coordinators.

The audit repQrt had morethan 50 speci fic recommenda­tions on the charter's 17 articles,highlighting additional ways tostrengthen the charter or im­prove its implementation.

Among eight recommenda­tions on victim healing, out­reach and reconciliation; forexample, the report included asuggestion that dioceses sup­port and encourage more re­search into effective therapiesfor Victims. Another recom­mendation was that each bishopidentify every victim whn hasnot yet met with the bishop orhis designee and ask for a meet­ing.

The report asked bishops toassure that priests do not wearclerical garb, as has happenedin a small number of cases ,inthe past year, when appearingas defendants in criminal casesinvolving sexual abuse of a mi­nor.

,It asked for c1ari fication ofthe meaning of "prayer and pen­ance" in the article referring to ,the lives of priests who were re­moved from ministry because ofabuse but were not laicized.

The report recommended thattbe o,n-site audit procedure usedin 2003 be used again for the2004 audit. It suggested thiltthese yearly data be gatheredand maintained by the nationaloffice. -

McChesney said no singleapproach works for all victims,but such a study could "identifythings that worked very well andthose that didn't."

tional Review Board that over­sees the bishops' compliancewith the charter, said the board"concurs with the recommenda­tions" outlined in the report andurges the bishops' conference toadopt them.

The audits of 191 U.S. dio­ceses were conducted by theBoston-based Gavin Group,composed chiefly of former FBIagents, between June and No­vember 2003. -

Most of the report on the au­dit findings, released in Wash­ington January 6, was devotedto assessing each diocese's per­formance in light of the currentcharter.

In an important eight-pagechapter at the end of SectionOne, however, the report saysthe audit process also helped un­cover additional ways to makeChurch environments safer forchildren and improve theChurch's response to victimsand their famiJies. It said stron­ger ways to assure future ac­countability were also found.

Topping the list of recom­mendations was a propos,al tostrengthen sexual abuse aware­ness, prevention and response atthe level of parishes, schoolsand other local Church facilitiesnationwide. It recommendedthat the bishops' national officeprepare guidelines for diocesesto integrate all aspects of char­ter implementation at the parishlevel. It also suggested identify­ing and instituting national ef­fectiveness measu\:ements forsafe environment programswi th in the nex t two-to-threeyears. ,

It recommended that the Of­fice for Child and Youth Protec-

By JERRY FILTEAU

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

WASHI~GTON - The na­tionwide audit of sexual abusepolicies and practices of Catho­lic dioceses reported on a weekago went beyond assessing eachdiocese's current performance'against the standards of the bish­ops' "Charter for the Protectionof Children and Young People."

As a result of their meetingswith bishops, diocesan person­nel, abuse victims, law enforce­ment and social service person­nel and other interested persons,the independent auditors cameup with a substantial list of na­tionwide recommendations toimprove the Church's responseto the sexual abuse issue in thefuture.

It also recommended that thebishops sponsor a new nationalstudy - "an external study of(voluntary) victims/survivorsfor the purpose of identifyingbetter methods for responding tocomplaints of sexual abuse byclergy or other Church person­nel."

At the press conference intro­ducing the report, KathleenMcChesney, executive director

'of the bishops' national Officefor Child and Youth Protection,said, "We arc in the process ofini ti ati ng" the victi m study rec­ommended by the report.

She said the bishops' Ad HocCommittee on Sexual Abuse hasalready reviewed that recom­mendation and backed it, andher office has been putting to­gether "the framework of astudy we'd like to do."

Justice Anne M. Burke, an il­linois Appellate Court judge andacting chairwoman of the Na-

4 'theanchob Friday, January 16, 2004

the moorin&-, the living word .

EDITORDavid B. Jollvet

"THIS IS MY GOD, AND I WILL PRAISE HIM" (EXODUS 15:2).

.'. Why did the AmericanCatholic 'Church decline?

'_ came tumbling down, and Catholicsmixed freely with thei'f fellowAmericans, even going so far as tointermarry with them. .

The second change was whatmay be called "the Great CulturalRevolution of the 1960s." Prior tothe 1960~ the dominant moral forcein the United States was LiberalProtestantism. But by the time the"60s were over, the Protestant he­gemony had been overthrown, andthe newly dominant moral force wassecularism: a nonreligious, even an­tireligious, set of beliefs and valuesand practices. The "command postsof culture" - that is, the nationalpress, the elite colleges and univer­sities, the entertainment industry ­were being taken over by secular­ists, and would'fall increasingly intotheir hands in subsequent decades.Practices that had been taboo underthe Protestant Establishment - e.g.,unmarried cohabitation, abOition,homosexuality - suddenly becamequite acceptable according to thenew Secularist Establishment:

It was a colossal stroke of his­torical bad luck that Catholics en-

, tered the American cultural main­stream 'at precisely the momentwhen the mainstream' was losingits Protestant-Christian characterand taking .on a strongly anti­Christian character. Given this bad'luck, the ensuing decline was in­evitable.

David R. Carlin is a professor ofsociology and philosophy at theCommunity. College of Rhode Is­land. He,is the authorofthe recentlypublished book, "The Decline andFall of Catholicism in America"(Sophia Institute Press). He can be'

, reached at drcarlin@hotmail.com.

This is not to say that there was any­thing wrong, with Vatican II. It wasa necessary Council: necessary tosteer the Church away from the anti­Protestantism that had marked itsince the 16th century Council ofTrent, which had launched theCounter-Reformation. The changesmade by Vatican II were relativelyminor, but the fact that any changesat all were made in a Church that~ad been apparentiy imry1Utable forcenturies stimulated many Catholicsto believe that the door "was open tomore and bigger changes. And sothey pushed for these changes ­justifying their push .in the name of"the spirit of the Council."

If the Council ,had taken place inmore quiet times, its negative impactwould have been slight. But it wasthe Church's bad luck that it took.place at almost the same moment astwo important changes in American 'life occurred. The ,combination ofthese three factors produced a "per­fect storm" that has come near tosinking the Catholic Church inAmerica.

One change was the incorpora­tion ofCatholics into the mainstreamof American social, econQmic, andcultural-life. When Catholic immi­grants -.Irish, Germans, Italians,Slavs, French-Canadians - firstcame to the United States, they wereat the bottom oftheAmerican socio­economic hierarchy. But by the1950s they had been so successfulin climbing the ladder that they werenow ready to take their rightful placeas full and equal members ofAmeri­can society. Their success was sym­bolized by the election in 1960 ofAmerica's first Catholic president.The walls of the Catholic "ghetto"

TEEN-AyERS SING AND DANCE DURING A LIFELINE PROGRAM PRESENTATION SPONSORED BY

'NATIONAL EVANGELIZATION TEAMS, ALSO KNOWN AS NET, IN ST. PAUL, MINN. YOUNG. .PEOPLE DESCRIBE THE PROGRAM, WHICH ASKS TEENS TO COMMIT TO VOLUNTEER WORK FOR

ONE YEAR, AS LIFE-CHANGING. (eNS PHOTO 'BY DAVE HRBACEK, CATHOLIC SPlRlT)

By DAVID R. CARUN

Catholics of the oldergeneration,like me, old enough to rememberwhat the Catholic Church inAmerica was like in its heyday, of­ten ask:. themselves, "What hap­pened? What caused the Church,which was once so full of vitality, togo into decline?"

The usual' answer given is"Vatican II." The Second VaticanCouncil m~t from 1962 to 1965, andit was in the latter half of the 1960s,just after thedosing of the Council,that the decline suddenly began.

That there was adecline, who candeny? Thousands of priests, includ­ing a few. bishops, abandoned thepriesthood. Tens, of thousands ofnuns left the convent. The numberof newpriestiyand religious voca­tions dropped precipitously, as off acliff. Sunday Mass attendance felldramatically. Thousands of Catho­licschools dosed. Catholic collegescontinued to flourish, but frequentlyat the cost of watering down theirCatholic character. The Catholicpress lost most of its readers. Withfew exceptions, lay Catholics no,longer paid heed to the Church'steaching that contraception is sinful. 'Catholics divorced and remanied atthe same rate as their fellow Ameri­cans. And they had premarital sexand abortions at the same rate too:For the most part, Catholic vot~rs

did not hesitate, and do not hesitatetoday,.to vote for pro-abortion po­litical c~ndidates. And as if all thiswasn't bad enough, thousands ofpriests had sexual contacts with un-derage boys. .

Vatican II, one must admit, hadsomething to do with this decline:something, but far from everything.

theancho~OF~ICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER,

Published weeklx by the Catholic Press of the Diocese of Fall River

. 887 Highland Avenue P.O. BOX 7 ,Fall Ri~er, MA, 02720 Fall River, MA 02722-0007'

Telephone 508-675-7151 FAX 508-675-7048. E-mail: TheAnchor@Anchornews.org

Send address changes to P.O. Box, call or use E-mail address'

. EXECUTIVE EDITORRev. Msgr. John F. Moore

NEW.S EDITOR OFFICE MANAGERJames N. Dunbar B(lrbara M. Rels

. Don't get too q}nfident, On the surface it seems as if the American economy is indeed

recovering. The expectations of Christmas sales were fulfilled, andthe retail world continues its never-,ending sales. As far as WallStreet is concerned, the N~w Year holds· great promise for marketactivity. Soaring stock numbers have once more provided a confi­dence level for investors.

Yet; for all that glitters, there are some who really believe thatwe are on a very shaky economic road full of potholes and bumpycurves. People have become so buoyed up by a false sense of eco­nomic stability that they are refusing to consider oth~r factors, whichindicate that we should be more prudent in our recovery estimates.

First and foremost, there is Iraq and all that entails, includingthe war on terror. What was once federal surplus is now nati-onaldebt. Paying the war bills has plunged the nation into a very deephole, which could bring about a fiscal crisis. It seems difficult toimagine that we can get over this reality without new taxes. Thisidea of course is simply dismissed by the administration. Given

, other areas of concern, it should not be ridiculed.For example, the falling dollar is playing havoc in so many ar­

eas of commerce. In a global market where the dollar held swayfor so maJiy decades, its decline is having many side effe~ts. Aside,t'rom' the ,issue of exports, the dollar ,is tied up as the currency ofthe O.P.E.C. The weak dollar has kept the price of oil in im inflatedstate. If this continues, inflation could be around the COrner. Next'would be the rise in interest rates, and off we go again.

We must also-realize that many workers and families find them­selves in an economic plight. Many laid-off workers have not beenable to find secure jobs. 'So many cannot afford health care, andmany corporations are 'cutting' back on this perk. Family savingsare emptied by extended sickness. Many programs for the needyand poor have been termiQated. State budgets are in tatters. Theelderly retired have seen their pensions evaporate. Low interestrates on savings have placed people in a very real financial crisis.'U!leJllPJ9,Yme~Lb.e~efit~;f9r,~.~nY.~'Pe.ricans .h~y~ simply vapor-,ized. Many whQ depend on so~ial security have seen their benefitserode. 'I ,'j.','" I j .,' I " .... ', of '. ~I . ,,'. ~

In such a world, the rich get richer and the poor, poorer. Weneed a basic balance, which will ensure that no one really gets leftbehind. After all, we should remind ourselves that the develop­ment of economic and commercial activity is meant to provide forthe needs of people. In the sphere of social justice, the economiclife is not meant solely to multiply goods or incre'ase power orprofit; it is ordered tirst of all to the service of person, of the wholeperson, and of the entire human community.

As we edge OUf way intO the New Year,' we should be alert, andeven wary, wh~n .we g,loat ~b.ol;lt the goo';! ~irpes., There are obvious

, areas Qf.concerri. We' cannot depend on government to fix all ourwoes. It does indeed have the responslb'ility to Secure the conl'mongood in such a way that all peqple can prosper. But it must bestated that individuals also must share their efforts and wo~ks inevolving an economy that is stable and secure. Too many wantgovernment to do all the work. We should know that the lessons' ofhistory teach that we cannot have it· both ways. America'is indeeda place of great opportunity. Government must provide the atmo­

.sphere in which each citizen can take advantage of this fact for hisor her own welfare and that of the common good. In these uncer­tai'n times, let's not get too comfortable in our easy chairs.

The Executive Editor

Friday, January 16,2004 theanc~ 5

We mis,s Cam a lot

Toledo diocese ·unveils freshpresentation on priesthood

suggest that Mr. McGowan openhis (New American) Bible to theOld Testament Book of Leviticus,chapter 18, verse 22 - on thesanc'tity of marriage. The answeris there.

All those who profess to be­lieve that the Bible is God's wordand also favor same-sex marriageneed to read it.

Loretta G. DoucetteEast Falmouth

And Cam Neeley? He's stillknocking out a few teeth ­taking the bite out of cancer.And for those hits, he'll spendno time in the penalty box!

Dave Jolivet, editor of TheAnchor, is a former sportseditor/writer, fwd regularlygives olle fall's perspective011 the ullique world ofsports.

Comments are welcome at. daveiolivet@a"cllOmews.org.

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surely must have felt like aremnant from one of thisregion's zillion stonewallsnearly 140 feet into a cross windthrough a narrow opening half afootball field away. Clutch?Most Orr-like!

One can't help be feel sorryfor young sports tykes today ­not able to watch ice hockeythey way it was meant to beplayed. But at least they can ge'ttheir football that way.

Editor:I have just. finished reading

Bob McGowan's leller to the edi­tor in the December 26 edition.In his objectiohslO the U.S. bish­ops' opposition to same-sex mar­riage, he talks of love as thoughit only implies married love as faras the bishops arc concerned.He's wrong. Love is universal,which includes us all: family andfriends regardless of sex. I would

Letter to the Editor

looking at the challenges to themessage."

Karen Ranney-Wolkins, amember of the <;9mmittee, said,"We chewed on a lot at our meet­ings. This is not like an invitationto join the Army. I foun.d myselfembracing the creative challengeof bringing the information sen­sitively to those wrestling with thelittle, niggling voice inside."

Father Nuss said the heart ofthe project is the Website at:ww:toledovocations.com. "To­w'ard this end, the Website hasbeen expanded into an impressiveresource that goes far beyond menwho are interested in priesthood.Special recourse sections havebeen built for educators, priests,parish personnel and parents."

And there are several mes­sages. "One thing this effort con­veys is that the priesthood is nota default vocation," SisterMarilyn Marie said; "It's really acelebration of priesthood ­something we all have taken forgranted."

Father Nuss agreed. "This is a .shot in the arm for priests," hesaid. "It shows the truth of thebeauty of the call to serve. I'm nota marketer. I'm just a happypriest. I want to show that."

or the biggest; yet, here they sitone game away from their thirdSuper Bowl appearance sjnce1996.

Indianapolis Colt quarterbackPeyton Manning may beshredding opposing defenses,but his precise pass attack mustpenetrate one of the toughestdefenses in the league Sundayafternoon. And that won't be

easy. Add to that the factthat he'll be staring­down the barrel of ateam with the most heartin the modern sportsworld - and that's justplain brutal. Just like theBruins of yore - teamsno.one wanted tQ face.

Slightly older fanswill surely remember

watching No.4 for the Bruinsdo amazing things on icc, evenwhen his wheels were rapidlydeflating. Well, there's anotherNo.4 in town that's doing thesame thing. The Patriots',AdamVinatieri has been golden for 'the past few seasons - hisunbelievable kick in the SnowBowl in January 2002, and justweeks later, his deadly laser towin the Super Bowl in NewOrleans.

Well, the golden foot seemedto have tarnished a bit thisseason - little known to thefans, but largely because of abad back. But just how big wasAdam's 46-yardJield,goa\.i1)frigid conditions last Saturdaynight? The man booted what

by using inspiring and contempo­rary colors with a clever play onwords that makes you look andthink twice about the message.

"The traditional and I;lassicimages of sculptures on the out­side of Rosary Cathedral helpkeep the history alive in the spiritof the Catholic tradition. It is amix of the old and new," Pinciolli.added.

Yet Father Nuss said that theentire effort is not just about im­ag~s, slogans and marketing.

"Our goal is to help men whohear the call to serve know howto take the next step," SisterMarilyn Marie said. "Ir's thewhole notion of doing whateverwe can to help those who hear thepossibility that God is callingthem. Where do they go whenthey hear that call? That's whatthis effort addresses."

The committee's research un­earthed several obstacles menface in dealing with a ca'll to apriestly vocation.

"Some men feci unworthy.That is 'one thing that surfaced,"Father Nuss said. Parental resis­tance was also noted in the pains­taking research. "We reallycouldn't address the ways to pro­mote the priesthood without first

talented players or the biggest,but they were always entertain­ing and gave the fans a bang (or10) for the buck. Not today.

It was a thrill to be there andwatch Neeley be recognized forhis dedication to the Bruins andthe fans of New England. And itwas sad to think we may neversec his kind again. .

But all is not lost though.Young sports fans in the NewEngland area do have a team tofollow that has the same traits asthe aforementioned Bruinsteams - the New EnglandPatriots. Today's Pats are theembodiment of teamwork, hardwork and dedication to the sportand fandom.

They're not the most talented

t~ere being so many teams outthere. "Why" doesn't matterthough. What's important is thattoday's young hockey fanswon't witness the same pa.ssionand desire of the Boston Bruinsof the 70s, 80s and early 90s.

The Bruins won only twoStanley Cups in that span, but itwasn't for lack of effort. Theyweren't always the most

By Dave Jolivet

.My Viewfrom the

Stands

By CHRISTINE ALEXANDER

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

TOLEDO, Ohio - So that thecrushing noise of the worlddoesn't drown o!Jtthe small stillvoice, the call to serve the Lordas a priest is about to be ampli­tied in the Toledo diocese.

Vocations director FatherDavid Nuss and assistant direc­tor Notre Dame Sister MarilynMarie Ellerbrock met more than1.0 months with a group of mar­keting professionals to helppresent the vocations messagewith power.

"I realized we needqd a com­prehensive'strategy and weneeded help gelling there," FatherNuss said.

"I've seen some generic mes­sages by other dioceses," headded. "The one-size-tits-all mes­sage lacks power. We needed toidentify what drives those menand women who want to live thislife of service."

Graphic artist Joe Pinciotti,who created the visuals, said,"Our ultimate goal was to put acontemporary :.lIld positive spinon vocations. We targeted ayounger generation - a genera­tion that has grown up with MTVand the Internet. We captured that

Last Monday night, thebanners hanging from theFleetCenter ceiling, displaying

. the retired numbers of nineBoston Bruins reminded me of abig old jack-o-Iantern grin; witha noticeable gap silling right inthe middle. The space betweenPhil Esposito's No.7 andJohnny Bucyk's No.9 createdthe illusion of an ice hockeyplayer who ,had taken anerrant stick or puck inthe choppers, or perhapsan ill-placed elbow orpunch.

How appropriate wasis it that the gapped-grinwas caused by ex-BruinCam Neeley? Just howmany opponents of No.8 resembled theFlcetCenter ceiling because of aNeeley shot, check or melee?

Last Monday night, theBoston Bruins retired Neeley'sNo.8, sending it to the rafters,cosmetically repairing theblemished Cheshire grin highabove the icc surface.

Neeley may perhaps be thelast of a dying breed of Bruinswho gave his heart and soul forthe team and the fans everysingle time his blades slicedthrough hockey arenas acrossthe U.S. and Canada. l justdon't sec that kind of commit­ment coming from today's bearson icc. Some say it's the moneyor perhaps because it isn't asdifficult to make it to the bigleagues as it once was, with

6 Friday, January 16, 2004

$8.4 million," he s'aid, listing someof these good work~ as a residen­tial housing program, setting upaffordable housing and an assistedrent program, aiding the disabled,providing food, clothing, medicalaid, legal help and transpOItationservices.

Lou D'Arienza, a member for42 years, underscores that the St.Vincent de Paul Society "blingshope" to people "regardless of

color, race or religion."Most impOItant are "thehome visits," he says,"because you get to knowwho you're helping."

That is exactly thespilit of St. Vincent dePaul, the 17th centuI)'pIiest who wrought nomiracles, saw no visions,built no churches. Hebelieved that the Lord had

sent him to preach the Gospel tothe poor: "Our Lord's chief workwas for the poor." Nor did thisholy 'man found a society. Thatcame two·centUlies later whenanother man, Blessed FredericOzanam, believed the same, madethe same social commitment andfounded a society, bearing thename of the holy man who hadinspired him.

I asked Msgr. Armshaw whyhe had remained involved with theSt. Vincent de Paul Society for somany decades. His answer waspowelful: "Because this is the ~est'

reflection of what Chlist said, thatthe condition for getting to heavenis to care for and love the poor."

which nationally providesassistance to more than·12 million.people in need each year. I leamedabout the origins of the St. Vincentde Paul Society, its work3l1d itsdeeply spiIitual underpinningswhen I was a reporter for TheLong Isliwd Catholic back in the'60s and e3l'ly '70s. I often spent·time with the late Luke Smith, the.dynamic leader who got theorganization going after the

Rockville Centre diocese wasfOITI1ed in 1962. I wrote stOIiesabo'ut the good work they did withthose who lived on the margins bfsociety: the poor.

This includedwork with andfor plisoners through the DismasCommittee - work that continuestoday. Msgr. AITI1shaw, then a

. chaplain at the Nassau County jail,explained how the society is aliaison between prisoners and theirfamilies, also providing legal andmedical services, clothing and jobassistance upon their release.

Dilts said it was "the generosityof people" that helped themprovide selvices for the needy."Last year our expenditures were

By Antoinette Bosco

The. BottomLine

During the recent holiday. season, a U.N. report gave the,

devastating news that hungerworldwide is worsening, with 840million people - one in seven ­rilalnourished and food-deprived:

When repOits of poverty andpain come out, it's good to bereminded that there are otherstOlies giving us hope that the'poorare not always forgotten. In theweek I read about the world'sescalating hunger, I wastalking to Msgr. PatIick

. Annshaw, s·piritual ,.adviser ofthe St. Vincelltde Paul Society in theDiocese of RockvilleCentre on L<;>ng Island, .N.Y., and to James Dilts,the executive director. .They told me of the' food,clothing, housing,fumiture and otherservices their diocesan societygives to several thousand familieseach year. .

This is a service like no other Iknow of. "We nave no stIictguidelines for giving. We ask,'What do you need and whatneeds to be done?'" said Dilts. Hewent on to tell touching stOIies,such as one about the plight of afamily after the father was hint inthe'91l1 disast~i·. "He lost hisbusiness, and financial problemsescalated. We stepped in to help.No matter what the StOI)' is, ifthere's a legitimate need, we'llhelp."

'I had long known about thework of this worldwide service,

A Vatican' spor~s conglomerate?

De Paul work goes on

I have changed my mind On the other hand, If you on the side of the Church-about the idea of the Knights of can;t beat them, maybe you can sponsored team. This has been aColumbus owning and operating, join them. Am I hinting that the pmticularly difficult challengea National Football League team, Vatican should also pick up a for Catholic high school foothalleven though they could probably world-class soccer club as well' . teams when they play onepick up the Oakland Raiders at a . as a National Hockey League another; one hears simultaneousgood price about now. squad? Even a baseball and a - prayers at both ends of the field

For one thing, the Knightsbasketb~1I team? Absolutely! Is that go something like, "Dearhave no specificgeo- ,....-,;,;.,---...;..~.:.....--....:r--::::::::::--"'h Heavenly Father andgraphic affiliation that I The offbeat Mary Queen of Heaven,..know of. So, for example, please help us vanquishif they tried to convince worId of our foes by flatteningthe city fathers and them like pancakes and'mothers of Kalispell,' Uncle Dan dishing out mildMont., to build a $400 contusions and anmillion stadium and By Dan Morris occasional concussion.convention center for a In your n'1mes, Amen."

. team, there. no doubt On the positive side,would be righteous, maybe the Congregationindignation from Knights in this brilliant or what? ,Talk about for the Doctrine of the Fan couldevery place from Sacramento a platform of communication influence when playoff gamesand Little Rock to Walla Walla with the world! are scheduled and cut down onanq Peoria ---:- especially if they Maybe there could even be conflicts with Mass times.were contractors and wanted part something established like the Maybe they could do something

-of that $400 million job. - Congregation for the Doctrine of about how long it takes to reviewSo, the oDvious solution is for the Fan or the Pontifical Council NFL plays. -

the Vatican itself to become the for Sports and Television This certainly does not cut outowner. Better yet, how cool Royalties.' any role for the Knights ofwould it be if Vatican City Sure, there areSOl11e dicey Columbus. Actually, there mustformed its own sporis conglom-, theological issues - like what be the business moxie anderate? names could you give.any of organizational talent in that

This all came to me while I these teams, given that lots of the _ group to backbone the operation.was watching hockey and soccer good ones already are taken - Wait a minute! Are there anycoverage on a Canadian TV "Cardinals", "Saints," "Padres," major SpC)(1S franchises who'vestation. "What would the world :"Angels," "Devil Rays." - been named "The Knights"?be like," I wondered, "if the. Also, one would have to Hmmmm.world and the media took·· squarely face the question of Comments are welcome. E-religion as seriously as it does whether or not God was slightly mail Uncle Dan atsports coverage?'" more - or a whole lot more -' cnsuncleO]@yahoo.com.

WEST HARWICH - TheCelebrateLife Committee of HolyTrinity Palish is sponsOling a Mass.for'life January 22 at 7 p.m. at thechurch .. Father Thomas Rita willbe principal celebrant andhomilist. .

ORLEANS- The ,Separated­Divorced Catholics SupportGroup will meet January 25 at. 7­p.m. in the parish centerofSt. Joanof Arc Church. It will include the'video "Di vorce Recovery," byAndy Morgan. For more informa"tion call Father Richard Roy at508-255-0170.

WAREHAM - A CouplesR~treat will be held the weekendof March 19 at the Sacred He3ltsRetreat Center, 226 Great NeckRoad. For more information call508-295-0110 or 'E-mail:retreats@sscc.org.

.SOMERSET':"'" The VocationAwareness Team of St. ThomasMore Parish will sponsor a holyhour for vocations January 22 at7:30 p.m. in the church. Refresh­ments will follow the evening ofsong. and prayer. For more infor­mati.on call 508-673-7831.

MASHPEE - Th,e Third Or­der of Carmelites will meet Sun­day for an evening of prayer andstudy following the 5:30, p.m.Mass. For more information callDottie Cawley at 508~477-2798.

NEW BEDFORD - TheDaughters of Isabe!la, HyacinthCircle No. 71, will meet January20 at 7 p.m. in the parish hall ofHoly Name of the Sacred Heart ofJesus Church. Refreshments and'activities will follow.

NORTH FALMOUTH - A'Cancer SUPPQlt Group meets at St.Elizabeth -Seton every thirdWednesday of the month at 7 p.m.For more information call 508~

563-7770.

one Sunday a month.

Rebekah McHau!' - . .Wives and guests were also in

attendance and each received agift. The meeting closed with aprayer by'chaplain Father FrancisCrowley. The Serra Club pro­motes vocations to the priesthoodand religiou~ life. For more infor­mation write: Serra Club, P.O.Box 1015, North Attleboro, MA02761-1015..

NORTH DARTMOUTH ­A' Widowed Support Group, for

. those widowed five years or less,will meet January 28 at 7 p.in. at

. the Family Life Center, 500Slocum Road. .

Attleboro Serra Club holds meetingATTLEBORO The

Attlehoro Serra Club recentlyheld its holiday meeting afld\velcomed '24 nu'ns fl:oin MercyMount, Bishop Feehan HighSchool, Sturdy Memorial Hos­pit,il and Jesus and Mary Con­",'ent, Plai nvi lIe. It was held atFolan's Reslilllrant in NorthAttleboro and musical entertain­ment was provided by vocalist

FALL RIVER - A Catholictelevision prograril entitled "BoaNova da Vida," will appear onChannel 20 in Portuguese, Janu­ary 21 at 9:30 p.m. Sponsored bythe Communications Departmentof the diocese, it wi II be the sixthpart of a series "Christians Ask."

. ,r.)

FALL RIVER-Mass will becelebrated January 22 at 6:30 p.m.at St. Anne's Church, 818 MiddleStreet. A healing service andBenediction of the Blessed Sacra­ment will follow. The rosary willhe recited at 6 p.m. For more in­formation call 508-674-5651.

Publicity Chairmen areasked to submit news items forthis column to The Anchor,P.O. Box 7, Fall' River, 02722.Name of city or town should beincluded; as well as full datesof all activities. DEADLINE ISNOON ON FRIDAYS.

Events published must be ofinterest and open to our generalreadership. We do' not carry no­tices of fund-raising activities,­which may be advertised at ourregular rates, obtainable fromour business, office at 508-675­7151.

ATTLEBORO - Grief edu­'cation programs will be held at theLa Salette Retreat House January22: February 5, 1'9; March 4, 18;and April I, 15 from 6:30-8 p.m.They will also be held January 26;Feb 9, 23: March 8, 22; April '5.,19 froni 1.0:30 a.m. to noon. Formore information call Sister JudithCosta at 508-824-6581.

HYANNIS - Father Roger. Landry will begin an adult edu­cation course entitled" The Con­troversial and Often Misunder­stood Issues in Catholicism,"January 25 from 6-8 p.m. at St.Francis Xavier School, 33 Cross'Street. Other sessions will follow'

FALL RIVER - Cath'olic So­cial Services will hold an informa~

tion session January 25 at the 1600Bay Street onic~ from I:30~3::30 ,p.m. for illl persons interested inadopting a child from a foreigncountry Or a domestic newborn.For registration call 508-674­4681. Refreshments will beserved. For more information·call

- . 508:674-4681.

r.

Friday, January 16, 2004 theanch~ 7

"

I

Women's Retreat

Healing Retreat; Afternoon of Recollection;Directed Retreat Weekend; Men's Retreat

Portuguese Retreat; Afternoon of Recollection;Women's Retreat; Married Couples' Retreat

Women's Retreat; Easter Triduul)l;Afternoon of Recollection; Single's Retreat;Secretary/Administrative Assistant's Day

La Salette Retreat Center,.. , ','

947 Park StreetAttleboro, MA 02703-5115

508-222-8530

For more information, please call or write Retreat Secretary

April

March

January

February

A FILIPINO boy wipes the face of a replica of the BlackNazarene during a religious procession in the Quiapo districtof Manila January 9. Thousands of pilgrims turned out forthe annual celebration escorting the original Black Nazarenestatue of Jesus Christ through the streets. It was brought tothe Philippines from Mexico in the 17th century. Many Filipi­nos believe it to be miraculous. (CNS photo from Reuters)

through your donationto the Catholic

Communication Campaignin your parish thisweekend or write:

Support theweekly

TV Mass

TELEVISION MASS APOSTOLATEP.O. BOX 2511

FALL RIVER, MA 02122·2511Msgr. Stephen J. Avila, Director

John E. Kearns, Assistant Director

for a seminarian studying in hisarchdiocese.

exception zealous, hardworking,cooperative and deeply moti­vated servants of the parishcommunity. To my knowledge,the great majority of deacons andpastors feel the same.

Obviously, not everysituation works out thatsmoothly. An employermay transfer the deaconto ',another community,where the process ofdialogue and partnershipbetween a new bishopand pastor and thedeacon needs to berenewed.

Personality differences arealso inevitable, and not all priestsare equally skilled for, or opento, collaborative ministry withdeacons and other staff person­nel, a potentially huge problem,of course, when pastors change.

To answer your question, Isee no solution, except theobvious one. When these kindsof situations arise, we wouldhope everyone affected wouldhave enough respect for thetalents, responsibilities andfeelings of others, enoughrespect for the pastoral vision ofthe Church in re-establishing thepermanent diaconate and enoughbasic goodness to keep the goodof God's people uppermost intheir concerns.

R<irely are these problemsinsoluble, if those involved, infact, wish to solve them.

A free brochure in Englishor Spanish outlining marriageregulations in the CatholicChurch and explainingpromises in a mixed marriageis available by sending astamped, self-addressedenvelope to Father JohnDietzen, Box 325, Peoria, IL61651.

Daily grants are made on the ba­sis of merit. Preference is givento seminarians who are Knightsor whose fathers are members, butall qualified applicants are con­sidered. More than 80 percent ofthis year's recipients are Knightsor the sons of Knights.

For the 2003-04 academicyear, 32 U.S. and five Canadianseminarians are receiving FatherMcGivney scholarships. BishopDaily scholarships have beenawarded to 12 U.S. and three Ca­nadian seminarians. Since1992, these two scholarship pro- 'grams have assisted more than650 seminarians. More than halfof those helped by the Knightshave gone on to be ordained.

"The Knights of Columbusdo so much good for the Churchand among their great and last­ing achievements is their sup­port for priests and seminar­ians," wrote Archbishop John J.Myers of Newark, N.J., in a let­ter thanking Carl Anderson, su­preme knight, for a scholarship

step toward the priesthood. Theyare "permanent," then, only inthat sense, not with the under­standing of being permanently inone diocese, city or parish.

Second, the Church, in the

person of the local bishop, doeshave authority over permanentdeacons. The sacrament of holyorders includes three levels ordegrees of clergy, deacons,priests and bishops. Just as forthe priesthood, therefore, acandidate for the permanentdiaconate must be accepted,prepared and finally ordainedunder the authority of a particu­lar diocesan bishop.

After ordination, the deaconreceives hh faculties, hispermission to preach, officiate atweddings and funerals, andperform other parish andliturgical duties (that do notinclude offering Mass, of course)from the bishop. For a seriousreason the bishop may alsowithdraw those faculties.

From there on, the reality ispretty much as you describe it. Alot of dialogue, collaboration andmutual trust are required be­tween the pastor of the parishwhere the deacon will serve andthe deacon - and, if he ismarried, his family.

Speaking for myself, havingworked as pastor with manypermanent deacons, I haveknown them to be without

By FatherJohn J. Dietzen

Questionsand

Answers

The permanency ofPermanent Deacons

Knights of Columbus awards 52 vocations scholarshipsNEW HAVEN, Conn. (CNS)

- As part of its continued com­mitmentto promote vocations, theKnights of Columbus hasawarded 52 new scholarships toseminarians enrolled in four-yeartheology programs in the UnitedStates and Canada.

In addition, 80 scholarships forseminarians were renewed, bring­ing the total number of grantsfrom the Knights to 132 for the2003-04 academic year. Eachgrant is valued at $2,500 and cov­ers tuition, room and board.

Of the 52 new scholarships, 37were awarded from the FatherMichael J. McGivney VocationsScholarships Fund, established in1992 and named for the Knights'founder. The other 15 grants werefrom the Bishop Thomas V. DailyVocations Scholarships Fund,named for the Knight's supremechaplain, the retired bishop ofBrooklyn, N.Y.

The Father McGivney schol­arships are awarded on the basisof financial need and the Bishop

Q. The Church, in herwisdom, usually moves priestsevery several years. Permanentdeacons, however, seem to bejust that, permanent. Onceinstalled in a parish theyapparently are here tostay, and essentiallythe Church has noauthority over them.

The pastor, ofcourse, has authorityover the deacon, but noreal economic author­ity. Unless he is retired,the company he isemployed by mayinitiate a serendipitous change,but not for the good of theChurch or the deacon.

It's also politically difficultfor a pastor to "fire" a deaconwho has deep roots in thecommunity and in the parish.The deacon has establishedfriends and supporters, andthose who think otherwise.Most of the time, as I under­stand it, he is not paid by theChurch or the parish.

We all know the Church is aspiritual institution, but thereality of worldly politicscannot be denied. Thedeacon's access to the "boss"gives him decided advantage.Has the Church ever consid­ered these problems? What isthe solution'! (North Carolina)

A. Several realities youmention are inherent in thenature of the permanentdiaconate as it exists in theUnited States and other Westernnations. I think, however, thereare some misconceptions in yourunderstanding of deacons.

Permanent deacons are sodesignated to distinguish themfrom traditional deacons, whoare ordained to that order as a

Fall River diocese marks its centennialThe following are the next in a series of historical sketches of the parishes comprising the Diocese of Fall River, founded in 1904. The series will run in chronological

order from oldest to newest parish, according to diocesan archives, concluding in March, 2004, the centennial anniv!!rsary of the diocese. Please note that AU parishhistories will run in the order they were founded - including parishes that have been suppressed or merged. Histories ofmerged parishes will run according to the time-line.

St. Joan of Arc Parish, OrleansORLEANS - The first per- .

manent Catholic population in theOrleans area arrived in 1919 fromthe Island of St. Pierre to work

.for the French Cable Company. Asthe nearest churches· were inBrewster and Wellfleet, they of- .ten attended Mass in the livingroom of the Norgeot Family'shome.

In 1947, Bishop James E.Cassidy founded St. Joan of ArcParish to meet the growing needsof the Catholic population on thelower Cape.

Father James Lynch was ap­pointed pastor and a new churchon Ridge Road was dedicated onAug. 15, 1947. In 1952, a mis­sion, the Church ofthe Visitation,was established in Eastham and St.Joan of Arc School was openedthe next year, becoming the firstCatholic schopl on Cape Cod. Sis­ters of Divine Providence staffedthe school until their departurecaused it to close in 1969.

In 1962, a thrift shop was·started in the original rectorybuilding. Now housed in theformer school building, this shopcontinues to be of service to the

community.Father Lynch died in 1965, and

Father William McMahon wasnamed the second pastor. Becauseof the growing number of summervisitors, weekend Masses were heldin the Orleans Cinema from 1966until a multi-purpose building wasconstructed behind the formerschool in 1970. Father McMahoncelebrated his 40th anniversary andhis retirement in 1980. Father JohnAndrews became the third pastorthat same year.

With the help of many enthusi­astic parishioners, Father Andrewssupervised the construction of anew church which was dedicatedby Bishop Daniel Cronin on Aug.12, 1984.

In 1985 Judy Burt Walker be­gan her ministry as coordinator ofreligious and adult education~ andcontinues in that position. In 1991Father Andrews left to becomepastor of St. Bernard's in Assonet,and Father James Clark was wel­comed as the fourth pastor.

From 1992 to 1993, Father Ri­chard ~py_ was assigned as paro::chiai, vicar. Other priests· whoserved as assistants over the years

included Fathers Francis Coady,James Buckley, Edward McIsaac,Martin Buote, Mark Hessi()n, TomMcGlynn, Raymond Robida,Herbert Nichols, and JosephMauritzen.

Deacon Don Biron served faith­fully with Father Clark, whil~ Fa- .ther Richard McCormick, SOB,and Father Robert Kemmery, as­sisted with weekend Masses. .

Father Clark retired in 1996 andFather Roy returned as the ·fifthpastor. In 1997 the parish cel­ebrated its 50th anniversary. In1999 the mission Church oftheVisitation became part of OurLady of Lourdes Parish whereFather John Andrews was pastor.In 2000 a new rectory/office build­ing was completed.

Father Richard M. Roy is thecurrent· pastor. NormanMcEnaney and Jack Twerago arethe deacons. Judy Burt Walker isthe director of religious educationand Carol Abel is director of mu­sic. The rectory is at 61 CanalRoad, P.O. Box 336, Orleans, MA

. 02653-0336. It can be reached by.. telephone at 508-255-0170; byFAX at 508-240-6741; and by E­mail at joanarc@c4.net.

St. Thomas More Parish, S·omersetSOMERSET - St. Thomas

More Parish began as a missionof St. Patrick's Church inNorth Somerset.

During the pastorate of Fa­ther Thomas P. Doherty, planswere made to build a missionchapel at the corner of CountyStreet and Luther Avenue onland owned by the Fall Riverdiocese.

Construction began in 1937and the first Mass in St. Tho­mas More Chapel was cel­ebrated. on the first Sunday inMay of 1938. It was dedicatedon May 22 by Bishop James E.Cassidy. Father Felix Childs,then pastor at St. Patrick's, wasresponsible for the mission.Combined attendance at St.Patrick's and St. Thomas MoreChapel was about 1,000weekly.

On Dec. 1, 1949, the mis­sion chapel was canonically es­tablished as an independent par­ish and Msgr. WilliamHarrington was the first pastorof St. Thomas More Church.The former home of Dr. Bokeron County Street became thefirst rectory.

Religious education classesfor elementary grade students

were taught by religious Sisters and physical growth continued.and lay people in the church The basement hall ·was rede­basement. Father John Hackett signed to include 10 classroomstaught ~hose in high school. and an education center; an el-

.Father Joseph Welch suc- evator was installed; and a newce,eded Father· Harrington in organ as well.1955 and the current rectory on The administration needs ledLuther Avenue was built. The to Dolores Highsmith beeom­parish grew and the original ing the parish secretary. .church could not accommodate , Msgr. Henry T. Munroe be­the more than 5,000 parishio·- carrie the next pastor in 1989,ners at that time. . and he was succeeded by Fa-

Fath~r Howard Waldron be- thee John J. Steakem in 1995.came pastor in 1964 with a Father Steakem was invested asmandate to build a new church. a Prelate of Honor of His Ho­Construction began in 1965 a~d.· ·liness on the afternoon of Oct.the house of worship was dedi': .t'7~ 1999 and died 12 days latercated on Nov. 6, 1966 by following a battle with cancer.Bishop James L. Connolly. The current pastor, Fath~r::

The masterpiece of the Edward J. Byingto.n, arrived atstained glass windows is the St. Thomas More Parish onseries of five over the choir loft. June 28, 2000. Father'Ralph D.The central panel depicts St. . Tetrault is a part-time assistant.Thomas More, and those flank- Dr. Victor Haddad is the dea­ing it included symbols of his con and Dennis D. Griffin is di­courageous and saintly life. The rector of religious education.circular baptistery is a shrine Dolores Highsmith is parishto the Blessed Mother. Analu- secretary and Joan Cuttle is di­minum spire with electronic rector of music. The rectory ischimes topped the church and at 386 Luther Avenue,the basement included a kitchen Somerset, MA 02726. It can beand large parish hall. reached by telephone at 508-

During the pastorate of 673-7831; By FAX at 508-730­Msgr. John J. Regan from 1978 1396; and by E-mail atto 1989, the history of spiritual stthomasmoresomerset@comcastnet.

Sn THOMAS. MORE CHURCH,SOMERSET

- " ,.',. ~

Friday. January 16. 2004

St. Anthony's Parish, Mattapoisett

9 -:'l

MAITAPOISEIT - When the Dio­cese of Fall River was established in 1904by separating Southeastern Massachusettsfrom the Diocese of Providence in RhodeIsland, there was only one Catholic Churchbetween New Bedford and Cape Cod~ thesmall mission church of St. Patrick inWareham, which was served by, CorpusChristi Parish in Sandwich.

In May 1905, three priests of the Con­gregation of the Sacred Hearts ofJesus andMary arrived in the new diocese from Bel­gium at the invitation of Bishop WilliamStang. They settled in Fairhaven andfounded St. Joseph Parish there.

One of the first missions established wasin Mattapoisett. Previously only the smallnumber ofCatholics who came to the townas farmers, domestic employees or trades­men and laborers connected with ship­building, were required to go to NewBedford - usually to St. John the Baptistor St. Lawrence parishes - for Mass andsacraments. However, in the summermonths, a priest from St. Lawrence'swould celebrate Mass in the old PurringtonHall.

With the advent of the Sacred HeartsFathers, Mass was celebrated regularly,first in the town hall and then in the formerAdvent Church at the corner of Churchand Mechanic streets. In June 1908, BishopDaniel F. Feehan gave permission to erectthe Stations of the Cross in the buildingreferred to as St. Anthony's Chapel.

St. Anthony, who was born in Lisbon,was a fitting choice for a patron becausealmost all of the founding families of the

new congregation were of Portuguese birth.or background.

In 1911 a church was built on land givenby Dennis and Ellen Mahoney at Barstowand Hammond streets. It was twice enlargedand a basement hall provided. Land for aCatholic Cemetery on North Street was alsogiven by the Mahoneys, and on Oct. 12,1934, the cemetery was blessed by FatherThaddeus Bouhuysen, SS.CC. In 1944, thechurch was damaged by fire, but was laterrestored.

On March 5, 1954, St. Anthony's wasmade a separate parish by Bishop JamesL. Connolly, and Father GeorgeWeisenborn, SS.CC., was appointed thefirst pastor.

The former Purrington House on MainStreet became the r:.ectory.

In 1957, an old barn on the propertywas turned into a Youth Center. In 1960the current rectory on Barstow Street wasacquired, and the old rectory became a con­vent for the Religious of the Love of Ood,a group of Sisters, exiled from Commu­nist Cuba, who were welcomed into theparish and assisted with the religious edu­cation program.

The old church was showing the effectsof wear and the growing parish needed alarger church by the 1960s. Ground for anew church was broken in 1972, and thenew church was dedicated by BishopDaniel A. Cronin in 1974, assisted by pas­tor, Father Raphael Flammia, SS.Cc.

The Sacred Hearts Fathers withdrewfrom staffing several parishes, includingSt. Anthony's, in January 1987, and the

church passed into care of the Fall Riverdiocese and Father Barry W. Wall becamethe pastor.

The church was refurbished in the 1990s.The current pastor is Father Leonard

M. Mullaney, and the deacon is Robert L.Surprenant. Mary Chaplain is coordinatorof religious education; Carol A. Rego isparish secretary; Karen Antonsen-DeVoe

is choir director; Charles Jamieson is theorganist; and Manuel Freitas is in chargeof maintenance. The rectory is at 22Barstow Street, P.O. Box 501,Mattapoisett, MA 02739-0501. It can bereached by telephone at 508-758-3719; byFAX at 508-758-3019; and by E-mail atst.anthony@verizon.net.

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Catholic school students find ­that haircuts can help others

"It's important because some kidsdon't have hair,"said Lorena Galvan,a fifth-grader at the middle school,'"and I just want to help out.",

TEACHER SANDRA Gonzales braids a student's cut hairbefore sending it off to Locks of Love. Several members ofher class at Our Lady of Guadalupe Middle School for Girlsin Detroit agreed to donate their hair to the nonprofit organi­zation that makes and donates wigs for children who havelost their hair due to diseases or accidents. (eNS photo byShawn D. Ellis, Michigan Catholic)

By JOE KOHN

,CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

DETROIT - Seven studentsfrom Our Lady of GuadalupeMiddle School for Girls havelearned that, in order to give,sometimes you have to put yourheads together. '

Or, in this case, yourhair.

In December the stu­dents each donated at least10 inches of their hair toLocks of Love, a nonprofitorganization that makesand donates wigs for chil­dren who have lost theirhair due to diseases or accidents.

"It's important because somekids don't have hair," saidLorena Galvan, a fifth-grader atthe middle school, "and I justwant to help out."

Locks of Love, based inFlorida, takes hair donations bymail. The girls found the organi­zation while trying to find a com­munity service project on theInternet.

Following the directions onthe Locks of Love Website atwww.locksoflove.org, the girlshad their hair tied into ponytails,clipped and sent to the organiza­tion. Donated hair should be atleast 10-inches long.

"That's actually how most ofour volunteering takes place,"

said Amy Weeks, volunteer co­ordinator for Locks of Love."We don't solicit for any money,salon participation or any pony­tails," she told The MichiganCatholic, archdiocesan newspa­per of Detroit.

Most of the hair that's donated

to Locks of Love goes to helpchildr~nwho lost their hair fromalopecia areata, a disease thataffects more than 2.2 millionchildren in the United States andcauses the body to become aller­gic to its own hair.

Locks of Love, which collects3,000 ponytails weekly, alsomakes wigs for children who havelost their hair because of otherdiseases, burns or animal attacks.

Each wig that the nonprofitcompany produces takes sixmonths and costs about $1,000- money raised through dona­tions. The average hairpiecefrom a for-profit business costsbetween $3,500 and $5,000."What's really neat is that, once(the wigs are) on the child, it's

like having real hair," saidWeeks.

Locks of Love has helpedI, 100 children since it wasfounded in 1997.

The students originallythought of making Locks ofLove its Christmas community

service project where theywould to learn to raisefunds, choose serviceprojects, organize charityefforts and evaluate howthey've impacted the com­munity.

The students ultimatelydecided to donate health

kits to a local soup kitchen fortheir community service project,but some still thought donatingtheir hair was too good of an ideato pass up and even convincedfour parents to jqin in the project.

"The girls have been amaz­ing," said Sandra Gonzales, thegirls' service learning teacherwho in the spirit of the momentdonated her hair, too. "They trulyknow what it is to give."

For them, giving from theheart, and the head, simplymakes sense.

"If you have so much hair,"said fifth-grader MarieVillalpando, ~'why cut it and notdo anything with it?"

Besides, she added enthusias­, tically, "it'll grow right back!"

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--

"'-

10 the anchof(S) Friday, January 16, 2004

State senators and representatives in the Diocese of Fall River. .

-'

­.~

.~

RepresentativeDemetrius AsalisAntonio ED. Cabral

Christine CanavanRobert Correia

James H. Fagan

David FlynnThomas N. GeorgeSusan W. GiffordShirley A. Gomes

Patricia Haddad

Mark A. Howland

Robert M. Koczera .

John A. Lepper

Matthew D. Patrick

Jeffrey D. PerryElizabeth A. Poirier

Michael J. Rodrigues

William M. Straus

David B. Sullivan

Philip Travis

.' . -o i:.... ~j.''"4Jl'i 'If) IH#Jl,,·'):I .... ~J ~.,'1~·-1 I;

Eric T. Turkington

SenatorBrian JoyceJoan Menard

Mark Montigny

Therese Murray

Robert O'Leary

Mark Pacheco

JoAnn Sprague

Robert Travaglini

Parish CoverageOur Lady of Victory, Centerville; St. Francis Xavier, HyannisOur Lady of Mt. Carmel, NB; Our Lady of the Assumption, NB;St. Anne, NB; St. Francis of Assisi, NB; St. Hedwig, NB; .Sl. James, NB; Sl. John the Baptist, NBHoly Cross, South'Easton; Immaculate Conception, Easton'Good Shepherd, FR; Holy Trinity, FR; Our Lady of Health, FR;SS. Peter & Paul, FR; St. Anne, FR; St. Stanislaus, FRHoly Rosary, Taunton; St. Anthony, Taunton; St. Jacques, Taunton;St. Joseph, Taunton; St. Mary, Taunton; St. Paul, TauntonSt.-Ann, RaynhamOur Lady of the Cape, Brewster; St. Pius X, South YarmouthSt. Margaret, Buzzards Bay; St. Patrick, WarehamHoly Redeemer; Chatham; Holy Trinity, West Harwich;Our Lady of Lourdes, Wellfleet; St. Joan of Are, Orleans;

. St. Mary, Seekonk; St. Peter the Apostle, ProvincetownAnnunciation of the Lord, Taunton; St. John of God, Somerset;St. Patrick, Somerset; St. Peter, Dighton, St. Thomas More, SomersetHoly Name, NB; Our Lady of Fatima, NB;Our Lady of Perpetual Help, NB; St. John Neumann, East Freetown;St. Lawrence, NBOur Lady of the Immaculate Conception, NB;St. Anthony of Padua, NB; St. Casimir/Our Lady of Perpetual Help, NB;St. Francis Xavier, Acushnet; St. Joseph-St. Therese, NB;St. Kilian, NB; St. Mary, NBHoly Ghost, Attleboro; St. John, Attleboro; St. Joseph, Attleboro;St. Stephen, Attleboro; St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, AttleboroChrist the King, Mashpee; Our.Lady of the Assumption, Osterville;St. Anthony, Falmouth; St. John the Evangelist, PocassetCorpus Christi, East SandwichSt. Mark, North Attleboro; St. .Mary, North Attleboro; ­Sacred Heart, North AttleboroEspirito Santo, FR; Notre Dame, FR; Our Lady of Grace, Westport;Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, FR; Our Lady of the Immaculate'Conception, FR; St. Anthony of Padua, FR; St. George, Westport;St. John the Baptist, Westport .St. Joseph, Fairhaven; St. Mary, Fairhaven; St. Anthony, MattapoisettSt. Rita, MarionSt. Joseph, FR; St. Michael, FR; St. Mary's Cathedral, FR;Holy Name, FR; Santo Christo, FR; St. Bernard, AssonetSt. Louis de France, Swans'ea; St. Mary, Norton;S!: Michael, Swansea; Our Lady of Mt. Sarmel, Seekonk;St. Domil:Jic, Swal:JseaSt. Elizabeth, Edgartown; St. Elizabeth Seton, North Falmouth;St. Joseph, Woods Hole; St. Mary-Our Lady of the Isle,Nantucket; St. Patrick, Falmouth; Sacred Heart, Oak Bluffs;St. Augustine, Vineyard Haven

Parish CoverageHoly Cross, South Easton; Immaculate Conception, EastonSt. Mary's Cathedral, FR; Espirito Santo, FR; Good Shepherd,FR; Holy Name, FR; Holy Trinity, FR; Notre Dame, FR;Our Lady of Grace, Westport; Our Lady of Health, FR; St. John of God,Somerset; Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, FR; Immaculate Conception, FR;Sacred Heart, FR; Santo Christo, FR; SS. Peter & Paul, FR;St. Anne,FR; St. Anthony of Padua, FR; St. Bernard, Assonet;St. Dominic, Swansea; St. George, Westport; St. John Neumann,East Freetown; St. John the Baptist, Westport; St. Joseph, FR;St. Louis de France, Swansea, St. Michael, Swansea; St. Michael, FR;St. Patrick, Somerset; St. Stanislaus, FR; St. Thomas More, SomersetHoly Name, NB; Our Lady of Fatima, NB; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel,NB; Our Lady of Perpetual Help, NB; Our Lady of the Assumption, NB;Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, NB; St. Anne, NB;St. Anthony, Mattapoisett; St. Anthony of Padua, NB; St. Casimir/Our Lady of Perpetual Help, NB; St. Francis of Assisi; NB;St. Francis Xavier, Acushnet; St. James, NB; St. John the Baptist, NB;St. Joseph, Fairhaven; St. Joseph-St. Therese, NB; St. Kilian, NB;Sl. Lawrence, NB; St. Mary, I:'JB; St. Mary, Fairhaven; St. Hedwig, NBCorpus Christi, East Sandwich; Holy Trinity, West Harwich;St. Anthony, East Falmouth; St. Elizabeth Seton, North Falmouth;St. John the Evangelist, Pocasset; St. Margaret, Buzzards Bay;St. Patrick; Falmouth; St. Pius X, South YarmouthChriSl.the King, Mashpee; Holy Redeemer, Chatham;Holy Trinity, West Harwich; Our Lady of Lourdes, Wellfleet;Our Lady of the Assumption, Osterville; Our Lady of the Cape,Brewster; Our Lady of Victory, Centerville; Sacred Heart, Oak Bluffs;St. Augustine, Vineyard Haven; St. Elizabeth, Edgartown;Sl. Francis Xavier, Hyannis; St. Joan of Are, Orleans;St. Mary-Our Lady of the Isle, Nantucket; St. Peter the Apostle,ProvincetownAnnunciation of the Lord, Taunton; Holy Rosary, Taunton;Immaculate Conception, Taunton; St. Ann, Raynham; St. Anthony,Taunton; St. Jacques, Taunton; St. Joseph, Taunton; St. Joseph,Woods Hole; St. Mary, Taunton; St. Patrick, Wareham; St. Paul,Taunton; St. Peter, Dighton; St. Rita, MarionHoly Ghost, Attleboro; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Seekonk; St. John,Attleboro; St. Joseph, Attleboro; St. Mary, Seekonk; St. Mary, Norton;St. Mary, Mansfield; St. Stephen, AttleboroState Senate President

..................- - .

Contact617-722-2692617-722-2140

617-722-2323617~722-2810

617-722-2575

617-722-2017617-722-2487617-722-2090 .617-722-2803

617-722-2692

617-722-2460

617-722-2240

617-722-2100

617-722-2090

617-722-2090617-722-2976

617-722-2030

617-722-2230

617-722-2230

617-722-2430

617-722-2210

Contact617-722-1643617-722-1114

617-722-1440

617-722-1481

617-722-1570

617-722-1551

617-722-1222

617-722-1500

Rep.DemetriusAtsalis@hou.state.ma.usRep.AntonioCabral @hou.state.ma.us

Rep.ChristineCanavan @hou.state.ma.usRep.BobCorreia@aol.com

RepJamesFagan@hou.state.ma.us

Rep.DavidFiynn@hou.state.ma.usRep.ThomasGeorge@hou.state.ma.usRep.SusanGifford@hou.state.ma.usRep.ShirleyGomes@hou.state.ma.us

Rep.PatriciaHaddad@hou.state.ma.us

Rep.MarkHowland@hou.state.ma.us

Rep.RobertKoczera@hou.state.ma.us

RepJohnLepper@hou.state.ma.us

Rep.MatthewPatrick@hou.state.ma.us

RepJeffreyPerry@.hou.state.ma.usRep. EI izabethPoirier@hou.state.ma.us

Rep.MichaeIRodrigues@hau.state.nia.us

Rep.Wi lIiamStraus@hou.state.ma.us

Rep.DavidSu II ivan @ho~.state.ma.us

Rep.PhilipTravis@hou.state.ma.us

Rep.EricTurkington @hou.state.ma.us

BJoyce@senate.state.ma.usJMenard@senate.state.ma.us

MMontign@senate.state.ma.us

TMurray@senate.state.ma.us

ROLeary@senate.state.ma.us

MPacheco@senate.stats·ma.us

JSprague@senate.state.ma.us

Rtravagl@senate.state.ma.us

. . .. . .. . . . . . . , ' ' " .

Friday, January 16, 2004 theanc~ 11 I

SACRED HEART Father Gregory Bezy, who founded the Sacred Heart Auto I,.eague in1955 after his niece and nephew were killed in a car crash, places a plastic Christ.figureon the dashboard of a car in this undated photo. The league continues to promote carefulauto travel, asking drivers to make driving an act of prayer. (CNS photo from Sacred HeartAuto·League)

Prayerful driving is key tenetof Sacred Heart Auto League'

Peg Holmes, vehicle salesand marketing spokeswomanfor General Motors, said GMdoesn't look at its ,customer'sreligious beliefs, either. The rea­son, she said, is that religiousbeliefs have little to do withwhat a person wants in a ve­hicle.

Marketing "has more to dowith psychographics - what aperson's lifestyle is," saidHolmes.

"If you like a sporty car, youlike a sporty car," she added."You can have 100 people inchurch, but they're not all thesame just because they go to thesame church."

In other words, religion canbring different types of peopletogether -but to sell cars andtrucks automakers find it ben­eficial to focus on what makespeople di fferent.

That's the reason, Holmessaid, that GM doesn't advertisein religious media outlets. In­deed, most auto makers stayaway from faith-based publica­tions, radio and television sta­tions.

Some deil1ers, however, arcdifferent. For example, Martin"Hoot".McInerney, who hasbeen a car dealer in Detroit for50 years and owns sixdealerships, sponsors shows ona Catholic radio station.

McInerney, a Catholic, sayshis customers care about hissponsorship of such shows.

,"You'd be surprised," hesaid. "A lot of people come inhere, and they te II me it's theonly reason they came in here.II makes you feel good."

Apparently, it can make abuyer feel good, too.

Reid Gough, who attends St.Colman Parish in FarmingtonHills, recently bought a ncwLincoln Navigator atMcInerney's Southfield dealer­ship.

Faith matters whell huying acar, Gough said, because youcould support someone with thesame beliefs.

"I think it's a support-typething," said Gough, who heardMcInerney was a sponsor ofCatholic radio. "We have to sup­port each other."

The toll-free number forthe Sacred Heart Auto Leagueis (877) 873-3304.

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By Joe KOHN

CATHOLIC News SeRvice

DETROIT - As car compa­nies start showing off their newvehicles at auto shows acrossthe country in 2004, Americansare going to be checking out alot of new, stylish rides.

And, as they do, some priestsare issuing a reminder: No mat­ter what size a car or truck is,Jesus can always fit.

Today, more than 800,000Catholics around the country aremembers of the Sacred HeartAuto League, a popular organi­zation of the Sacred HeartLeague in northern Mississippithat promotes careful andprayerful driving. And countlessmore Catholics bring Christ tomind while driving by gettingtheir vehicles blessed.

"We ask people to submitthemselves to careful driving,and make it an act of prayer,"said Father Charles Yost, spiri­tual director for the SacredHeart Auto League. "It doesmake people conscious of beingpolite and careful drivers."

The auto league - which inthe. 1960s made famous theplastic Jesus statue that couldbe allached to a car's instru­ment panel - was founded in1955 hy Sacred Heart FatherGregory Bezy, whose niece andnephew were killed in a carcrash.

At the time, Detroit's Mike McDonald, a pari'shionerautomakers were rapidly putting at Divine Child in Dearborn andmore cars on the road, the sales manager at Fairlane FordEisenhower administration was in the same city. "I've had an oc­building the interstate highway casion twice where a priest hassystem and deaths on roadways come (to the dealership) to blesswere becoming commonplace. a car before it was 'driven."

Father Bezy. conceived the "I've blessed a lot of cars -'league in hopes it would make I couldn't even count" howthe road a safer place. . . many, said Father Artemio

The idea is "something he Galos, associate pastor at St.felt that was given to him by the Sylvester Parish in Warren.Sacred Heart," Ed Savage, chief "That's a popular devotion."executive of the Sacred Heart Father Galas, who is Filipino,League, told The Michigan said the blessing of cars is com­Catholic, newspaper of the De-' man in the Filipino community.troit Archdiocese. "To bless (vehicles) is for

The league has a prayer for protection and guidance," Fa­its drivers to say when they get ther Galos said, "but most of allbehind the wheel. It reads in it's just to acknowledge that wepart: "Sacred Heart of Jesus, are merely stewards of thegrant me a steady hand and things we have, and God's thewatchful.eye, that none be hurt owner."as I pass by. Teach me to use To look at some car adver­my car for others' needs and tisement themes - such asnever miss the beauty of thy. "Fuel for the soul," "Like aworld through excessive rock" and "We shall keep faith"speed." '- spirituality would seem to

Sacred Heart priests say playa role in the marketing ofMass each day for the league's vehicles.members. In turn, the members But au to com panies don'tsend annual donations to help know or care anything about athe Sacred Heart priests based person's spiritual beliefs, ac­in Walls, Miss. cording to Detroit-area

But the auto league isn't the automakers.only way to make Jesus a "We don't usc (religion) as abackseat driver. Other Catholics factor in our market research,"get their cars blessed by parish said James Kenyon, a marketingpriests. spokesman for Daimler

"It docs happen a lot," said Chrysler AG.

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USA459 River Road

Andover. MA 01810-4213

CANADA2210 Lawrence Ave. EastToronto ONT. M 1P 2P9

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........... 112 theanc~ Friday, January 16, 2004

A PANORAMIC view of terrain on the planet Mars is pictured in an image from NASA's robotic probe, Spirit, January 3. The craft, which was to searchfor evidence of water and possible life, landed on its intended target in the Gusev Crater. The successful deployment of an antenna facilitated transmissionof photographs and other data. (CNS photo from NASA via Reuters)

Vatican astronomers' thrilled' at Spirit probe landing on Mars

'-

By CAROL GLATZ The British-built Beagle 2 landed on been once upon a time," said BrotherCATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE Mars December 25, but no radio signal had Consolmagno.

RONiE -;-, Engineers at the U.S. space:; been rece!y,ed t6indi~ate it survived. But Father Cpyne said there's more atagency. NASA, weren't the only people' The six"wheeled Spirit robot was to "stake than just a mere search for other

- thrilled at the successful landing of the sniff out signs of life or conditions that. forms of life.Spirit on Mars. Vatican asti'onamers, too, support life,. "What would be truly incredible wouldwere Ov~(:ioyed and relieved at the robot's "It's an engineering success. A huge be, to discover life on'Mars that's indepen-safe touchdown last week. breakthrough," said U.S. Jesuit Father 'dent of life on Earth," he said.

"We used tO,joke about how the Mar- George Coyne, director of the Vatican "In the early stages of the planets beingtian star wars defense system was so good Observatory. formed, a lot, of material was exchangedhecause it has been able to keep out so ,"Previous orbital studies of Mars' sur- between Mercury, Venus, Mars and themany invading interplanetary probes from face show clearly that there may have been Earth. So it is conceivable that life mayEarth," said U.S. Jesuit Brother Guy 'water on Mars. Now with the Spirit on the have transported itself in theseprimordialCbnsolmagno, an astronomer, planetary ground, the probe will dig underneath the exchanges when pieces of planets plum­s~jen~isvnd curat0.r of, the ,vatican mete- planet's dry surface .looking for water or meted into each other," Father Coyne said.orite~c0He~:ti'on:,._J.~'__~ .',', :...' ~'" '.;!.:"chemic,al :evidence .that there. l)1qy;.h,ave, .. ", "Bu~ ,wh~,t. if scieJ:1ti~t~ were to discoverJ~:d.hiYJn~·e.~"nMo;,~·t~!·y'Je'(!b'pes fH.1i~e'''' 61~'eWWaie'}~;':Fati1e/r Coyne said::' .. ,": '" 'life that has rio'thing to 'do 'with the DNA we

rnade it successfully onto the red planet: Brother Consolmagno said NASA sci- have here on Eatth? That would mean life isthe Viking I and 2, which both landed in entists aimed the probe to land in a large absolute)y aQundant in the universe~" Fath~r

1976, and the Mars Pathfinder in 1997. crater that may have been a lake. The 1'0- Coyne said. "If life had two beginnings, one'The Russians have sent a number of bot, he said, will look and test for minerals here on Earth and one on Mars, then statisti­

probes as well as the Americans and there that would suggest the presence of water. 'cally ,life could have emerged millions ofmay' still be some hope yet the Beagle 2 , "Water is needed for life and such a dis- time~ elsewhere beyond the solar system."will send a signal it has landed," Brother covery would open up all new questions When asked what the theological im­Consolmagno said. as to is there life there now or had there pact of such a discovery' would be, Father

Coyne laughed, "Ask the theOlogians. Itwould be ve.ry, very interesting."

Brother Consolmagno said ~hat any dis­coveries made by the Spirit should aug­ment, not necessarily change, one's reli­gious beliefs.

"The challenge for both science and re­ligion is to put the details into a broader'picture, a deeper understanding of who weare and why we're here," he said.

Brother Consolmagno said space pro­grams "have been a beacon of hope in aworld of bad news. They make us feel thewonder and joy of seeing humanity be ableto reach up to the sky and touch the stars."

He recalled that when he watched thefirst manned landing of Apolio I I"on themoon in 1969 the turmoil of the VietnamWar was in full force.

"That event of human beings steppingfoot for the first time on the moon was somomentous, it made me realize that life'stemporary crises will pass. It's the workof the world's scientists and saints that isremembered forever," he said.

'V~tican gives Syro-Malabar Church,rig~t to appointits,own bishops

, , ',,' ,,- ,..,.... ~. .'

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NUNS ACCOMPANY an elderly woman as they leave aservice at St. Mary's Church, a Syro-Malabar parish inAmbakad, outside Trichur, India. The, Syro-Malabar Churchtraces its origins back to St. Thomas the Apostle. Many of itsthree million members reside in the southern state of Kerala.(CNS photo by Anto Akkara)

By ANlO AKKARA

CATHOUC NEWS SERVICE '

TRICHUR. India (CNS) - AVatican official said India's Syro­Malabar Church has been given theright to appoint its own bishops,paving the way for the Church's fullself-governing status.

Cardinal Ignace Moussa IDaoud, a Syrian who heads the

, Vatican's Congregation for EasternChurches, made the announcementat the biennial assembly of theCatholic Bishops' Conference ofIndia in Trichur. ,

The announcement was consid­ered an important step for theChurch in resolving a dispute overliturgy and administration.

In 1992, Pope John Paul IImade the Syro-Malabar Church aself-governing church and askedit to organize its own synod for ad­ministration. However, he re­served to the Vatican the power to

:decide on the Syro-Malabar .Church's liturgy and the appoint­ment of bishops.

In 1998, the Vatican gave the.Church the right to decide on liturgy.

Syro-Malabar Church officialshailed the decision on appointingbishops as an important milestonefor the centuries-old church, whichtraces its origins back to St. Tho­mas the Apostle.

"The church of St. Thomas theApostle has been recognized as amature church which can stand onits own legs," Father PaulThelakkat, church spokesman, toldCatholic News Service.

Father Bosco Puthoor, executivedirector of the church's Liturgical

, Research Center; told CNS that·"this is recognition that our churchhas become mature and can decideon thy appointment ofour bishops."

The Syro-Malabar Church had'been divided over a liturgical dis­pute in which some of. its 3.1 mil­lion members wanted to revive an­cient church traditions, including aChaldean liturgy, while otherssought revisions along modernlines.

The rift divided bishops, priestsand laity into two camps, led by theErnakulam-Angamaly andChanganacherry archdio.ceses.

• This division on liturgy led tostreet demonstrations by pliests inthe late I990s. Later, the bishopsworked out a formula to ease theacrimony based on liturgy.

P. T. Chacko, one of the lay,founders of the Liturgical ActionCommittee, which has opposed areturn to the Chaldean liturgy, saidthe Vatican decision is a "positiveone with negative effects."

"We are happy because we weredemanding this light for years. Butwe arc wonied that the old divisionscould crop up again when it comesto the selection of new bishops ex­ercising the new power:' Chacko,said.

Father Thelakkat, editor of theCatholic Malayalam-Ianguageweekly Light of Truth, said, "Un-

, fortunately, the issue has been seenas a matter of power sharing (rather)than sharing the mandate of theLord for evangelization."

Fourteen of the 26,Syro­Malabar dioceses are based inKerala in southern India; II dio­ceses are in other parts ofIndia andone is in Chicago.

Friday, January 16, 2004 theanc~

PRACTICE THE DEVOTION OF THE FIRST SATURDAYS,

AS REQUESTED BY OUR LADY OF FATIMA

On December 10, 1925, Our Lady appeared to Sister Lucia(seer of Fatima) and spoke these words: "Announce in myname that I promise to assist at the hour ofdeath wit~ the graces

necessary for the salvation oftheir souls, all those who on the firstSaturday of five consecutive months shall:

I. Go to confession; 2. Receive Holy Communion; 3. Recite theRosary (5 decades),' and 4. Keep me company for 15 minutes whilemeditating on the 15 mysteries ofthe Rosary, with the intention of

making reparation to me."In a spirit of reparation, the above conditions are each to be

preceded by the words: "In reparation for the offenses. committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary."

Confessions may be made during 8 days before or after thefirst Saturday, and Holy Communion may be received ateither the morning or evening Mass on the first Saturday.

Continued from page one

Marriagethe high court to implement itsfour-to-three vote, same-sex mar­riage decision with 180 days (sixmonths) of the Novem.ber 18 rul­ing. Currently, that means it hasonly four months to comply withthe order which is against history,tradition, faith, and reason.

Citizens are being urged tocontact Gov. Mitt Romney andlegislators so that they mightwork to delay implementation ofthe court's decision.

The spotlight has now shiftedto the state Legislature, set to meetFebruary II in ConstitutionalConvention to vote whether tosupport the Marriage Affirmationand Protection Amendment defin­ing marriage as between one manand one woman in 'order to pro­mote "the stability and welfare ofsociety and the best interests ofchildren."

In essence it would rule outthat "any other relationship shallnot be recognized as marriage orits legal equivalent."

If a majority of the 200-mem­ber Legislature, comprised of 160state representatives and 40 sena­tors, endorses the Amendment,the Legislature would have .to re­peat its action in 2005 and 2006.Then, finally, the state's elector­ate - the voters themselves ­would decide the fate of the con­stitutional amendment in Novem­ber 2006.

According to the coordinators,it is truly a question for thepeople: "We the people want theright to decide what constitutesmarriage - to promote the sta­bility and welfare of society. Tellyour legislators to vote Yes on the

.proposed bill, H.3190."The bill is authored by Rep.

Philip Travis of Rehoboth, andothers:

However, if there is a negativevote by the Legislature nextmonth, it would kill the proposedsaving amendment.

The important vote will comeon February I I, which coinciden~

tally is the feast of Our Lady ofLourdes, to whom Catholics prayfor intercession.

The lay coordinators include,Lloyd McDonald, 508-430-1559,from Holy Trinity Parish in EastHarwich on Cape Cod; Donald

Continued from page one

Girard, 508-699-7029, from St.Mark's Parish in North Attleboro;Beatrice Martins, 508-678-3351,from Holy Trinity Parish in FallRiver; and Aime A. Lachance Jr.,508-679-6294, from Notre Damede Lourdes Parish in Fall River.

The group is working in closecooperation with MassachusettsFamily Institute; and with theMassachusetts Catholic Confer­ence, the public policy arm of thebishops. The coalition has pre­pared flyers about the rally and isoffering the flyers to pastors foruse as parish bulletin inserts thisweekend.

Even as the rally in Fall Riveris taking place, others are plannedin Springfield and Worcester.

The four Catholic bishops ofFall River: Bishop George W.Coleman of Fall River, BishopThomas Dupre of Springfield,Bishop Daniel Reilly of Worces­ter, and Archbishop Sean P.O'Malley, OFM Cap., of Boston,have joined in the.battle to safe­guard the definition of marriage,and have issued letters.

Responding fo the SupremeCourt's decision, the ~ishops la­beled it "a national tragedy" thatset the state "to erode even fur­ther the institution of marriage asa human reality which the stateshould protect and strengthen forthe good of society."

The bishops emphasize that"marriage isa gift of God which,in its natural order, allows for thegrowth of the human family andsociety. It is not just one life-stylechoice among many."

The bishops have declaredthat, "This time frame is a sureformula for chaos, because thereis no "real opportunity (for citi­zens) to respond reasonably."

In a speech to about 600 Bos­ton archdiocesan priests on De­cember 16, Archbishop O'Malleyasserted that if the fight is lost"because of our cowardice or in- .ertia, we shall have to answer toGod."

Coordinators of the FalIRiver rally hope that the appealby the bishops especially to theCatholic laity to call upon theirlegislators to support one man­one woman marriage in theAmendment at issue, will be

MORE THAN 100 foreigndiplomats attend the "state ofthe world" address given byPope John Paull! in the SalaRegia at the Vatican January12. The pope urged the inter­national community to helpthe Iraqis "retake the reins oftheir country." (CNS photofrom Catholic Press Photo)

taken to heart.The issue is not just religious

but also a public policy concernbecause marriage is recognized asa public institution.

The Massachusetts CatholicConference in a 28-page docu­ment points out that historicallyand almost universally "marriagelaw endorses the union betweenone man and one woman" due toits unique value in bringing forthchildren.

But MCC says the four-judgeSupreme Court majority decidedthat marriage has nothing to dowith procreation and children.Instead, the judges concluded thatmarriage is "a momentous act ofself-definition" for adults. Addedto that, MCC observes; thesejudges also rejected the wisdomof thousands of years: that chil­dren do best in a home with a'mother and father.

Chief Justice Marshall, writing·for the majority, smeared defend­ers of traditional marriage. Sheblamed the restriction of marriageto one man and one woman as"rooted in persistent prejudicesagainst those who are (or who arebelieved to be) homosexual."

. The Catholic Church vigor-ously denies such a charge andlaments that a Sl:lpreme Courtjudge would stoop to make theaccusation. The Church has al-

.ways upheld the dignity of homo­sexuals as persons, but cannotapprove of homosexual marriage.

The MCC warns that a verygreat danger in legalizing same­sex marriage is that the state willthen be in a position to forcechurches, individuals and privatecompanies to act against theirmoral convictions by imposingpenalties on them, based on(false) charges of "bias, hate anda desire to harm" homosexuals.

Massachusetts defenders of thetraditional concept of marriageare not alone. The federal govern­ment and 37 states have alreadyenacted legislation to protect thedetinition of marriage.

And there. is successful pre­cedent. People in Hawaii andAlaska have amended their con­stitutions, to reverse decisionsby ~heir courts to redefine mar­riage.

LifeSupreme Court buildings inWashington.

"Some people think unity iseverybody holding hands, and weall be nice to one another," saidNellie Gray, who has directedeach March for Life since the firstone in 1974.

"We're not talking about that.We're talking about unity in thelife principles - no exceptions,

.no compromises."Gray defines possible excep­

tions and compromises as "life ofthe mother, health of the mother,rape, incest, a deformed child andall that."

The March for Life Education& Defense Fund will sponsor aconvention at a Capitol Hill hotelJanuary 20-21 that will include asession on problems facing thePro-Life movement. Conventionspeakers include Gray, Priests forLife founder Father FrankPavone, Human Life Internationalpresident Father ThomasEuteneuer, journalist RussellShaw and two Pennsylvania Re­publicans in ·the U.S. House,Reps. Melissa Hart and Patrick J.Toomey.

After their arrival, the FallRiver contingent will be among acapacity crowd that is expected tojam the Basilica of the NationalShrine of the Immaculate Con­ception for its annual NationalPrayer Vigil for Life, which be­gins with a January 21, 8 p.m.,vigil Mass with Cardin.a,L WilliamH. Keeler of Baltimore as princi­pal celebrant and homilist.

Although Cardinal Edward M.Egan of New York will celebratea Mass on Thursday morning onthe march day, the local contin­gent will have its own liturgy.

Bishop Coleman will celebrateMass for the locals on Thursday,January 22 at II a.m., at HolyRosary Parish at the corner ofThird and F streets in the capital.Following that, they will boardbuses and be taken to the marchsite. Following the march, at ap­prCiximately 12: 15 p.m., theyoung people will board buses forthe return trip home, arriving inNew Bedford about 3 a.m., onFriday, January 23.

While many of the marcherscoming from across the nationwill sleep in the basilica's ~ase­

ment, the Fall River diocese'syoung people will also have their

own quarters for their two daysin Washington. .

The young men will be guestsat St. John Catholic Church inMcLean, Va., while the youngwomen will be staying at PopePaul VI High School in Fairfax,

..Va.Adults in the group will be he

housed for their three-day stay atthe Hyatt Rcgency Hotel on Capi­tol Hill.

. Many events have long beenin the planning. Before the man.:h,a youth rally and Mass will takeplace at the MCI Center, down­town Washington's pro sportsarena. The rally will feature mu­sician Steve Angrisano andFranciscan Father Stan Fortuna,the "rapping priest," followed byMass celebrated by Bishop PaulS. Loverde of Arlington, Va., asmain celebrant.

Also before the march, theNational Pro-Life ReligiousCouncil will host the NationalMemorial for the Pre-Born andTheir Mothers and Fathers at anundetermined Senate office build­ing on Capitol Hill. The l'1:ee ecu­menical event will include prayer,praise, music and awards. Guestswill include actress-singer Melba'Moore and Alveda King Tookes,niece of the Rev. Martin LutherKing Jr.

After the march, Priests forLife will host a "Silent No More"vigil on the steps of the SupremeCourt. Expected"lb: pal'ti'cipatewere Moore, Tookes and actressJennifer O'Neill.

The March for Life's annualRose Dinner will be held Janu­ary 22, following the rally andmarch. The guest speaker will bePepperdine Univer~ity constitu­tional law professor DouglasKmiec, talking on "Life and theNecessary Relationship BetweenLaw and Morality." Kmiec hadbeen dean of the law school at TheCatholic University of America,Washington.

American Collegians for Lifewill conduct a weekend studentleadership conference at Catho­lic University January 23-25 towhich high school juniors andseniors are welcome. The key­note speaker is Dr. BernardNathanson, the onetime abor­tionist who later became an ar­dent abortion foe and a Catho­lic.

.....

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.-. 114 thea~ Friday, January ~ 6, 2004

COYL.E AND Cassidy High School Senior and Presidentof its Leadership Society, Ashley Do"Vningwelcomes Bishop

. George W. Coleman during a recent visit to the Taunton ..schooL The bishop celebrated Mass for students and wasgiven a Coyle and Cassidy jacket sporting his name andgraduation year. . . .KINDERG"ARTEN STUDENTS from St. Mary's School, Mansfield, get ready for a recent

school prayer service. They were r~sponsible for the songs and Scripture readings.

... STUDENTS FROM the'Wee Deliver Program at SS.Peter and Paul School, FallRiver, get a behind-the­scenes tour of the post officeby· program coordinator PatEgan. Each year, they partici­pate in a maildl?livering pro­gram and get hands-on ex­.perience. At right, the Cat inthe Hat elicits a smile fromfour,th-grade teacher DouglasMedeiros. The 'Dr. Seusscharacter led.stLidents to themain post office downtown.

--

ALEXANDER doCOUTO of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.. School, New Bedford, holds a fire hose during a recent field

trip to a New Bedford Fire Station. Classmates Evan Edwardsand Kayla Medeiros look on. Below, stuqents pose near afire engine. The trip gave students an opportunity to learnabout' fire safety firsthand and gain a hands-on experience

..~' into the life of a firefighter.

\

Friday, January 16, 2004 theanc~ 151 --

1.....~.:. .."'-'~

~~ .• l,

Souper Bowl gears up for annualfootball-themed charity drive

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McNair arc honorary nationalchairs of the Souper Bowl. One­time NFL quarterback, coach andbroadcaster Sam Wyche askedeach of the 32 NFL coaches toconsider signing on as honoraryco-chairmen of the 2004 SouperBowl effort; 28 said yes.

"The National FootballLeague's been very helpful to us,"Rev. Smith said.

But don't confuse the SouperBowl effort with the CampbellSoup Co.'s "Click for Cans"online promotion. In theCampbell campaign, football fanscan visit a Website and click onthe helmet of their favorite NFLteam. Campbell will then donatea can of its Chunky soup in thename of that team. As of Decem-

. bel' 3, more than 2.16 million canshad been donated. Campbell saidit will donate up to five millioncans of Chunky soup to hungerrelief charities across the country.

In the two weeks precedingSuper Bowl Sunday, Sou perBowl organizers will visit 10 cit­ies in the East and South - sevenof them with NFL teams - in aspecially marked recreational ve­hicle as part of a "Blitzathon" toinspire youths in those cities totake part in a January 31 "servi.ceblitz" of involvement in anythingfrom volunteering in food banksto giving other kinds of assistanceto the poor and elderly.

"We want to have a very in­tentional, significant push inHouston," with 2,000 youths ofall faiths taking part, Rev. Smithsaid. With thousands of reportersin Houston looking for stories re­lated to the Super Bowl, theSouper Bowl wants to give them"a real feel-good story," he added.

turned over to their local foodbanks or feeding programs.

One Catholic youth group'sexperience is highlighted inSouper Bowl promotional litera­ture. "We had fun," read the re­port from parish youths at St.Christopher Church in Galt, Ca­lif., who delivered nearly 500food items and prizes to awomen's shelter. The group spentfour hours at the shelter eatinglunch, playing games and singingsongs using both voices and signlanguage.

Last year's Souper Bowl re­ported $3.53 million in donationscollected by 11,095 organiza­

.tions. That brings the total to $20million collected since the;campaign's start in 1990, whenonly 20 South Carolina churchestook part.

In an interview with CatholicNews Service, Rev. Smith saidhe wants to get 20,000 churchyouth groups from all denomina­tions to take part iR the 2004Souper Bowl. Lest the teen-ageSou per Bowl phone operatorsget swamped, youth groups canalso visit the Website,www.souperbowl.org, to recordhow much they've collected andwill donate to their local charities.

"We've hit Lutheran, Method­ist, AME (African MethodistEpiscopal) and Catholic youthconferences" this year, Rev.Smith said. "I have been im­pressed with the depth, the com­passion, and the willingness tomove beyond themselves and dofor others."

The pro football communityhas been involved with theSou per Bowl effort. HoustonTexans co-owners Bob and Janice

By MARK PATTISON

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON - ComeFebruary I, millions of Ameri­cans will be glued to the televi­sion, watching the Super Bowl.

That same day, 60 teen-agel'shigh school age and up will beanswering phones in Columbia,S.c., taking down informationfrom Church youth groups aroundthe country about how muchmoney they have collected to ben­efit their local food banks.

Now known officially as theSouper Bowl of Caring - the lasttwo words were tacked on by or­ganizers after the National Foot­ball League expressed some dis­comfort with the original name­the fund-raiser is one of those rareendeavors where 100 percent ofthe money collected goes to char·ity.

The drive has youth groups askchurchgoers for a dollar and/or acanned good as they leave churchon Super Bowl Sunday.

The Rev. Brad Smith, a Pres­byterian minister and SouperBowl founder, has been criss­crossing the country this fall tout­ing the Souper Bowl. His travelsincluded a stop in November atthe National Catholic Youth Con­ference in Houston - coinciden­tally, the site of this year's NFLchampionship game - to encour­age participation.

Rev. Smith said he passed outplastic footballs at the conference.While the footballs cost less thana dollar each, he told the youthsthey were "$500 footballs" be­

.cause each Catholic youth groupthat took part in last year's SouperBowl campaign averaged $500 incontributions. The donations were

•. r'""

SENIORS MELISSA Cournoyer and Andrew Hartnett ofBishop Stang High School, North Dartmouth, are congratu­lated by Principal Mary Ann Miskel upon being nominatedfor the $1,000 National Honor Society Scholarship. They willcompete with 250 students nationwide for the award.

STUDENTS FROM St. Stanislaus School, Fall River, takepart in a St. Nicholas Day celebration last month.

Going clubbing?By KASE JOHNSTUN

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

Surfing 'the Web, I came acrossthe L1FETEEN.com Website.This is a Website for youngCatholic teens to discuss music,movies, video games and otherimportant stuff. Catholic teenshash over life, relationships, sexand drugs in the established TeenTalk section of the Website, lend­ing advice to each other in aChristian way.

One dialogue struck me as oddand out of place, so I clickcd onit. The heading is "going club­bing." As I read, I found it reallyinteresting. Here is what theyoung man wrote:

"Dear Brothers and Sisters inChrist,

"I am a college freshman who

loves the Lord so much I can'tdescribe it.

"A couple of my friends haveinvited me to go to a hip-hop/R&B nightclub for some dancing.I want to go for some good cleanfun and dancing.

"One problem: I can't dance.How does one dance at a night­club? Or how do I dance at all?People just say 'move to the mu­sic,' but I don't even know howto do that. I'd appreciate any andall advice.

"I will keep you all in myprayers. Thanks. God bless.

"Your Brother in Christ, Ray"I thought this letter was so stel­

lar for one reason. Ray wasn'tworried about the evils of theclubbing scene. He already wasclear about what he believed. He

was not scared of being suckedinto the land of the demons whenhe entered the club.

Ray had moved on. His onlyconcern was - dancing, which,

-~51

"\ c..,'Y II Coming

IIU~~~\I of~, flge

of course, he should be scared ofas a college freshman. We all arereally bad at this, speaking froma male perspective.

Ray received a lot of re­sponses. Some touted him foreven entering that evil place, say-

ing that he was walking into a denof sin:

"It would be nice to have somenice clean and healthy fun. Danc­ing can be a good and healthyactivity, which we can enjoy withfriends.

"Trouble is you might be en­tering a not-so-clean place. Thevast majority of hip hop and R&Bmusic is very dirty and godless.The dancing is just about as bad.I know myself I don't like todance, but even if I !Jid I wouldnever want to go to a club, know­ing the things that go on in there."

Others gave Ray great adviceon dancing.

One girl told Ray to watch vid­eos on television and to movewith the dancers. She consentedthat some of the videos were de-

grading but told Ray to block thatout and just dance.

The best advice I saw camefrom another teen. She told himto tell his friends he isn't verygood at dancing. She said theywould respect that and not pushhim too far on the dance floor. (like this advice because as soonas I enter a dance club I becomea permanent pillar on the edge ofthe floor, planted in stone, scaredof movement.

In my opinion, Ray has it right.He knows that there arc someplaces that may not be so perfect,but that won't stop him from hav­ing good, clean fun. He has hisshield. He has no stress, becausehis mind is made up.

Now, how to dance? Can'thelp ya on that one.

- ,:"

To obtain your copy. send a check for $14.00(includes shipping & handling) to:

Directories. P.O. Box 7, Fall River 02722This Message Sponsored by the Following

Business Concerns in the Diocese of Fall RiverGILBERT C. OUVEIRA INSURANCE AGENCY

FElTELBERG INSURANCE AGENCY

In the letter, titled "On the Dig­nity of Human Life and CivicResponsibility," ArchbishopBurke said many Catholics mis­understand the concept of "sepa­ration of church and state," tak­ing it to mean that Church teach­ings have no application to politi­cal life.

The letter affirms, on the con­trary, that Catholics have the ob­ligation to form their politicaljudgments from Church teach­ings, "especially in what pertainsto the natural moral law, that is,the order established by God increation."

"If the Catholic Church in­~isted to legislators that they votefor laws that punish people whosteal, no one would find anythingobjectionable in that," said thearchbishop in the document."People all recognize that to takesomeone else's property is acrime. The natural law teaches usthat. So also it teaches that humanlife is inviolable."

The archbishop's notificationon reception of Communion citesa passage from the "DoctrinalNote on Some Questions Regard­ing the Participation of Catholicsin Political Life," issued by theVatican Congregation for the Doc­trine of the Faith in January 2003.

That document reiterates thepope's teaching that Catholicsinvolved directly in lawmakingbodies have a "grave and clearobligation to oppose" any mea­sure that is an attack on humanlife. "For them, as for everyCatholic, it is impossible to pro­mote such laws or to vote forthem," it says.

fR~d..@y"'.January 16, 2004

they present themselves, untilsuch time as they publicly re­nounce their support of these mostunjust practices."

The two documents followedreports in the secular press inDecember that Archbishop Burkehad sent private letters to threeCatholic legislators in the diocese,warning them of the spiritual dan­gers of their votes against humanlife.

According to ArchbishopBurke, the notification becamenecessary as "an outcome of hiscorrespondence with Catholiclegislators. None of the three law­makers to whom he wrote ac-,cepted his invitation for a privatemeeting to discuss their votingrecords, and in letters to thebishop indicated they were notopen to changing their positions.

"After several exchanges ofletters, it became clear in all threecases that there was no willing­ness to conform to the teachingof the Church," he said. "So thenotification became a necessity inorder that the faithful in the dio~

cese not be scandalized, thinkingthat it is acceptable for a devoutCatholic to also be pro-abortion."

Archbishop Burke has de­clined to name the three politi­cians but secular news reportshave identified two of them as .state Sen. Julie Lassa and U.S.Rep. David R. Obey, D-Wis.

"I've come to understand asbishop that there is a real confu­sion on the part of many people inthe diocese with regard to the re­lationship of the moral law to ourcivil laws," he added. "So I wantedto write a letter to clarify this."

POPE JOHN Paull! watches as Andrew Philip performs during the pontiff's weekly gen­eral audience at the Vatican recently. Circus workers from the Italy-based American Circuswere among those attending the audience. (CNS photo from Reuters)

,Lawmakers, backing abortio~, euthanasiaadvised not to receive Communion

By DAN ROSSINI

CATHOLIC News SeRVice

LA CROSSE, Wis. - Arch­bishop Raymond L. Burke has

- formally notified Catholic law­makers in the La Crosse diocesethat they cannot receive Com-,munion if they continue to sup­port procured abortion or eutha­nasia.

The four-paragraph canonicalnotification, published in lastweek's edition of The CatholicTimes, the La Crosse diocesannewspaper, called upon Catholiclegislators in the diocese "to up­hold the natural and divine lawregarding the inviolable dignity ofall human -life."

"To fail to do so is a grave pub­lic sin and gives scandal to all thefaithful," it said.

"Archbishop Burke, who is tobe installed January 26 as St.Louis' new archbishop, releasedthe canonical notification alongwith a lO-page pastoral letter toCatholics in the La Crosse dio­cese about their political respon­sibility to uphold the value of hu­man life.

He noted that the documentswere issued while he was serv­ing as diocesan administrator ofLaCrosse following his pe<;em­ber appointment as archbishop ofSt. Louis.

"Catholic legislators who aremembers of the faithful of theDiocese of La Crosse and whocontinue to support procuredabortion or euthanasia may notpresent themselves to receive holy,Communion," the notificationsaid. "They are not to be admit­ted to holy Communion, should

- Auxiliary Bishop Leonard J..Olivier of Washington;~ Bishop Stephen Hector

Doueihi of St. Maron of Brooklynfor the Maronites;

- Ruthenian Bishop AndrewPataki of Passaic, N.J.;. -'Bishop Frank J. Rodimer of

Paterson, N.J.;---.: Auxiliary Bishop Joseph J.

Madera ofthe U.S. Archdiocese forthe Military Services;

- Auxiliary Bishop Charles J.McDonnell of Newark, N.J.;

- Bishop Lawrenc~ J.McNamara of Grand Island, Neb.;

- Archbishop John' F.Donoghue of Atlanta;

- Bishop Bernard W. Schmittof Wheeling-Charleston, W.Va.;

- Bishop George K. Fitzsimonsof Salina, Kan.;

- Bishop Joseph J. Gerry ofPortland,-Maine.; .

- Auxiliary Bishop Francis X.Roque of the U.S. Archdiocese forthe Military Services;

An additional six bishops willturn 75 during 2004. They are:

-January 17: Auxiliary BishopGeorge O. Wirz of Madison, Wis.;

- February 23: AuxiliaryBishop Thomas J. Costello ofSyra-cuse, N.Y.; .

- July 22: Auxiliary BishopDavid Arias of Newark;

- July 26: Archbishop PatrickF. Flores of San Antonio;, --':"'November5: Bishop ManuelBatakian of the Armenian CatholicExarchate of U.S.A. and Canada;

- December 14: BishopNorbert M. Dorsey of Orlando,Fla.

Up to 22 U.S. bishops couldretire for age reasons in 2004

The ttEW 2004 Directory &Buyvn· Guide for the Diocese of

Fall River is in productionISame compact size for easy referenceI

WASHINGTON (CNS) ­When Bishop Anthony G. Boscoof Greensburg, Pa., retired Janu­ary 2 at the age of 76, he was thefirst of as many as 22 active U.S.bishops who could retire in 2004because of age.

Last year there were 33 U.S..bishops who were already 75 orreached that age during the year.By year's end 17 of them had re­tired.

Church law says that at age 75 abishop "is requested to present hisresignation" to the pope; The popemay refuse a bishop's resignation.or delay accepting it, and Pope JohnPaul II has often kept bishops intheir posts for a year or more afterthey celebrate their 75th birthday.

The age-75 rule, which imple­mented a policy established by theworld's bishops in 1965 at the Sec­ond Vatican Council, was incorpo­rated into general Church law forthe Latin church in 1983 and for theEastern Catholic churches in 1991.

Bishop Bosco, a priest since1952, was a bishop since 1970 andheaded the Greensburg diocesesince 1987. He turned 76 la"t Au­gust I.

At the start of 2004 there were15 still-active bishops in the UnitedStates besides Bishop Bosco whowere already 75 or older. They are:

- Bishop Daniel P. Reilly ofW~rcester, M~&.; .

- Melkite Bishop John A. Elyaof Newton, Mass.;

- Cardinal Edmund C. Szoka,presidentofthe PontifIcal Commis­sion for Vatican City;

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