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Diocese of Fall RiveR, Mass. fRiday, septeMbeR 26, 2014

By Dave Jolivet

Anchor eDitor

ATTLEBORO — For half of a century, the hallowed grounds, chapel and rooms in and around the La Salette Cen-ter for Christian Living have been a Spiritual haven, a source for Spiritual renewal, and a be-ginning of a new Spiritual life in Christ for countless Catholics and non-Catholics who made the commitment to put their hearts and souls in the hands of the hundreds of priests, Broth-ers, Sisters, and lay people who have ministered there.

September 19 marked the 50th anniversary of the open-ing of the center, the dream of La Salette Father René Sauvé, founder and Superior of La Salette Shrine in Attleboro, and La Salette Father Giles Genest.

Ground was broken for a 60-room retreat house in August of 1963. One year later, in August

1964, Father Genest was named the retreat house’s first direc-tor. On September 19 of that year, two La Salette Brothers professed perpetual vows in the retreat house chapel, and the fol-lowing day, the doors to the new center were opened for a public open house attended by hun-dreds of area faithful.

It didn’t take long for the retreat house to launch into its mission of providing a quiet, holy space for public and private Spiritual retreats of many, many types.

In October 1964 the inaugu-ral event was a family weekend retreat sponsored by the Chris-tian Family Movement, attend-ed by 32 adults and 42 children. In a booklet published by the National Shrine of Our Lady La Salette it said, “All weekend long, Father Genest and La Salette Father Arthur Bourgeois

La Salette Retreat House has been a Spiritual haven for half a century

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ROME — As he prepares to take the penultimate step towards the priesthood by be-ing ordained a transitional dea-con, seminarian Jack Schrader expressed “tremendous grati-tude” for his years at St. John’s Seminary in Boston and at the North American College in Rome, where he is currently finishing his studies.

“I thank Bishop Coleman, the priests, deacons and laity of the Diocese of Fall River for

Jack Schrader to be ordained transitional deacon October 2

By Kenneth J. Souza

Anchor Staffsupporting me, allowing me to pray and study for these pre-cious years,” Schrader recently told The Anchor. “During semi-nary, God has grafted me more deeply into the Vine, Who is His Son, and pruned me so

that I have been able to mature into the man God has called me to be. Hopefully soon I will be bearing fruit as a deacon and priest.”

Schrader will be ordained to the transitional diaconate by His Eminence Donald Cardi-nal Wuerl at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome on October 2.

“Studying in Rome has opened my eyes to the deep living tradition of our Church,” he said. “Only our Church has such a strong historical and

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Seminarian Jack Schrader, center, is seen visiting an orphanage in Benin, Africa recently. On October 2, Schrader, who is studying at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, will be ordained a transi-tional deacon for the diocese, at St. Peter’s Basilica.

America editor to speak at St. Mary’s Fund Fall Dinner on October 22

Father Matt Malone, S.J.

The La Salette Retreat Center chapel and dorm rooms are shown above, and below is a small Adoration chapel and Reconciliation rooms at the house that is celebrating 50 years of providing a Sacred space for retreats and gatherings. (Photos by Dave Jolivet)

FALL RIVER — Jesuit Father Matt Malone, who in 2012 at the age of 40 became the young-est editor-in-chief of the national Catholic news weekly America, will be the featured speaker at the 20th annual St. Mary’s Education Fund Fall Dinner.

The Fall Dinner will take place on October 22, at White’s of Westport beginning with a 5:30 p.m. reception.

Proceeds from the event ben-efit the St. Mary’s Education Fund, which provides need-based scholar-ships to students attending Catho-lic elementary and middle schools throughout the Fall River Diocese.

It was during Father Malone’s tenure as chief editor that America published the wide-ranging and groundbreaking interview with Pope Francis, “A Big Heart Open to God — A Conversation with Pope Francis.”

Beyond his work with America, where he cov-ered U.S. politics and foreign affairs from 2007

to 2009, his writing has appeared in numerous national and international publications; he has been featured in The New York Times and The Washington Post among others.

Father Malone was born and raised on Cape Cod and attended Our Lady of Victory Parish

in Centerville and Christ the King Parish in Mashpee while growing up. He entered the Society of Jesus in 2002 and was ordained a priest in 2012. He received his undergradu-ate degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and holds a master’s degree from Fordham Uni-versity, a bachelor of Divinity degree from the University of London and a bachelor’s in Sacred Theology from the Catholic University of Louvain.

Before entering the seminary, he served as founding deputy director

of MassInc, an independent political think tank, and co-publisher of CommonWealth, an award-

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Because the installation of Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V. took place after The Anchor went to press, we will have com-plete coverage of the event in next week’s edition.

2 September 26, 2014NewS From the VaticaN

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis’ international Council of Cardinals has begun creating the first draft of a new apostolic constitution that would implement a major reform of the Vatican bureaucracy.

The so-called C9, a papally-appointed group of nine car-dinal members, held its sixth meeting September 15-17 with Pope Francis at the Vatican to help advise him on the reform of the Vatican’s organization and Church governance.

Jesuit Father Federico Lom-bardi, Vatican spokesman, told reporters that the series of dis-cussions have now begun a more “concrete” phase with “putting ink on paper” in the form of a draft for the introduction to a new constitution.

“It may be assumed that, with the next two meetings of the council — Dec. 9-11, 2014, and Feb. 9-11, 2015 — the draft con-stitution will reach an advanced stage of preparation, making it possible for the pope to proceed with further consultations,” the priest said in a written statement.

In a first step toward reorga-nizing the Roman Curia, Pope Francis created the Secretariat for the Economy in February as a way to begin universal oversight and standards for all of the Vati-can’s financial assets and activities.

Father Lombardi told report-

Pope’s advisers start first draft toward document overhauling Vatican

ers that the cardinals’ discussions concerning financial issues have concluded, and that they now resumed looking at the different pontifical councils of the curia, as part of a bigger strategy of find-ing the most effective and effi-cient way to reorganize the large bureaucracy.

In their three days of talks and study, the nine cardinals “focused on two principle hotspots,” the Vatican spokesman said in his written statement.

The first topic included the la-ity, the family, “the role of women in society and the Church, youth, childhood, or matters related to lay associations and movements and so on,” he wrote.

The second topic combined the issues of “justice and peace, charity, migrants and refugees, health, and the protection of life and ecology, especially human ecology,” the written statement said.

The way the different issues were divided into two major ar-eas seemed to lend credence to some news reports predicting the Pontifical Council for the Laity and the Pontifical Council for the Family would be merged into one new congregation, and that the pontifical councils for Justice and Peace, Cor Unum and Migrants and Travelers could be combined, since their areas of fo-cus are closely related and often overlap.

TIRANA, Albania (CNA/EWTN News) — Pope Fran-cis opened his trip to Albania praising the “coexistence” be-tween members of different faiths in the country, while condemning those who “con-sider themselves to be the ‘ar-mor’ of God while planning and carrying out acts of vio-lence and oppression.”

“May no one use religion,” the pope said, “as a pretext for actions against human dignity and against the fundamental rights of every man and wom-an, above all, the right to life and the right of everyone to religious freedom!”

Such trends lead to “conflict and violence, rather than be-ing an occasion for open and respectful dialogue, and for a collective reflection on what it means to believe in God and to follow His laws.”

Addressing the scores of people gathered outside the presidential palace, where he was welcomed by Albania’s leaders and diplomatic corps, Pope Francis expressed his gratitude for the invitation to Albania, a nation he described as “a land of heroes” and “of martyrs.”

Acknowledging the efforts made over the past quarter century on a path towards “rediscovered freedom,” he stressed that “respect for hu-man rights,” especially reli-gious freedom and freedom of expression, “is the preliminary condition for a country’s social and economic development.”

“When the dignity of the human person is respected and his or her rights recog-nized and guaranteed,” the pope said, “creativity and in-terdependence thrive, and the potential of the human per-sonality is unleashed through actions that further the com-mon good.”

The Holy Father praised the “peaceful coexistence and col-laboration that exists among followers of different religions” as a “beautiful characteristic” of the country, adding that it is “an inestimable benefit to peace and to harmonious hu-man advancement.”

Such coexistence, he said, must be “protected and nour-ished” through “education which respects differences and particular identities, so that dialogue and cooperation for the good of all may be pro-moted and strengthened by

Pope Francis: No one can use religion as a pretext for violence

mutual understanding and es-teem.”

Pope Francis lauded the “mutual trust between Cath-olics, Orthodox and Mus-lims” which exists as “a pre-cious gift” to Albania, adding that this trust is especially important at a time in which “authentic religious spirit is being perverted and where religious differences are be-ing distorted and instrumen-talized.”

He then added that this co-existence is “a gift” for which we need to pray. “May Albania always continue to walk this path, offering to other coun-tries an inspiring example,” he said

Addressing Albania’s presi-dent, Bujar Nishani, the pope acknowledged that “a winter of isolation and persecution” had ended in the country, and “the springtime of freedom has finally come.”

Through “free elections and new institutional structures,” he said, “a democratic plural-ism has been consolidated which is now favouring eco-nomic activity.” Moreover, the “efforts and sacrifices” of the Albanian people “have im-proved the life of the nation in general,” he said.

Pope Francis went on to laud the re-establishing of the Catholic Church’s hier-archy in the country, thereby continuing its long-standing tradition. “Places of worship have been built or rebuilt,” he said, including the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Good Counsel at Scutari, as well as schools and healthcare centers. “The presence of the Church and its activities are therefore rightly seen as a service, not only to the Catholic community, but rather to the whole nation.”

Pope Francis added that Blessed Mother Teresa, as well the martyrs of the country, are “most certainly are rejoicing in Heaven” due to the work done towards “the flourishing of civil society and the Church in Albania.”

Turning to the challenges which stem from “economic and cultural globalization,” the pope continued, “every ef-fort must be made to ensure that growth and development are put at the service of all and not just limited parts of the population.” He added that such development “will only be authentic” so long as

it keeps in mind “the rights of the poor and respect for the environment.”

The Holy Father empha-sized the need for a “greater respect for creation,” and for the rights of those who serve as a “bridge between the individual and the state,” stressing that family is “the first and foremost of such in-stitutions.”

“Today Albania is able to face these challenges in an at-mosphere of freedom and sta-bility, two realities which must be strengthened and which form the basis of hope for the future,” he said.

Pope Francis concluded his address by recalling St. John Paul II’s 1993 visit, invoking as he did the protection of Mary, Mother of Good Counsel, and “entrusting to her the hopes of the entire Albanian people.”

“May God abundantly pour out His grace and blessing upon Albania.”

Pope Francis would make the final decisions, Father Lombardi said, based on input from the Council of Cardinals and regular talks with the heads of the curia, other cardinals and bishops.

The Vatican spokesman said the pope’s Commission for the Protection of Minors will meet October 4-5, and any announce-ments or clarifications con-cerning new members and the group’s statutes would be made around that time.

Since its inception in July, the Commission on Vatican media held its first meeting Septem-ber 22-24 in the Domus Sanctae Marthae, where the pope lives.

The 11-member body has been asked to review and recom-mend ways Vatican communica-tions structures could be stream-lined and modernized.

The commission president is British Lord (Chris) Patten, former governor of Hong Kong, former chairman of the BBC Trust and former chancellor of the University of Oxford. The commission secretary is Irish Msgr. Paul Tighe, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

Greg Erlandson, president and publisher of Our Sunday Visitor Publishing and a former correspondent in the Rome bu-reau of Catholic News Service, is a commission member.

People stand behind Albania’s national flag as Pope Francis cele-brates Mass in Mother Teresa Square in Tirana, Albania, September 21. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

3 September 26, 2014 the iNterNatioNal church

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (CNS) — U.S. bishops visiting the Holy Land on a peace pilgrimage emphasized the importance of prayer, with Christians and non-Christians.

“Prayer is so powerful, and it can also strengthen our resolve” to accomplish good “on behalf of all parties involved,” said Bishop Richard E. Pates of Des Moines, Iowa, one of 18 bish-ops who made the nine-day pilgrimage for peace in mid-September.

The bishops prayers along-side Jews and Muslims “indi-cate that, as Pope Francis says, we are all (one) human family praying to one God. We, all be-lievers, can find an opportunity to move forward to unity for the benefit of all believers and nonbelievers.”

The prayers, which were held in some form every day of the pilgrimage, also gave the bish-ops an opportunity to interact with local Israelis and Palestin-ians and emphasized that both peoples want the same out of their lives as average Ameri-cans, Bishop Pates told Catho-lic News Service.

Bishop Paul J. Bradley of Kalamazoo, Mich., reflected on the series of joint prayers the bishops held with local Chris-tians and alongside Muslims and Jews.

“Praying together has to be the lifeblood of whatever solu-tion is reached,” he told Catho-lic News Service.

In Jerusalem, the bishops — donning the traditional Jewish male head covering, the kippa or yarmulke — joined a pro-gressive Jewish synagogue for their evening prayers, welcom-ing in the Sabbath. The follow-ing day they joined part of an

U.S. bishops emphasize importance of prayer during Holy Land pilgrimage

Armenian Orthodox liturgy at the Armenian Patriarchate in the Old City, followed by an ecumenical prayer service for peace that included, among others, Armenian, Lutheran and Anglican faithful.

Another day they also prayed for peace and victims of the Holocaust with rabbis in Jeru-salem, and in Bethlehem, West Bank, they prayed alongside Muslims.

During parish visits in Jifna and Nablus in the West Bank, the bishops celebrated Mass with local Catholics and prayed for peace at the traditional site of Jacob’s well. In Galilee they cel-ebrated Mass at the Mount of Beatitudes and at the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth.

Bishop Oscar Cantu of Las Cruces, N.M., noted that their interreligious prayers with Muslims, Christians and Jews highlighted the fact that every-body has a claim to the Holy Land.

“As Catholics we look to this land as Sacred land, and so for us to be able to come here in a climate of peace is important,” said Bishop Cantu. “To hear the human beings in this Sa-cred land where our faith began is important, and we should care about what happens here.”

“Anytime you pray and ask something from God, He gives you grace,” said retired Bishop Michael D. Pfeifer of San An-gelo, Texas. “It depends on how you use it. Prayer should lead to action. If you do not use the grace God gives you, you are failing God. Our prayer here is a sign of encouragement — to pray with people who do not think like you and accept the prayer is a beautiful sign of hope and encouragement.”

Retired Bishop Bernard J. Harrington of Winona, Minn., said he was returning with a renewed concern for prayer, while the devastation in the Gaza Strip called for a much deeper prayer when action is needed.

“We have very little time and we have to pray and hopefully get our government to help bring about a two-state solu-tion,” Bishop Harrington said.

While some of the bishops have had opportunities to par-ticipate in interfaith prayer be-fore, for others, such as Bishops Pfeifer and William F. Med-ley of Owensboro, Ky., whose dioceses have few religious mi-norities, the prayers during the pilgrimage provided them with new experiences.

“(The opportunity) opened my eyes to a reality which has not been a part of my life. There are not many opportunities in Western Kentucky, but I will speak to encourage people to reach out,” said Bishop Medley.

“Prayer is a dialogue with God, but it is also a witness to the world that we believe there are good people here with human dignity, who long for human dignity, and we can show the world and to people here that we don’t have to take sides,” he said.

“In each place where we prayed together, there was a great deal of respect,” said re-tired Oklahoma City Arch-bishop Eusebius J. Beltran. “We felt we were all saying the same prayer, turning to God and ask-ing Him to help us heal. It gives me great hope that there will be peace here, even though politi-cally now it doesn’t seem so. I have faith there will be peace here before I die.”

Retired Bishop Michael D. Pfeifer of San Angelo, Texas, plays basketball with children after concelebrating Mass at St. Justin’s Church in the West Bank village of Nablus recently. Bishop Pfeifer is one of 18 bishops who went on a nine-day prayer pilgrimage for peace in the Holy Land. (CNS photo/Jen Hardy, CRS)

BEAUPRE, Quebec (CNS) — Havana Cardinal Jaime Ortega Alamino urged Canadian bishops to start small, sharing examples that helped renew the Catholic Church in Cuba.

Cardinal Ortega told them how the cathedral parish in Havana would organize a celebration of all young peo-ple from the well-populated neighborhoods. Few come for Communion, some are pre-paring for Baptism, but all will go out and do social service for the poor, he said.

At night, when it’s cold, they will go out and help the people sleeping in the streets, perhaps giving them hot choc-olate.

Groups of young people also got involved in visit-ing a state residence for el-derly people. Their efforts attracted the attention of a doctor who worked there. He became friends with these young people, who worked to improve the facility by paint-ing it and continuing their visits.

The doctor became a friend of that community, became baptized, had his child bap-tized and started to attend Church, the cardinal said. He eventually became the director of that residence and now, ev-ery 15 days, Mass is celebrated at that facility.

“We have to start, knowing someone is going up a ladder,” Cardinal Ortega told the Ca-nadian bishops at their recent plenary meeting.

He said in a neighborhood, someone might hold prayer meetings in their home. He might send a seminarian to visit each Saturday. He re-called one woman in his dio-cese who lent her house for 12 years every Saturday. People filled the garden, the garage, the patio, filling every avail-able space. Even more packed in for Holy Week and Christ-mas, he said.

“That family was simply unbelievable,” he said.

The community grew to 140 people who go to Mass every Sunday and now have a priest, he said. “That’s how it starts.”

“It starts with this house which is accessible to the neighbors,” he said. “They hear the singing.”

He said one woman, active with the neighborhood de-fense committee during the

Cuban cardinal tells Canadians to start small, ‘we may not get tired’

Cuban Revolution, did not go to church. Four doors from her house was a small community that would pray every Friday.

“One day somebody knocks at door. It’s her,” he said. “‘May I come in?’ she asked. ‘Yes, you are welcome!’”

“She becomes quite in-volved in this small group,” he said. “She took a step and went over the barrier between revo-lutionaries and Catholics.”

“There are walls, all kinds of walls, bad memories from the past that have also to be brought down, and that’s the way we do it,” he said.

Every year at the Easter Vigil, the Church has catechu-mens who range from 17 to 25 years old, he said. Very often the people preparing them for Baptism say, “We don’t have enough staff who are compe-tent; the priest doesn’t have enough time.” They often don’t have a Sister available to help. They have to appoint someone to help out who was baptized only two years previously, he said.

“I think we have to train ourselves through action,” he said. “People start doing something; they are providing a service in the Church.”

But so many people are leaving Cuba, there is constant turnover in those who evange-lize.

“We are constantly starting over again,” he said. “We can-not, we may not get tired.”

Cardinal Ortega said that is also the mission for the con-tinent: “It’s going concretely to places in the periphery.” He tied his remarks in with Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium” and its relationship to the final docu-ment from the 2007 meeting of the Latin American bishops in Aparecida, Brazil.

When the bishops met in Aparecida, they witnessed pil-grims visiting the shrine there. Seeing the pilgrims during the meeting “stripped us of our prejudices” against the “beau-tiful simple, religiosity of these simple men and women,” the cardinal said.

The experience at Aparecida “created a humble and com-mitted search” for Spirituality that would “satisfy our peoples’ thirst for God in evangeli-cal Spirit that stresses God’s mercy and invites all of us to a sincere conversion to Christ and to find an abundant life,” he told the Canadians.

4 September 26, 2014the church iN the u.S.

CHICAGO, Ill (CNA/EWTN News) — Chicago’s Archbishop-designate Blase Cupich recently introduced himself to his new city, down-playing political interpretations of his appointment and stressing the need to be attentive to God’s voice.

“My priority as a priest and now as a bishop is to recognize that God is already at work in the lives of people,” the arch-bishop-designate told a press conference in Chicago. “People come to us as priests, as minis-ters of the Church, because they have already experienced God, and what they want us to do is to confirm, support and nourish people in that call.”

“My first priority is just to be attentive to all that God is doing here already,” he said.

Pope Francis has named Cu-pich, the current Bishop of Spo-kane, Wash., as the ninth Arch-

Next Chicago archbishop aims to nourish faithbishop of Chicago. He will be installed on November 18 at the city’s Holy Name Cathedral.

Cardinal Francis George said he is “most grateful” to Pope Francis for appointing his suc-cessor.

The cardinal praised the archbishop-designate as “well prepared for his new responsi-bilities,” saying he brings “a deep faith, quick intelligence, personal commitment and varied pastoral experience.”

Archbishop-designate Cu-pich voiced a desire to work in a collaborative fashion, noting the importance “to set aside my ego and my agenda.”

“It’s not my Church, it’s Christ’s Church. I have to be at-tentive to His voice in the lives of people and the Word of God,” he said.

The archbishop-designate spoke about the unexpected na-ture of his appointment.

“Surprise doesn’t come close,” he said. Recalling that Pope Francis’ first act was to ask for others’ prayers, he asked that the people of Chicago pray for him.

The Archbishop of Chicago plays an influential role in the Catholic Church in the U.S. and typically becomes a cardinal. News of the appointment has already drawn many interpreta-tions, echoed by reporters’ ques-tions at the recent press confer-ence.

Archbishop-designate Cu-pich was asked whether Pope Francis’ appointment was in-tended to send a message.

“I think that his priority is not to send a message, but a bishop,” he replied. “And that’s what he’s sending here. Someone to serve the needs of people.”

“I wouldn’t want to in any way overly politicize this or put it in a different context.”

Asked to respond to news

NEW YORK CITY (CNA) — Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York has urged U.S. Cath-olics to listen to the “chilling” pleas of Greek-Catholic bish-ops who say Ukraine is “flowing with blood” due to the Russian military’s actions.

During the Cold War, Cardi-nal Dolan said, “Catholics in the United States were in solidarity with persecuted Christians in Poland, Ukraine, Croatia, Lith-uania, Hungary, and the other countries under Russia’s jack-boot. We spoke up for them; our government listened.”

“We had hoped it would now be different. Things looked so bright in Ukraine for awhile. It appeared that religion was free, the Church encouraging a just, open, civil society,” the New York archbishop said in a recent column.

“Apparently, a prosperous, free, independent Ukraine, with freedom of religion leading to a revived faith, is a threat to a neighbor with a history of in-terference. The jackboots have apparently come out of storage.”

Cardinal Dolan praised the Catholic Church in Ukraine as “young, alive, growing and pro-phetic” despite the Church be-ing “viciously persecuted” under Stalin and the Soviet Union.

He said Ukraine’s leading bishop, Greek Catholic Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shev-chuk of Kiev, is a “confessor of the faith” and a leader bringing peace and hope to “a country threatened by thugs and thieves

Cardinal: Ukraine ‘flowing with blood,’ America must speak upwithin, and an aggressor on the border.”

The cardinal linked to a “chilling” recent statement signed by Archbishop Sviato-slav, Metropolitan Stephen of Philadelphia and other bishops gathered from around the world for the annual Greek Catholic synod in Lviv. Their statement condemned Russian military action in the Ukraine.

The bishops said, “We raise our voice on behalf of the people of Ukraine and call out to the people of the world: ‘Ukraine is flowing with blood!’”

“This peaceful sovereign na-tion has been subjected to a direct military intervention by a northern neighbor. Hundreds of units of heavy weaponry and technology, thousands of armed mercenaries and soldiers of Russia’s standing army are crossing the borders of Ukraine, sowing death and destruction, in disregard for the terms of the ceasefire and recent diplomatic efforts.

“At the same time, propagan-da continues at an unprecedent-ed level of hatred and distortion of the real state of affairs, which is no less damaging than weap-ons of mass destruction.”

The United Nations has con-firmed that 2,729 people have been killed and almost 6,000 injured in Ukraine since fight-ing began between military forces and rebel groups in April 2014, the British newspaper the Guardian reports. The figures do not include many other deaths,

reports categorizing him as a “moderate,” the archbishop-des-ignate initially avoided labels.

“Labels are hard for anybody to live up to, one way or another. I just try to be myself, and I try to learn from great people.”

He said it would be normal for a new archbishop to bring different emphases and ap-proaches.

He said he would learn from Cardinal George and other indi-viduals who “have demonstrated great leadership in the life of the Church.”

“I’m going to try to be at-tentive to what the Lord wants. Maybe if there’s moderation in that, then I’m a moderate.”

Archbishop-designate Cu-pich, 65, became Bishop of Spo-kane in 2010 after leading the Diocese of Rapid City, S.D., since 1998. His pastoral letters have addressed topics including the renewal of faith, the impor-tance of the Eucharist, and pas-toral planning.

Chicago’s next archbishop was born in Omaha, Neb., to a family with a Croatian back-ground. He is one of nine sib-lings.

After attending the College of St. Thomas in Minnesota and the North American Col-lege and Gregorian University in Rome, he was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Omaha in 1975. He served at several parishes.

He later completed post-graduate studies at Catholic University of America. He was ordained and installed as Bishop of Rapid City in 1998, before moving to Spokane.

One controversy in the Spo-kane Diocese concerned claims in 2011 that Bishop Cupich had barred priests from praying in front of abortion clinics and tak-ing part in the 40 Days for Life campaign, a non-Catholic Pro-Life effort.

In a September 2011 state-ment, the bishop said he would never bar conscientious partici-pation in vigils, but he noted that most decisions about abortions take place before a woman goes to an abortion clinic. He stressed the need to rely on Church-ini-tiated programs, “lest our con-cerns and our pastoral approach be defined too narrowly.”

One question at the press conference focused on the archbishop-designate’s views of abortion clinic protests.

The archbishop-designate said he has always supported peaceful manifestations of views.

“We have to make sure that

those are done that really pro-duce something in the long run,” he added.

The archbishop-designate has been vocal on Pro-Life issues. In October 2002, as Bishop of Rapid City, he wrote a letter ob-jecting to then-Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) actively fund raising for the pro-abortion group NARAL’s politi-cal candidate fund.

On Saturday the archbishop-designate spoke of many public issues. He stressed the need for “comprehensive” immigration reform. He noted the impor-tance of interfaith cooperation in advancing the common good.

He said he hoped that the upcoming Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family would allow “all the issues to be widely discussed and considered” and would provide a framework to ensure “really open, candid and honest discussion.”

Archbishop-designate Cu-pich, a past chairman of the U.S. bishops’ conference’s Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People, praised Car-dinal George’s efforts to imple-ment a “zero tolerance” policy on abuse. He expressed his own intention to focus on protect-ing children and to “bring about healing.”

The archbishop-designate has served as chairman of the Na-tional Catholic Education Asso-ciation since 2013 and has been on the board of governors of the Chicago-headquartered Catho-lic Extension Society since 2009.

Archbishop-designate Cu-pich’s present diocese has about 100,000 Catholics. It is dwarfed by his new home.

By comparison, the Archdi-ocese of Chicago has about 2.2 million Catholics making up 37 percent of the population. The Chicago archdiocese has 356 parishes with many Masses in Spanish, Polish and other languages. The archdiocese has 771 active and retired diocesan priests, more than 500 deacons, 674 religious priests, more than 200 religious Brothers and almost 1,700 women reli-gious. The archdiocese says it has more than 200 elementary schools, 37 secondary schools, and three seminaries.

Cardinal Francis George, who has headed the Chicago archdiocese since 1997, submit-ted his resignation two years ago at the age of 75, as is required by canon law. He has been in failing health, but has often expressed a desire to be the first Chicago archbishop to retire.

such as those killed in the July downing of a Malaysian Air-lines flight, which killed almost 300 people after a suspected missile strike.

The bishops’ letter charged that Russia-supporting forces have committed “crimes against humanity,” including the down-ing of the plane.

In addition to the thousands of people, including women and children, that have been “recklessly killed,” many of the wounded die from lack of medi-cal supplies, the Ukrainian bish-ops said.

“Thousands of people are be-ing kidnapped and subjected to torture and public humilia-tion against their human dig-nity,” the bishops said, adding that hundreds of thousands of refugees “are being forced to flee their homes due to threats against their lives and the dan-ger of death.”

With winter now approach-ing, the number of deaths could increase tenfold, they warned.

The Greek Catholic bishops appealed to the international community and “all people of good will” to “stop the blood-shed in Ukraine!”

They urged prayers “for the end of aggression and the resto-ration of a lasting and compre-hensive peace in Ukraine.”

Cardinal Dolan said that Archbishop Sviatoslav urged him to “just keep getting the truth out!”

“Please don’t let us down!” the archbishop told the cardinal.

5 September 26, 2014 the church iN the u.S.

WASHINGTON D.C. (CNA/EWTN News) — The head of the U.S. bishops’ Pro-Life committee has renewed a call for Congressional action after a new report verified the bishops’ repeated warnings of taxpayer-funded abortion in the Affordable Care Act.

“This report confirms the U.S. bishops’ longstanding con-cern about abortion cov-erage that we raised both before and after enactment of the Affordable Care Act by Congress,” said Cardinal Seán O’Malley of Boston, chairman of U.S. bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

In a recent statement, Cardinal O’Malley re-sponded to a report by an independent government watchdog detailing how abor-tions are covered by most sub-sidized health plans offered un-der the health care law, despite promises to the contrary by President Barack Obama.

The report by the non-partisan Government Ac-countability Office, released last week, revealed abortion coverage present in more than 1,000 qualified health plans in the insurance exchanges cre-ated under the law. In addition, mechanisms set up under the law to separate abortion cover-age from public funding were not being enforced, the report found.

President Obama had prom-ised in an executive order that no federal funding would go to abortions covered in the law’s health insurance exchanges. The action was meant to quell concerns of a dozen Pro-Life Democrats who supported

Cardinal O’Malley: Congress must remedy taxpayer abortion funding

the law but opposed any fed-eral funding of abortion. Those congressmen were the last votes needed to pass the law through the House.

The bishops, however, were among Pro-Life advocates who had warned that the order car-ried no legal weight since it was not part of the legislation itself and appellate courts had

repeatedly required that federal health care laws include abor-tion funding.

“Only a change in the law enacted by Congress, not an ex-ecutive order, can begin to ad-dress this very serious problem in the legislation,” the bishops said at the time.

Now that these fears have been confirmed, Cardinal O’Malley urged Congress to take renewed action to separate abortion coverage from the rest of the subsidized health plans.

“The only adequate solution to this problem is the one the Catholic bishops advocated from the beginning of the health care reform debate in Congress: Bring the Affordable Care Act into compliance with the Hyde Amendment and ev-ery other federal law on abor-tion funding, by excluding elec-tive abortions from health plans subsidized with federal funds,” he stated.

Since the passage of the Af-fordable Care Act, members of Congress have attempted to pass legislation that would pre-serve the Hyde Amendment’s ban on abortion funding under the Affordable Care Act.

Congressional Reps. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Dan Lipin-ski (D-Ill.) along with 163 other members of Congress co-

sponsored the No Taxpay-er Funding for Abortion Act, which would exclude insurance plans covering abortion procedures from receiving federal tax funds.

Although the bishops have called for health care reform in the U.S. for de-cades, concerns including abortion funding and con-science rights ultimately

prevented them from support-ing the Affordable Care Act in 2010.

During deliberations over the law, they warned that with-out provisions to preserve the ban on federal abortion funding required by the existing Hyde Amendment, the legislation would likely require American citizens to pay for others’ abor-tion procedures.

In November 2013, an anal-ysis by the bishops’ Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities pointed to a 2012 Obama Administra-tion mandate requiring many insurers to charge all enrollees for elective abortions.

The bishops’ conference pointed out that through this rule, taxpayers were not only being forced to subsidize in-surance plans that cover elec-tive abortions, but individuals were also being forced to help directly pay for other people’s abortion procedures.

In a recent statement, Cardi-nal O’Malley responded to a

report by an independent govern-ment watchdog detailing how abor-tions are covered by most subsidized health plans offered under the health care law, despite promises to the con-trary by President Barack Obama.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) —The World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in September 2015 will serve as a forum for debating issues on the agenda for the world Synod of Bish-ops at the Vatican the following month, said the two archbish-ops responsible for planning the Philadelphia event.

At a recent briefing, Arch-bishop Vincenzo Paglia, presi-dent of the Pontifical Council for the Family, described the world meeting as one of several related events to follow the Oc-tober 2014 extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family, which will prepare an agenda for the worldwide synod one year later.

Such events, including a January 2015 meeting in Rome with family and Pro-Life groups, will enable a debate on the syn-od’s agenda “at the international, global level,” Archbishop Paglia said. “It is important that this text not remain an abstract text reserved to some specialists.”

“In this way, the debate at the ordinary synod will be en-riched,” the archbishop said.

Pope Francis has said both synods will consider, among other topics, the eligibility of divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to receive Commu-nion, whose predicament he has said exemplifies a general need for mercy in the Church today.

“We’re bringing up all the is-sues that would have appeared in the preparation documents for the synod as part of our reflec-tion,” said Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia, regard-ing plans for the world meeting. “I can’t imagine that any of the pre-senters won’t pay close attention to what’s happening” in Rome.

Archbishop Chaput said as

Philadelphia meeting, synods will be part of global debate on families

many as 15,000 people are ex-pected to take part in the meet-ing, whose program will be kept flexible to allow for topics that emerge from the bishops’ dis-cussions at the Vatican this Oc-tober.

“But we haven’t approached this as a part of the synod,” Archbishop Chaput said. “It’s a celebration of family life, the Catholic Church’s commitment to support families.”

Pope Francis is widely ex-pected to attend the Philadel-phia event, although Archbish-op Chaput noted that an official announcement in that regard might not come until well into 2015. If the pope does attend, he said, a “papal Mass could easily draw more than a million people.”

Among the other family-related events planned for the coming year, Pope Francis met September 28 with thousands of grandparents and other elderly people, including a married cou-ple who have fled Islamic State terrorism in northern Iraq.

The pope gave the elderly a large-print edition of the Gos-pel of Matthew and blessed the group, which also included about 100 priests.

The extraordinary synod will meet at the Vatican Octo-ber 5-19, bringing together the presidents of national bishops’ conferences, the heads of East-ern Catholic churches, Vatican officials and papally appointed delegates, including lay people. The world Synod of Bishops, which will include more bishops — many elected by their peers — will meet at the Vatican Oct. 4-25, 2015, to continue the dis-cussion on pastoral approaches to the challenges facing families.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon address the congregation during a recent prayer service on the eve of the opening of the 69th session of the U.N. General Assembly at the Church of the Holy Family in New York. Looking on is Father Gerald Murray, pastor of Holy Family Church, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the new papal nuncio to the United Nations, and Auxiliary Bishop Gerald T. Walsh of New York, archdiocesan vicar general. (CNS photo/Chris Sheridan, Catholic New York)

Page three of this issue has an article which is very surprising. It describes how the cardinal archbishop of Havana, Cuba went to Canada to give an address to that nation’s bishops that encouraged them in their work of evangelization. The Canadian bishops face a challenging situation, especially in the province of Quebec, which once was the bedrock of Catholicism in Anglo-America (mainly be-cause it was not colonized by England but by France) but has seen a sharp decline in Mass attendance, but also throughout the country.

Michael Valpy and Joe Friesen wrote in the Toronto Globe and Mail Dec. 10, 2010, “Quebec, with its Roman Catholic tradition, leads in religious affiliation, but church attendance is sparse and its residents are least likely to say that faith is very important to their lives. Across the board, the young are giving up on God with increasing haste.” Although the western provinces of Canada (like the U.S. Northwest) have a rather high level of irreligiosity (with people identifying with no religion), the increase of that trend has been slower in those prov-inces than in Quebec and the Maritime provinces.

Canadian Catholic News reported that the Vatican ambassador (the apostolic nuncio) “Archbishop Luigi Bonazzi, who arrived in Canada seven months ago, acknowledged [that] the Church in Can-ada faces challenges after decades of secularization. He highlighted the precipitous drop in the numbers of those in consecrated life, noting in the 1960s Canada boasted 60,000 religious, while ‘today, there are little more than 15,000 and their average age is 80 years,’ he said. He added other sources of ‘anxiety and suffering’ for the bish-ops, including ‘the shortage of priestly vocations, the aging of the clergy, the weakening of the faith.’ Yet, despite the ‘alarming portrait’ from a statistical perspective, the nuncio urged the bishops to see the Church as the Holy Spirit sees her. ‘Do we see a troublesome picture before us? Yes! Days, months and years without apparent results? This too! Does the Church seem somehow declining? That also! But all of this is accompanied by the certainty — if we trust in the Word of Christ and we cast out the nets — that a miraculous catch lies ahead, the birth or rebirth of a Church more evangelical.’”

Cardinal Jaime Ortega from Havana shared with the Canadian bishops how the Church in Cuba has strived to become more evan-gelical, more based in the Gospel message to “go out to all the world and tell the Good News” (Mk 16:15). Catholics in Cuba have faced an atheistic Communist dictatorship since 1959, so one would not think that this would be the land which could supply Catholics in Canada (or anywhere) with some hope. Cardinal Ortega knew that although persecution often helps the Church grow, the members of

the Church cannot passively sit by and expect God to do all of the work. God is doing the lion’s share of the work, but God wants our collaboration. The article on page three of today’s Anchor gives some examples of how Cuban Catholics have made the Church present to people in a way which planted seeds in their hearts, seeds which lit-tle by little brought them back (or for the first time) to the Church.

On September 6 Pope Francis told the bishops from Cameroon, “Your work of evangelization will be all the more effective if the Gospel is truly lived out by those who have received it and profess it. This is the way to attract to Christ all those who do not yet know Him, by showing them the power of His loving capacity to transform and illuminate the lives of men and women.” The Cath-olics in Cuba who were spreading the Gospel understood that — and that’s why people were responding to them. People, once they got to know these Catholics, realized that they really were striving to “walk the walk” of Jesus, that their words were not shallow or hypocritical, but really were being put into action. Their Cuban sisters and brothers could see that the Gospel had changed them for the better and this made these other people realize that maybe they, too, could have the emptiness in their lives be filled by Christ in the Church.

World Mission Sunday is coming soon (October 19). Pope Fran-cis, in his message for that day, reminded all Catholics of our need to be joyful spreaders of the Gospel. “Let us not be robbed of the joy of evangelization! I invite you to immerse yourself in the joy of the Gospel and nurture a love that can light up your vocation and your mission. I urge each of you to recall, as if you were making an interior pilgrimage, that ‘first love’ with which the Lord Jesus Christ warmed your heart, not for the sake of nostalgia but in order to per-severe in joy. The Lord’s disciples persevere in joy when they sense His presence, do His will and share with others their faith, hope and evangelical charity.” Linda Andrade Rodrigues in her article begin-ning on the facing page discusses several of the saints whom we cel-ebrate in the autumn. Maybe we can make an “interior pilgrimage” with them in our prayer during these days, asking them to help us savor again (or for the first time) the joy of a lived encounter with Jesus, so that we can then share it with others.

We end with Pope Francis’ good advice: “Let us pray through the intercession of Mary, the model of humble and joyful evangelization, that the Church may become a welcoming home, a mother for all peoples and the source of rebirth for our world.” It worked in Ha-vana. May it work in Massachusetts.

6

Dear brothers and sisters:Before concluding this cel-

ebration, I wish to greet each of you who have come from all over Albania and from nearby countries. I thank you for your

presence and for the witness of your faith.

In a particular way, I wish to greet the young! They say that Albania is the youngest country in Europe and I wish to greet

you. I invite you to build your lives on Jesus Christ, on God: the one who builds on God builds on rock, because He is always faithful, even if we some-times lack faith (cf. 2 Tim. 2:13). Jesus knows us better than any-one else; when we sin, He does not condemn us but rather says to us, “Go and sin no more” ( Jn 8:11). Dear young people, you are the new generation, the new generation of Albania, the future of the country. With the power of the Gospel and the example of your ancestors and the mar-tyrs, you know how to say “no” to the idolatry of money — “no” to the idolatry of money! — “no” to the false freedom of individu-alism, “no” to addiction and to violence; you also know how to say “yes” to a culture of encoun-

Pope Francis’ Angelus address of September 21 (in Albania)

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Father Richard D. Wilson [email protected] David B. Jolivet [email protected] MANAGER Mary Chase [email protected] Wayne R. Powers [email protected] Kenneth J. Souza [email protected] Rebecca Aubut [email protected]

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER

Published weekly except for two weeks in the summer and the week after Christmas by the Catholic Press of the Diocese of Fall River, 887 Highland Avenue, Fall River, MA 02720, Telephone 508-675-7151 — FAX 508-675-7048, email: theanchor @anchornews.org. Subscription price by mail, postpaid $20.00 per year, for U.S. addresses.

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Vol. 58, No. 36www.anchornews.org

Hope from HavanaAnchor Editorial

September 26, 2014

ter and of solidarity, “yes” to the beauty that is inseparable from the good and the true; “yes” to a life lived with great enthusiasm and at the same time faithful in little things. In this way, you will build a better Albania and a better world, in the footsteps of your ancestors.

Let us turn to the Virgin Mary, whom you venerate above all under her title of “Our Lady of Good Counsel.” I stand before her, Spiritually, at her Shrine in Scutari, so dear to you, and to her I entrust the entire Church in Albania and all the people of this country, especially families, children and the elderly, who are the living memory of the people. May Our Lady guide you to walk “together with God towards the hope that does not delude.”

The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary, and she conceived by work of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary ...Behold the handmaid of the

Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy Word.

Hail Mary ... And the Word was made Flesh:

And dwelt among us. Hail Mary ... Pray for us, O Holy Mother of

God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: Pour forth, we be-seech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

7 aNchor columNiStSeptember 26, 2014

Putting Intothe Deep

By Father Roger J. Landry

The reason the Church existsThere would be several

ways one could explain the purpose of the Church: to proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth; to continue Jesus’ mission for the Salvation of the world; to abide in and bring about the Kingdom of God; to the salt of the earth, the light of the world and the leaven of the human race; to love God, love others, and make disciples. All of these descriptions are true and complementary.

But another, which I’ve always preferred, is that the Church exists to make saints. Everything that the Church has been founded by Christ to do has earthly and eternal sanctification as its purpose, to help people enter into God’s holiness through prayer, the Sacraments, and the life of love in this world so as to rejoice in the presence of our thrice holy God forever in the communion of saints.

That’s why what is happen-ing on October 4, at the Ca-thedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, N.J., is so important.

For the first time in the history of the United States a beatification ceremony will take place, as Sister Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, a young Sister of Charity who died in the Gar-den State in 1927, is formally raised to the altars.

In the history of the Church, 18 other men and women

with American ties have been beatified, with 12 of them proceeding on to canonization. But with the exception of St. Damien of Molokai, who was beatified in Brussels in 1995, all of their beatification and canonization ceremonies have taken place in the Vatican.

So it will be a moment of special joy for the Church in the United States when the Prefect of the Congre-gation for the Causes of Saints, Cardinal Angelo Amato, pro-nounces the formula never before heard on our shores, solemnly declaring Sister Miri-am Teresa beata in the presence of a packed 1,800 in Newark’s stunning Gothic Cathedral.

I’d encourage you to watch the ceremony, which will be broadcast live on EWTN at 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time.

After reforms made by Pope Benedict XVI, beatifications normally happen in the place where a saint lived or died — while canonizations almost always happen in Rome — and so we hope that it will be the first of many beatifications to take place in our country.

The Church exists to make saints and although few will be formally recognized as such, what happens in beatifications and canonizations is meant to be a reminder to every Catholic

that sanctity is possible. We see that lesson in the life

and teachings of Sister Miriam Teresa.

She was born in Bayonne, N.J. in 1901, the youngest of seven children of Slovakian immigrants of the Byzantine Catholic Rite. She was a bril-liant student, receiving double

promotions and graduating as salutatorian of Bayonne High at 16. She wanted to become a Carmelite but instead chose to stay home and care for her ail-ing mother, who would die two years later.

Her family persuaded her to go to the College of St. Eliza-beth, where she graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in literature, academic achievements that were rare for women at the time. She still was interested in the religious life, but in order to care for her father at home, she took a position as a high school teacher.

After she had discerned for-mally that God was calling her to enter the Sisters of Charity, founded by St. Elizabeth Ann

Seton, she needed to detach herself from the care of her father, entrusting his welfare to God. God would respond by calling her dear dad home three days before she was to enter the convent.

Entering the convent, her spiritual director, Father Bene-dict Bradley, OSB, recognized

she had received very special graces, and with the permission of her mother superior, unbelievably asked her anonymously to write the Spiritual confer-ences he would preach to her and her fellow young Sisters.

“I believed that she enjoyed extraordinary lights, and I knew that she was living an exemplary life,” he pre-sciently stated. “I thought that one day she would be ranked among the saints of God, and I felt it was incumbent upon me to utilize whatever might contribute to an appreciation of her merits after her death.”

The conferences were eventually published in a book called “Greater Perfection,” which can still be obtained from the Sister Miriam Teresa League of Prayer.

In these conferences, Sister Miriam Teresa stressed that God calls each of us to be holy, regardless of our state of life.

“The imitation of Christ in the lives of the saints,” she

wrote, “is always possible and compatible with every state of life. The saints did but one thing — the will of God. But they did it with all their might. We have only to do the same thing — and according to the degree of intensity with which we labor shall our sanctification progress.”

That sanctification hap-pens, she added, through doing God’s will: loving Him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and loving others as Jesus loves us.

“The reason we have not yet become saints is because we have not understood what it means to love. We think we do, but we do not. To love means to annihilate oneself for the beloved. The self-sacrifice of a mother for her child is only a shadow of the love wherewith we should love the Beloved of our soul. To love is to conform oneself to the Beloved in the most intimate manner of which we are capable.”

Her beatification is an occa-sion for us to ponder her words and life, seek her intercession, and learn to do the will of God with all our might, so that one day we may enjoy her friend-ship forever in the Church’s triumphant perfection.

Anchor columnist Father Landry is pastor of St. Bernadette’s Parish in Fall River. [email protected].

NEW BEDFORD — A busy time of year, the season of autumn heralds a period of radical change. The school year begins. Days grow shorter and colder. Leaves change color. We bring in the harvest and pre-pare for winter.

Conversely, amidst this flur-ry of activity, the Church offers us a time to rest in contempla-tion.

The time between Christ-mas and Lent and between Pentecost and Advent is known as “Ordinary Time,” the space outside the seasons of the two great feasts of the Church: Christmas and Easter.

“These two periods of time in the Liturgical year, they are contemplative times,” said Benedictine Sister Joan Chit-tister in “The Liturgical Year: The Spiraling Adventure of the Spiritual Life.” “In this period that is between the two poles of

Deepen your faith this fallBy linDa anDraDe roDrigueS

Anchor CorreSponDentthe life of Jesus, we get to pause awhile — to take it all in. They give us time to contemplate the intersection between the life of Jesus and our own.”

Many Spiritual mentors today recommend that we do some type of contemplative prayer of quiet regularly, in-cluding Father Ronald Rol-heiser of the Missionary Ob-lates of Mary Immaculate.

In “Sacred Fire: A Vision for a Deeper Human and Christian Maturity,” Father Rolheiser writes about the lack of silence and solitude in our lives.

“And we end up as good peo-ple, but as people who are not very deep: not bad, just busy; not immoral, just distracted; not lacking in soul, just preoc-cupied; not disdaining depth, just never doing the things to get us there.”

To really stretch ourselves, we must delve into the wisdom

Turn to page 14

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. Sept. 27, Eccl 11:9—12:8; Ps 90:3-6,12-14,17; Lk 9:43b-45. Sun. Sept. 28, Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Ez 18:25-28; Ps 125:4-9; Phl 2:1-11 or 2:1-5; Mt 21:28-32. Mon. Sept. 29, Dn 7:9-10,13-14 or Rv 12:7-12a; Ps 138:1-5; Jn 1:47-51. Tues. Sept. 30, Jb 3:1-3,11-17,20-23; Ps 88:2-8; Lk 9:51-56. Wed. Oct. 1, Jb 9:1-12,14-16; Ps 88:10-15; Lk 9:57-62. Thurs. Oct. 2, Jb 19:21-27; Ps 27:7-9c,13-14; Mt 18:1-5,10. Fri. Oct. 3, Jb 38:1,12-21;40:3-5; Ps 139:1-3,7-10,13-14b; Lk 10:13-16.

Jesus is always trying to open our eyes to

the truth, not with weighty concepts or hard to grasp philosophies, but with the light of our own common sense. Here He wants to get us thinking about what is true obedience, what truly pleases God. To do this, He chooses one of the most common themes of the Old Testament, the story of the two sons: Cain and Abel, Abraham and Lot, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Ephraim and Manasseh; one favored and one not. We all know how it goes. But this is not Jesus’ point here. Here He just asks us to consider who tru-ly does the Father’s will, one who says yes and doesn’t do it, or one who says no and then does. Of course, wouldn’t the best response of all be to say yes and then do it? Yes, of course. That is the way of the saints,

but the saints are always in short supply. Given the weakness of human nature, which Jesus is fully aware of, doing is always better then saying. This is Jesus’ way: He never hesitates to look hard at human nature and see the good and the bad. I call it His Divine realism. He knows the human heart from two directions, as the all-knowing God and as a Man Who actually expe-rienced the human heart. He has human nature down pat. So what is His point? Just that: Doing is always better than saying. Actions speak louder than words. You may here be reminded, as I am, of another saying of Jesus: “Not everyone who says ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of My Father.” That

should be written in every Christian heart. Second-arily, he wants us to realize that those people we think must be doing God’s will are not necessarily doing so.

He’s talking here directly to the chief priests in Jerusa-lem. These are the profes-sional religious of His day, who were held by most to be especially close to God, but they needed repentance too, even more than the rest. They think they’re the only ones in the world who have said, “yes” to the Fa-ther and then gone into the vineyard. But you can never

really tell from the outside, so don’t even try to judge others.

Who would ever have thought Jesus would point approvingly to tax collec-

tors and prostitutes as against the chief priests and elders? Not because they were sinners, or because their sins weren’t serious, but because they had heard the message of John the Baptist about walking in the

way of righteousness and then turned back to God. That’s all it takes. That is the first step on the road to holiness.

Finally: the greatest work we are called to do as fol-lowers of Jesus is to grow in faith, to trust and love God more and more. If we draw closer to God, all else follows from that: love of neighbor, personal holiness, lasting

joy, eternal life. How do we draw closer to Him? Mostly by prayer and the Sacraments. By realizing what we are in God’s eyes: deeply flawed and at times, sinful, but still beloved and destined for His Kingdom if we’re ready to turn back to Him and confess that we are sinners. Never ever presuming on God’s mercy, of course. You don’t treat someone who loves you that way. Once we truly know how great God’s love is for us, we seek to please Him. But how weak we are!

“The first son said no, but afterwards he changed his mind and went.” That’s every one of us who in the evening looks back on an-other disappointing day of weakness and sin and says, “Lord, unbelievable as it may seem, I do love You.”

Father Johnson is pastor of Good Shepherd and St. Stanislaus parishes in Fall River.

By Father Andrew Johnson

Homily of the WeekTwenty-sixth Sunday

in Ordinary Time

8 September 26, 2014

Trust in God

By Rose MarySaraiva

In the Palmof His Hands

We are often steered in different direc-

tions in our lives, at times having no clue where we are headed. But generally we find ourselves, even though in unfamiliar territory, where we need to be. Yes these roads may be tumultuous, may require a detour or two, and even have us yearning to turn back, but we persevere and allow the possibilities to take hold.

We have been fortunate and blessed to have Bishop George W. Coleman as the shepherd of our diocese since 2003. He has traveled many a road, choosing as the dis-ciples did, to follow Christ, to minister to God’s people. Our diocese gained a gentle,

kind man as a priest 49 years ago, who went on to become our bishop. Not an easy task to undertake, but yet he did.

Not many of us will be asked to take on such monu-mental work, to lead people in troubled as well as good times, to be a true servant of God. Yet is not our mission similar, are we not asked to follow the example of Christ, to serve one another? To be there for those in need, to comfort and console, to insure justice is found, to treat each other as equals, to search for and rec-ognize Jesus in each and ev-eryone we meet? To be a true disciple of Christ in every

meaning of the word? Over the years, Bishop Coleman has served his people well; he has embodied the gifts of the Spirit, and has looked to all as children of God.

So what are the require-

ments of being a bishop? A bishop is someone who shares fully in the Sacrament of Holy Orders, who teaches doctrine, governs his people, sanctifying the Word and representing the Church. He is someone who embodies the role of the Apostles, who by virtue of the Holy Spirit, is given the tools necessary to spread the Good News to all within his jurisdic-tion. Living not only by His words but by His deeds and actions, and possessing the qualities deemed vital for this role: morality, piety, a solid faith, wisdom and pru-

dence to list just a few. Bishop Coleman has

been this and so much more. Since coming to work for the diocese in 2007, I have had many opportunities to see our bishop in action. He

is truly a man for his people with education and formation fore-most on his agenda. Working as I do for the Office of Faith Formation, I have seen the zeal in which this diocese strives to evangelize the faith-

ful, its dogged determina-tion to help them encounter Christ in their day-to-day lives, and to connect with Scripture, bringing it to life in their current situation.

It has been a pleasure and honor to serve under Bishop Coleman, and to see him strive to empower God’s people. To guide them, lead-ing them to the well, shel-tering them from the storm, and giving them a safe haven when trouble was at their heels. Like a true shepherd he stood watch over his flock, leading the way, always bringing them home, and

caring enough to seek out those who had gotten lost along the way.

As a member of your flock, I thank you for your gentleness, your kindness and your willingness to serve the people of this diocese. You have truly been an example of Christ among us, leading us, teaching us, and reminding us of the greatest Commandment of all, “To love your neighbor, as you love yourself.” We will miss you, and with heartfelt grati-tude we pray that God will continue to bless you as you enjoy your much-needed and well-deserved rest, knowing that you have led your people well. And most importantly, we thank you for respond-ing, “Here I am Lord,” when God asked, “Whom shall I send?”

Anchor columnist Rose Mary Saraiva lives in Fall River and is a parishioner of St. Michael’s Parish, and she is the Events Coordinator and Bereavement Ministry for the diocesan Off ice of Faith For-mation. She is married with three children and two grand-children. [email protected].

Here I am Lord!

Be sure to visit the Diocese of

Fall River website at fallriverdiocese.org

The site includes links to parishes, diocesan offices

and national sites.

24 September 2014 — Ca-thedral Church, Fall River — Installation of the Bishop

Gaudeamus, Dioecesis Riverormensis (Latin

for: “Rejoice, Diocese of Fall River!”)! Once again we have an Ordinary.

I personally remember several previous Ordinaries of the Diocese: Bishops James Connolly, Daniel Cronin, Sean O’Malley, and, of course, George Coleman. All I remember of Bishop James Cassidy was the event of his death. I remember the doors of my parish church draped in black bunting. I was five years old. They told me the bishop had died. “What’s a bishop?” I asked. Good question. We’ll come back to it.

I didn’t know Bishops Wil-liam Stang (1904-1907) or Daniel Feehan (1907-1934). Six out of eight over 110 years — not bad. I also remember Bishop James Gerrard, but he

was an auxiliary or assistant bishop of the diocese, not the Ordinary.

“Ordinary” is the technical term for a bishop entrusted with the oversight of the pastoral care of souls, usually those in a par-ticular geographical area. Bishop Edgar da Cunha, S.D.V., is now responsible for all souls in the cities of Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton, At-tleboro and beyond; on Cape Cod and on the Islands. He has this day ceremoniously presented his papal letter of appointment and formally assumed the bishop’s chair in St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fall River. I know because I was there in the crowd today.

A diocesan Ordinary has power and jurisdiction in the area to which he has been assigned: “This power, which

they exercise personally in the name of Christ, is proper, ordinary, and immediate (#27, “Dogmatic Constitu-tion on the Church”). You know me, dear readers, I’m

persnickety about the use of words. I find nothing “ordi-nary” about the office of an Ordinary. The office of dioc-esan bishop actually requires someone quite extraordinary. Pope Francis (by the grace of God) prayerfully and thoughtfully discerned that the man for us is Bishop da Cunha.

Bishop da Cunha has now

First day in Ordinary Timeaccepted three main responsi-bilities:

1. To teach: He has be-come the principal teacher and preacher in our diocese. He must ensure that those

delegated to teach and preach in his name (priests, dea-cons, schoolteachers, catechists, etc.) speak the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth.

2. To govern: Bish-op da Cunha must do his best to meet the

material, social, personal and Spiritual needs of our diocese. He is ultimately responsible for recruiting, training, and supplying clergy for our 80 parishes; for the finances of the diocese; and for all other Church patrimony. He has the power to make and enforce Church law relating to wor-ship, preaching, Religious Formation, the administra-

tion of the Sacraments, and the safeguarding of faith and morals.

3. To sanctify: Bishop de Cunha is responsible for en-suring that the Sacraments are made available to the faithful, especially Holy Mass on Sun-days, solemnities, and major feasts. He is the Ordinary Minister of the Sacrament of Confirmation and as such will visit the parishes of our dio-cese to administer Confirma-tion. He also has the authority to ordain priests. Bishop de Cunha belongs to a religious order dedicated to encourag-ing vocations to the priest-hood. After a bishop ordains a priest, he becomes responsible for that priest’s well-being, support, and formation. It is he who shepherds the shep-herds.

(To be continued…)Anchor columnist Father

Goldrick is pastor of St. Pat-rick’s Parish in Falmouth.

The Ship’s LogReflections of a

Parish PriestBy Father Tim

Goldrick

Livingthe

FaithBy Msgr.

John J. Oliveira

9 aNchor columNiStSSeptember 26, 2014

The cathedraMost people have a

favorite chair. Some may recall the comedy “All in the Family.” Archie Bunker had his favorite chair and no one else was permitted to sit in it. There were hilarious situ-ations in which he “invited” family and guests to remove themselves from his chair. The chair became such a symbol of him and that popular sitcom that it became part of a Na-tional Museum in Washington, D.C.

One of my favorite com-edies is the “Big Bang Theory.” In this TV sitcom, Dr. Sheldon Cooper has his special spot on the sofa. God forbid anyone invade his space.

Occasionally he will explain to others why this is the only space in the apartment that is acceptable for him. Loca-tion, breeze, warmth, television access etc., are the reasons he chose this spot in the apart-ment and will accept no other. Countless episodes have cen-tered on this issue.

I can recall an episode when Penny, the next door neighbor, accidently shot a paint gun at his cushion. This caused great trauma, not only how to clean the accidental paint damage, but how to explain it. While it does seem trivial, it pro-vided an interesting episode. Only Cooper could react in a manner that would elicit such

comedy and distress.The Catholic Church has its

special chairs as well. One of the most famous is

located in St. Peter’s Basilica behind the main altar. It is called the Altar of the Chair. Above the altar is a large sculpture which supposedly contains the Chair of St. Peter. The chair is enclosed in a sculpted bronze casing that was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and executed between 1647 and 1653. Inside the chair is a wooden throne, which, accord-ing to tradition, was used by St. Peter.

A quick search in Wikipe-dia describes the chair: “Like many medieval reliquaries it takes the form of the relic it protects, in this case a chair. Symbolically, the chair Ber-nini designed had no earthly counterpart in actual contem-porary furnishings. It is formed entirely of scrolling members, enclosing a coved panel where the upholstery pattern is ren-dered as a low relief of Christ giving the keys to Peter. Large angelic figures flank an open-work panel beneath a highly realistic bronze seat cushion, vividly empty: the relic is encased within. The cathedra is lofted on splayed scrolling bars that appear to be effortlessly supported by four over-life-

sized bronze Doctors of the Church: Western doctors St. Ambrose and St. Augustine of Hippo on the outsides, wear-ing miters, and Eastern doctors St. John Chrysostom and St. Athanasius on the insides, both bare-headed. The cathedra appears to hover over the altar in the basilica’s apse.”

There is a feast called the Chair of Peter. It is celebrated throughout the Universal Church on February 22. How-ever, it is understood that the feast celebrates the unity of the Church with the successor of St. Peter, the pope, not a chair. It is a day to recall that the Catholic Church is united un-der one bishop — the Bishop of Rome — the Holy Father. Today that person is Pope Francis.

Each diocese has a special chair. It is called the cathedra. The cathedra is located in the cathedral church of a diocese. The name cathedral comes from the fact that within its walls is the cathedra. It is the chair from which the bishop

of a diocese presides over the entire diocese. Attached to the back of the chair is found the coat of arms of the bishop.

In the Cathedral of the Diocese of Fall River, the cathedra is found in the center of the sanctuary. It was moved there from the side during the renovation of the cathedral

some years ago.The cathedral is

where Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha was in-stalled at Bishop of Fall River this week. In the first part of the instal-lation rite, the Consul-tors of the Diocese viewed the letter from

Pope Francis naming Bishop da Cunha as bishop of Fall River. The Cardinal Arch-bishop of Boston, Cardinal O’Malley, and the Apostolic Delegate, Archbishop Carlos Vigano, then led Bishop da Cunha to his place at the ca-thedra and presented him with his crozier.

While this is a simple ceremony, it is filled with much theological meaning. It sym-bolizes the continuation of the Church, having a successor of the Apostles to lead the Dio-cese. It signifies that the bishop has the teaching and leadership role in the diocese. It reminds us that he presides over all the churches in the diocese.

The cathedra is only used by

the bishop. The pastor or rector of the cathedral sits in another chair when he presides over the Liturgy.

Every pastor presides in the name of the bishop when he sits in the presider’s chair in his parish. When the bishop comes to the parish he uses the main celebrant’s chair.

Since the Diocese of Fall River was founded in 1904, this is the eighth time a new bishop has been installed in the Diocese of Fall River. In this way, Bishop da Cunha officially began his ministry among us.

Adding to the importance and historicity of the event, this was the first time three former bishops of Fall River — Archbishop Cronin, Car-dinal O’Malley and Bishop Coleman — witnessed the ceremony. I am sure they wish him well as he builds upon all that they have done and leads us in new ways to know and love God.

We, too, wish him well and assure him of our prayers as he begins to serve as our bishop. May God grant him many good years filled with much health and happiness.

Anchor columnist Msgr. Oliveira is pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in New Bedford and di-rector of the diocesan Propaga-tion of the Faith and Permanent Diaconate offices.

10 September 26, 2014

NEWARK, N.J. (CNS) — Although Sister Miriam Teresa Demjanovich was personally unassuming, the Spiritual im-pact she had on other Sisters of

Sister Miriam Teresa is on path to become New Jersey’s first saintCharity of St. Elizabeth was so unmistakable that they began the effort to have her canon-ized soon after her May 8, 1927, death in Paterson.

Her cause will advance Octo-ber 4, when she will be declared Blessed Miriam Teresa at a be-atification Mass at the Cathe-dral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark. She will be the first American to be beatified in the United States.

Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, will celebrate the Mass, joined by Newark Arch-bishop John J. Myers, Paterson Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli and Bishop Kurt Burnette, head of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic.

The Church leaders represent local churches that all claim the daughter of Slovakian immi-grants — she was born in Bay-onne, baptized in the Eastern Catholic Church and educated at St. Elizabeth College in Mor-ris Township, where her remains are entombed in the chapel of her congregation’s motherhouse.

Cardinal Amato will read the declaration of beatification near the beginning of Mass after a short biography is read and a portrait of her is unveiled.

Many Sisters of Charity plan to attend the Liturgy, which

will include a procession with a reliquary containing locks of Sister Miriam’s reddish brown hair, cut after her death of ap-

pendicitis at age 26.Sister Miriam was known for

her bad eyesight, and her inter-cession was invoked for Michael Mencer, a New Jersey boy who

was going blind. His complete cure in 1964 was authenticat-ed by the Vatican as having no medical explanation and was endorsed by Pope Francis in De-cember.

In general, one confirmed miracle is needed for beatifica-tion and a second such miracle for canonization.

The youngest of seven, Sister Miriam delayed college to care for her invalid mother, who died when “Treat” — as Sister Miriam was called — was 18. Because of her poor eyesight, she was reject-ed by the convent of contempla-tives she wanted to enter before she joined a teaching community.

“Miriam’s life of aligning her life to the will of God is a model for all of us,” said Sister Mary Canavan, a former general supe-rior of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth who is the fourth Sister to serve as vice postulator of Sister Miriam’s cause.

“I don’t know if we need an-other saint in the Church per se, except that her message that we all are called to holiness is signif-icant to everyone in this troubled world, because it will take all of

Sister Miriam Teresa Demjanov-ich, a Sister of Charity who died at age 26 in 1927, will be the first American to be beatified in the United States. (CNS photo/cour-tesy of Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth)

Continued on page 14

11 September 26, 2014

By Dave Jolivet

My View From

the Stands

The chapel at the La Salette Retreat Center has been a haven of peace, contemplation, and prayer for half a century. (Photo by Dave Jolivet)

Tranquility base hereTranquility Base is more commonly known

as the area where U.S. astronauts landed on the moon and walked its surface for the first time in July of 1969. I prefer to refer to tranquility base as the chapel at the La Salette Retreat Center in Attleboro.

The chapel and the retreat house are celebrating 50 years of providing a haven of peace, comfort, and prayer to thousands of people who have passed through the doors there.

Going to La Salette Shrine is always a treat, whether it be for the Festival of Lights, a simple walk around the grounds, or attending one of a plethora of Spiritual events that happen there. But a visit to the chapel in the retreat house is always my favorite destination.

Last week I went to the house to take some pic-tures of the center for The Anchor for the story that appears on page one of this week’s edition. I made a point to enter the holy ground of the chapel.

My first visit to the chapel was when I made a Cursillo weekend in October of 1986. On that weekend the chapel became a home away from home. My fellow candidates and the team mem-bers shared two very special Liturgies there, and there was time for quiet contemplation on my own. It was truly an oasis in a desert of busyness and sometimes craziness.

I later served on team for Cursillo, and also was a member of the Cursillo music ministry, playing guitar at so many inspiring Masses there I can’t even count them.

Having lived the Cursillo experience as a can-didate, team member and music minister, I knew very well the transformations that can take place during three days of intense Spirituality. And the chapel was one of the prime sources.

While on music ministry I couldn’t help but watch the faces of the men and women candidates throughout the weekend Liturgies. Most went from exhibiting a countenance of fear or apathy to that of acceptance, reconciliation and peace. I’ve seen (and shed) countless tears of joy, peace and relief in that special chapel over the years.

I also was on team for a parish Confirmation weekend retreat there. It didn’t matter who my Spiritual companions were, the chapel always wel-comed me with open arms.

When I entered the chapel last week all the warm feelings rushed back as I genuflected before the Blessed Sacrament. To me, the small, welcom-ing chapel has an aura about it. I was alone, on the job, yet was still surrounded by God’s grace and peace.

There are very few places on earth — to which I have been — that have filled me with such emo-tions.

I wish that everyone, at least once in their exis-tence, can enter a place and come away with a life-altering experience. It’s one of those little gifts from the Father that keeps us going in a world where it’s so easy to give up.

On July 20, 1969, when Apollo 11 landed on the moon, Commander Neil Armstrong said, “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” But area faithful can enter tranquility base in Attleboro, and be lifted on Eagles’ Wings.

Dave Jolivet can be contacted at [email protected].

CNS Movie Capsules

NEW YORK (CNS) — The following are capsule reviews of movies recently reviewed by Catholic News Service.

“The Maze Runner” (Fox)Cross “The Hunger Games”

and “Divergent” and you’ll have this latest angst-ridden drama about teen-agers fighting to survive in a post-apocalyptic world, based on the 2009 novel by James Dashner and directed by Wes Ball. The inhabitants of a walled-in expanse of grass and trees are all teen-age boys, wiped of their memories. They must work together and build a community from scratch (shades of William Gold-ing’s 1954 novel “Lord of the Flies”), all the while looking for a means to escape through an ever-changing labyrinth beyond the walls. A new recruit (Dylan O’Brien) threatens to upset the fragile world order built by the boys’ leader (Will Poulter). He is inspired by the arrival of the first-ever girl (Kaya Scodelario) to wage a new assault and gain freedom. Occasional intense violence, including gory images, and some crude language. The Catholic News Service classi-fication is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappro-priate for children under 13.

“No Good Deed” (Screen Gems)

Conventionally plotted thriller about a violent escaped convict (Idris Elba) who terri-fies a mother (Taraji B. Henson) and her two young children in Atlanta. As directed by Sam Miller and written by Aimee Lagos, its devices are all as stale as its dark and stormy night. Gun and physical violence, five murders and frequent rough and crass language, fleeting profani-ties. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Associa-tion of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappro-priate for children under 13.

“The Trip to Italy” (IFC)Two British comedians

(Steve Coogan and Rob Bry-don) set out on a grand tour of the Italian peninsula, in this follow-up to 2010’s “The Trip,”

Diocese of Fall River TV Masson WLNE Channel 6

Sunday, September 28, 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Michael S. Racine, pastor of St. Bernard’s Parish in Assonet.

12 September 26, 2014

Dylan O’Brien stars in a scene from the movie “The Maze Runner.” For a brief review of this film, see CNS Movie Capsules below. (CNS photo/Fox)

directed again by Michael Win-terbottom. The lines are blurred between real-life documentary and fictional drama as the duo journey from Turin to Naples in search of fine cuisine, grand hotels, and sites associated with 19th-century English Roman-tic poets. Along the way the lads banter about movies, imperson-ate famous actors, make vulgar jokes, and fret about work and relationships. Regrettably, what can be an enchanting travel-ogue, with breathtaking scen-ery and mouth-watering meals, is offset by some tasteless hu-mor and sexual situations, plac-ing this film squarely in the adult camp. Adultery, implied nonmarital sexual activity, sex-ual humor and innuendo, and frequent crude language. The Catholic News Service classifi-cation is A-III — adults. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.

WASHINGTON (CNS) — The Song of Solomon, the amorous tale of two lovers con-tained in the Old Testament, has found reincarnation in a modern story of love and faith underscored by American folk music.

“The Song,” the first feature film from writer/director Rich-ard Ramsey, tells the story of an aspiring singer/songwriter and his attempt to preserve his Marriage amid a burgeoning music career and the fame that comes with it.

In a phone interview with the Catholic News Service, Ramsey called the film “a re-demptive love story”a based on the writings and life of King Solomon, the famed but flawed king of ancient Israel, and in-spired by the Book of Ecclesi-astes.

“The Song of Solomon speaks very powerfully to is-sues of romance and Marriage and intimacy,” Ramsey said. “Ecclesiastes, I think, addresses an even more foundational is-sue of where the meaning in life comes from.”

In Catholic editions of the Bible, the Song of Solomon is called the Song of Songs. While the work is attributed to Solomon in the traditional title, Biblical scholars think it was penned by an unknown poet.

Ramsey noted the parallel between the narrative of Eccle-siastes and the issues that have emerged in contemporary cul-ture, namely the misguided quest by many people to ascribe mean-ing to their lives through every-day superficialities like work, education and material things.

“I think a lot of people are trying to find meaning and sig-nificance in those things and it all ends up empty,” he said. “This film kind of gives a cau-tionary tale about the heartache that can come from trying to do that.”

Ramsey became inspired to make the film after reading Ec-clesiastes, which he found had a particularly timely message, he said.

“The controlling idea of the movie, like Solomon says in Ecclesiastes is be faithful to God, be faithful to your spouse, that’s where meaning and ful-fillment lie,” he said.

As for resurrecting a 3,000-year-old story and ap-plying it to the modern era, Ramsey said there were “fun challenges.”

“When you have Spiri-

tual and religious, specifically Christian, themes in a movie how do you have that there but still keep the movie story-driv-en rather than message-driven? I feel like we succeeded in that,” Ramsey said. “As far as adapt-ing the story to today, it’s just a matter of finding the modern parallel. What are the idola-trous attitudes we have today about sex or about meaning or those various things that Solo-mon addresses?”

Tony Young, executive direc-tor of City on a Hill production studio in Louisville, Kentucky, where “The Song” was made, said the studio’s main focus in making the movie was to serve as a teaching point. He cited Pastor Kyle Idleman, the teach-ing pastor at Southeast Chris-tian Church in Louisville who also works with the production studio, as one of the main rea-sons for the movie’s Biblical theme.

“Kyle always had a heart for teaching Song of Solomon,” he said. “He feels that in large part the Church doesn’t have that discussion a lot, you know God’s plan for love and sex in a marital relationship.”

Young said the studio’s ap-proach in producing this “music-driven love story” was to create a film that was “more conversa-tional than conversional.”

“Our goal is to create a new genre within faith film that opens up conversations and dialogue around this teaching subject.”

“The Song” was released na-tionwide today.

The film’s soundtrack, which Ramsey described as “Ameri-cana alt-folk country,” also plays a large role in the story, he said.

“(The music) has a raw au-thentic sound and it also has a sound that (allows people to) sing about God and Spiritual things in a way that audiences, even mainstream music audi-ences, appreciate,” he said.

Ramsey said the movie has a realistic and accessible depic-tion of Marriage that he thinks will attract religious and nonre-ligious audience members.

“There are metaphors going on but there’s also a very relat-able love story going on at the same time,” he said. “I just hope it sparks conversation. Any-one who’s willing to sit with an open mind and listen to the story and watch the story and take it to heart, that’s who I’m talking to.”

Inspired by Old Testament, ‘The Song’ a modern story of love, faith

13 September 26, 2014

JudgeFor

YourselfBy Dwight G. Duncan

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Today’s bishops must be as vigi-lant and courageous as sentinels keeping watch over the faith, and as forgiving and patient as Moses, leading a sinning people across harsh deserts to God, Pope Francis said.

Their vocation is not to be wardens of a failed estate, “but custodians of ‘Evangelii Gaudium’ (the Joy of the Gospel); therefore, you cannot be without the only treasure we really have to give, and that the world cannot give it-self: the joy of God’s love,” he told new bishops.

The pope made his comments in a recent written address to 138 recently-appointed bishops from around the world, including 14 from the United States and two from Australia. The pope said he was happy finally to put a real face to their names and resumes, which he told them he was close-ly familiar with.

In a lengthy address, Pope Francis outlined a series of do’s and don’ts in their new role as bishops, reminding them of their true mission and urging them to return home “with a message of encouragement” even with the problems awaiting them.

Their approach must always be positive, he said, especially with each other.

“Though jealously safeguard-ing the passion for truth, do not waste your energy in opposition and arguments, but in building and loving,” he said.

Pope to bishops: Guard the faith, build hope, love sinners as they areThe bishops must strike a bal-

ance between being audacious sentinels, ready 24/7 to wake up a slumbering world, and gentle, forgiving fathers who uncondi-tionally love the sinning people “God has given you.”

The only way to fulfill this mis-sion, he said, is to be constantly in search of and completely bound to Christ, which takes “familiar-ity, dedication, perseverance and patience.”

“It’s necessary to always dwell in Him and never run away from Him: Dwell in His Word, in His Eucharist, in the things of His Father and, above all, in His cross,” he said.

Just as a flame is always kept lit in front of every tabernacle to tell the faithful that Christ is present inside, every priest, too, needs to have the light of Christ shining in his gaze so the flock can “encoun-ter the flame of the Risen One.”

That is why the Church cannot have bishops who are “switched off or pessimists” or who rely only on themselves and have “surren-dered to the darkness of the world or resigned to the apparent defeat of the good, screaming — at this point, in vain — that the tiny fort has been attacked,” he said.

But they do have to be like sentinels, he said, “capable of waking up your churches, getting up before dawn or in the middle of the night to bolster the faith, hope and charity, without let-ting yourselves be lulled to sleep or conforming to the nostalgic

complaint of a golden past that’s already gone.”

“Don’t be bishops with an ex-piration date,” who are always on the lookout for a new assignment somewhere else, or “like a medi-cine that will stop being effec-tive or like perishable food to be thrown out,” he said.

Like Moses, bishops need to be with their people no matter what, he said.

“I also beg you to not let your-selves be deceived by the tempta-tion to change the people. Love the people that God has given you, even when they will have committed great sins.”

Like Moses, the bishop must “come up to the Lord” and advo-cate on His people’s behalf, pray-ing for forgiveness and a fresh start, he said.

“I am well aware of how our times have become a desert,” he said. And that’s why the people need someone who will patiently guide them and help them ma-ture, and who will not “fear death as exiles, but deplete your last energies, not for yourselves, but to let those you guide enter into God.”

Nothing is more important than bringing people to God, he said.

The pope urged the bishops to truly be present and available for their priests.

A bishop who is “reachable” isn’t the one who has endless means of communication at his disposal. He’s the one who always

has room in his heart to really welcome and listen to all of his priests and their “concrete needs, giving them the entirety and breadth of Church teaching and not a list of complaints.”

“And, please, do not fall into

the temptation of sacrificing your freedom by surrounding yourself with courtiers, climbers and yes-men, since the Church and the world have the right to always find on the lips of the bishop the Gospel, which makes them free.”

As a lawyer, I belong to a profession that

is supposed to be dedicated to service — to justice, to my clients, to due process, to the rule of law. It ’s really not fundamentally about me.

Of course, like everyone else, I need to earn my liv-ing as well — which I do personally by teaching law, mainly constitutional law, at the law school at UMass Dartmouth. And so I should also be of service to my stu-dents, who are my ultimate employer. Occasionally, I also handle cases and causes I be-lieve in pro bono, on a volun-teer basis for the sake of the good I might accomplish. In some ways my regular salary gives me the freedom, which many others do not have, to try to be helpful in that way.

The temptation, though, is to view my profession as law professor as some kind of self-justifying status or end

To serve or not to serve — That is the questionin itself, as if our legal justice system and university struc-ture of legal education were meant to serve me and my kind, rather than the other way around. A calling to serve oth-ers risks becoming, sadly in that eventu-ality, a form of self-service. I think we need to be reminded of the importance of service and of the serving professions, since our natural tendency is to always think of Number One; what’s in it for me?

And so we professionals, and I don’t think this is a problem restricted to lawyers or professors, need to be re-minded of the salutary teach-ing and example of Jesus, Who came “not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28). He also said, “A new Commandment I give

you, that you love one an-other as I have loved you” ( Jn 13:34). The old Command-ment, of course, was to “love

your neighbor as yourself.” Je-sus affirms that but also goes beyond it. How did Jesus love us? “Greater love than this no one has: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” ( Jn 15:13). Jesus lived and died what He preached.

Jesus served by dying for us on the cross, but He also served in smaller ways by washing His Apostles’ feet and selflessly instructing them in the ways of justice

and healing them in their infirmities. We profession-als, lawyers, doctors, educa-tors, business people, clergy,

etc., would do well to do likewise and always try to serve others, and not just ourselves. This goes for all professionals, and for that matter everyone, since it is an implication of the golden rule, to do unto others as we

would have them do unto us. We’ve seen health pro-

fessionals and doctors recently risk their lives to help people stricken with the Ebola epidemic. Law-yers like Charles Hamilton Houston, who pioneered the civil rights movement long before Thurgood Marshall and Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. came on the scene, sacrificed themselves to see that blacks were treated with

respect and equality before the law during the long struggle over civil rights. But what are we doing now to assure access to justice and respect for human freedom and equality? What am I doing? In that regard, I do not think it is enough to rest on what we’ve done in the past. There is still so much to do. Others, and indeed God Himself, can rightly ask us, “What have you done for Me lately?”

Jesus says in the Gospels: “Whatever you did for the least of my brothers and sisters, you did for Me” (Mt. 25:40). Pope Francis is con-stantly reminding us to go to the peripheries and outskirts and serve the poor and mar-ginalized. That, in any case, is what Jesus did and taught.

Anchor columnist Dwight Duncan is a professor at UMass School of Law Dartmouth. He holds degrees in civil and canon law.

14 September 26, 2014

50 years ago — The new La Salette Retreat House, located at the north end of the shrine grounds in Attleboro, held a public open house for people to view the 60-room facility, which was com-pleted the prior month. The first re-treat at the house was scheduled shortly thereafter.

25 years ago — Celebrating its 50 years of serving the diocese, Bishop Daniel A. Cronin celebrated Mass at the Catholic Memorial Home in Fall River. A banquet followed the Liturgy.

10 years ago — The Diocesan Health Facilities sponsored its first-ever Pain Management Resource Fair at White’s of Westport. The event, accredited by the American Academy of Pain Man-agement, was open to professionals and the public.

One year ago — After more than 20 years of service, Father Paul F. Robinson, O.Carm., JCD, retired as judicial vicar for the Fall River Diocese and head of the diocesan Tribunal office. His assis-tant, Father Jeffrey Cabral, JCL, became his successor.

This week in Diocesan history

laborers, but the laborers are wanting,” said St. Vincent de Paul. “There is nothing more in keeping with the Gospel than, on the one hand, to gather up light and strength for the soul in prayer, Spiritual reading, and solitude, and then to go forth and dispense this Spiri-tual good to men. This is doing what our Lord, and His Apos-tles after Him, enjoined. This is to join the office of Martha and Mary. This is to imitate the dove, that half digests its food and then with its beak places the remainder in the mouths of its young to feed them. That is how we should act, that is how we should bear witness to God, by our deeds, that we love Him!”

A Doctor of the Church, St. Jerome (342-420) succinctly offers us guidance in our work ethic. The saint’s day is Septem-ber 30. He is invoked by those with failing eyesight and is the protector of students, pilgrims, and librarians.

“Good, better, best. Never let it rest. ’Til your good is bet-ter, and your better is best,” in-structed St. Jerome. He also ad-

vised: “Keep doing some kind of work, that the devil may al-ways find you employed.”

We venerate St. Therese of the Child Jesus (1873-1897) on October 1. She is a Doctor of the Church, and the patroness of foreign missions and con-cerns of children.

“Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love,” St. Therese said.

The patron saint of Italy and protector of merchants, ecolo-gists, animals, and poets, St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) founded the Friars Minor. We remember him on October 4.

St. Francis said, “Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.”

We memorialize St. Te-resa of Avila (1515-1582) on October 15. A Doctor of the Church who founded the order of Discalced Carmelites, she is the patroness of Spain and pro-tector of Catholic writers and those in religious orders.

St. Teresa of Jesus said, “Let nothing disturb you,/Let noth-

Deepen your faith this fallcontinued from page seven

us to help bring about the reign of God,” Sister Mary told the New Jersey Catholic, Newark’s archdiocesan magazine.

Sister Mary also noted that Sister Miriam embraced selfless-ness and had an acute awareness of God’s presence in her life.

Because she was baptized in the Eastern Catholic Church, her cause also is championed by the Eparchy of Passaic, which has jurisdiction over the Byz-antine churches from Maine to Florida. Also endorsing the cause is the Archdiocese of Newark, where Bayonne is lo-cated, and the Diocese of Pater-son, whose territory includes the Chapel of the Holy Family in the Convent Station section of Morris Township, where Sister Miriam’s body is entombed.

Sister Miriam was said to be aware of a special call at age three. “Even before she entered the Sis-ters of Charity, she was living a saintly life,” Sister Mary said.

After graduating second in her class from Bayonne High School in 1917, she cared for her mother and her family for two years be-fore enrolling at the College of St. Elizabeth in Convent Station.

She majored in literature and graduated in 1923 with highest honors “but was in a state of per-plexity as to the future,” accord-ing to a biography by Sister Mary Zita Geis, a Sister of Charity.

Sister Miriam was drawn to a contemplative Carmelite com-munity in New York but was re-jected because her poor eyesight would have prevented her from helping with the sewing of the Liturgical vestments the nuns made to support themselves.

The Sisters of Charity hired her to teach Latin and English at the Academy of St. Aloysius in Jersey City, which closed in 2006. She left teaching to care for her ill father, who operated a shoe repair business and after he died, she entered the Sisters of Charity novitiate in 1925.

In the winter of 1927, she was hospitalized several times and so, when she complained of pain just a few months later, her su-periors suspected hypochondria. When she was again hospital-ized, it was for acute appendici-tis. She died just after taking her vows as a fully professed Sister.

Only after her death did con-fidantes reveal she had described having a vision of Mary in her sophomore year and of walking with St. Therese, which occurred during her novitiate.

On her body’s return to Con-vent Station from the hospital, one of the Sisters cut locks of her hair. After her burial, visitors began chipping pieces from the granite cross at her grave.

Sister Mary said her work on Sister Miriam’s cause has helped her to better understand the Gospel message “Many are called, but few are chosen,” which she said is embodied in Sister Miriam, an example of living a holy life.

Sister on way to becoming N.J.’s first saintcontinued from page 10

ing frighten you,/All things are passing away:/God never changes./Patience obtains all things./Whoever has God lacks nothing;/God alone suffices.”

On November 4, we honor St. Charles Borromeo (1538-1584). He is the protector of seminarians, catechists, and teachers.

“If a tiny spark of God’s love already burns within you, do not expose it to the wind, for it may get blown out,” said St. Charles. “Stay quiet with God.”

St. Martin of Tours (315-397) is venerated on Veterans Day, November 11. He is the protector of soldiers.

“Lord, if Your people still have need of my services, I will not avoid the toil. Your

writings, according to Catholic author Matthew Kelly.

“It is in these writings that our intellect comes face-to-face with the most profound questions and truths about the world, creation, God, humanity, and our individual journeys,” he said in “The Rhythm of Life.” “The wisdom writings seek not to entertain us, but to reveal to us who we are and why we are here. The wisdom writings gently call us out of our com-fort zones and challenge us to improve, develop, grow, and live life to the fullest.”

During “Ordinary Time” we observe the great feast of All Saints’ Day on November 1, and the fall feast days of saints. Let us ponder some of their wisdom writings.

The patron of charitable groups, St. Vincent de Paul (1580-1660) founded the con-gregation of the Priests of the Mission, called Lazarists or Vincentians, and together with St. Louise de Marillac founded the Sisters of Charity. His feast day is September 27.

“The Church is compared to a great harvest field that needs

will be done,” said St. Martin. “I have fought the good fight long enough. Yet if You bid me continue to hold the battle line in defense of Your camp, I will never beg to be excused from failing strength. I will do the work You entrust to me. While You command, I will fight be-neath Your banner.”

The first American citizen to be canonized, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917) founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. Her saint’s day is November 13, and she is the patroness of immigrants.

“I will go anywhere and do anything in order to commu-nicate the love of Jesus to those who do not know Him or have forgotten Him,” St. Frances said.

15 September 26, 2014

winning review of politics, ideas and civic life. Earlier in his career he was chief speech-writer for U.S. Representative Martin T. Meehan.

The annual Fall Dinner is one of two principle yearly fund-raisers to support the St. Mary’s Education Fund, which has since its inception in the early 1990s provided financial help to more than 8,000 students at Catholic ele-mentary and middle schools in the diocese. During the 2013-14 academic year, more than 700 families students received $548,265 in tuition aid from the fund.

The Fall Dinner will fea-ture a reception and extensive multi-course meal followed by a brief program and Father Malone’s presentation.

Longtime Fall Dinner com-mittee member Sandra Sevi-gny, who is first vice president and a retirement plan specialist at Plimoth Investment Advi-sors, has stepped up to serve as chairman of the event this year.

She and committees work-ing in four areas of the diocese are now reaching out to busi-nesses and individuals to ex-tend an invitation to sponsor a table or purchase a ticket for the Fall Dinner in support of tuition assistance.

“The Fall Dinner is the cul-mination of the efforts of all of the volunteers, bringing to-gether like-minded people of the diocese who have the same goal: to make it possible for every child, regardless of their family’s financial means, to benefit from a Catholic educa-

America editor to speak at St. Mary’s Fund Fall Dinnercontinued from page one

Sister Dorothy Marie Kelley was the honoree at a recent Mass of Thanksgiving for her 75th anniversary as a Sister of the Good Shepherd. The Mass, held at Holy Trinity Church in West Harwich, was well-attended by her fellow parishioners. During the Mass, Sister Dorothy renewed her vows that had everyone in tears. Colin Sullivan sang an inspiring rendition of “Our Lady of Knock” at the presentation of the gifts. In the program book Sister Dorothy wrote: “I am most grateful for your presence here today. In some way, you have all shared in my journey over these past 75 years. Your love and support have been cherished gifts. I pray fervently that God, our loving and merciful Shepherd, will bless each and every one of you as only He knows how. My love and appreciation. Sister Dorothy Kelley.” Here Sister Dorothy, sixth from left, shares the joy of the event with special friends. (Photo courtesy of Barbara Anne Foley)

tion,” Sevigny explained.She went on to say that the

motivation behind her work for the St. Mary’s Education Fund is “the knowledge that the fund enables children to grow and achieve in the safe, nurturing and supportive envi-ronment of a Catholic school where they can also grow in their faith.”

Over the past several years, the Fall Dinner Committee has incorporated into the eve-ning program the presenta-tion of the Timothy J. Cotter Friend of Catholic Education Award to recognize longtime outstanding support. This year the award will be presented to Fall River Bishop Emeritus George W. Coleman for his contributions to Catholic edu-cation.

Leading the Fall Dinner area committees are, in Attle-boro, Paul M. Lenahan; in Fall River, Nicholas M. Christ; in New Bedford, Sevigny; and in Taunton, Rick Clark.

Sevigny encourages all who are able to support the Fall Dinner and, by doing so, the St. Mary’s Education Fund.

“Our children are our fu-

ture,” she said, “and this is a way we can truly make a differ-ence in many children’s lives.

Those interested in support-ing the Fall Dinner or obtain-ing more information on the St. Mary’s Education Fund, should contact Sevigny, any area com-mittee chairman, or Jim Camp-bell at the Diocesan Develop-ment Office at 508-675-1311.

Visit us online at www.anchornews.org

16 September 26, 2014Youth pageS

Students at St. Mary’s School in Mansfield are back in the groove for a new year.

Students from St. James-St. John School in New Bedford re-cently enjoyed spend-ing time with their buddies.

Students at St. Mary-Sacred Heart School in North Attleboro attended a prayer service led by Father David Costa at the school flag pole to honor fallen friends, neighbors, country men and women who died in the 9/11 attacks 13 years ago. Father Costa told the 272 students that though most of them were not even born when this happened that they should remember how important it is to be kind and caring to each other. The students then said the Our Father followed by the Hail Mary and a prayer for peace by St. Francis. The students all then pledged the allegiance to the flag and hung the flag at half mast in honor of the day.

The students of grades seven and eight at St. Francis Xavier in Acushnet were able to experience a piece of history at the Acushnet 9/11 Memo-rial. Chief Kevin Gallagher of the Acushnet Fire Department (pictured above) was able to meet them there, where they not only learned more about this historical event and all those who helped to build this strik-ing memorial, but also prayed for an end to terrorism.

In commemoration of a year-long birthday celebration, students and fac-ulty gathered to take an all-school photo to begin the St. John the Evange-list School in Attleboro’s 60th year of providing Catholic education to the area. The seventh-graders formed the “6” and the eighth-graders formed the “0.” All students and faculty received a special T-shirt acknowledging the school’s anniversary.

Students and staff from Holy Trinity School in Fall River began the new school year with a Mass.

Students at St. Michael School in Fall River held a prayer service in remembrance of the 9/11 attacks 13 years ago. The bags at the base of the flag (see inset) were “Bags of Hope,” created by the students and their buddies.

17 Youth pageSSeptember 26, 2014

Be NotAfraid

By Ozzie Pacheco

Students from St. Joseph School in Fairhaven marched in the recent Our Lady of An-gels procession, along with their newly-appointed principal, Faith Piazza. The event is a traditional Catholic-Portuguese Feast and has been held in Fairhaven every year since 1930.

The school drama club at Holy Family-Holy Name School in New Bedford will be per-forming “Peter Pan” on October 4 at 7 p.m. and October 5 at 2 p.m. For information call the school office at 508-993-3547.

Richard Price, an inductee of the Bugler Hall of Fame, recently played the National Anthem at the Bishop Stang vs. Dartmouth High School football game. Price has been lead trumpeter and soloist with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra and also has performed with the Count Basie Orchestra and backed up music greats such as Nancy Wilson, Joe Williams, Lou Rawls, the Temptations and Mel Torme. Price has performed at the White House, Radio City Music Hall, Carnegie Hall as well as Paris, Sweden, Switzer-land, Amsterdam, Japan, Austria, London and South America.

September is here and autumn has begun. I

imagine that most of you are now fully immersed in your studies and giving it your best shot to learn as much as you can. What is your attitude toward learning? Are you will-ing to go the distance and earn that diploma or that degree in a specific discipline? Are you doing everything you can to reach your full potential and become successful? Remem-ber, the sweetest victory is the one that’s most difficult. Dig deeper so in the end you can echo the words of St. Paul: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:6-7).

Being successful isn’t going to be easy, and it shouldn’t be! There will be times of failure. It’s these failures that not only bring about success, but also are good for success! Have you noticed that society doesn’t reward failure? How you look at failure is how you deal with fixing it. Take for example, Thomas Edison, whose most

Never learn just enoughpopular invention was the light bulb. It’s said that it took him a thousand tries before he got it right. A reporter once asked him, “How did it feel to fail a thousand times?” “I didn’t fail a thousand times,” Edison responded. “The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.”

Thomas Edison didn’t avoid the pros-pect of failure because he knew he could learn something new from each failure. Just enough wasn’t good enough. Yet, some of us avoid failure altogether. Don’t get me wrong. Everything we say and do should be well thought out before saying it or doing it. This minimizes risks, mis-takes and failures. But on the other hand, be open to these failures by looking at them as life’s greatest teacher. If you’re willing to learn from your mistakes and failures then you have a powerful tool in reach-ing your goals.

To achieve your personal

best you can’t fear failing. This will help you push yourself forward. John C. Maxwell, a writer and speaker, says in his book “Failing Forward: Turning Mistakes into Step-ping Stones for Success,” “To

achieve any worthy goal you must take risks.” He points to the example of aviator Ame-lia Earhart, who set several records and achieved many firsts in her lifetime, includ-ing being the first female pilot to fly solo over the Atlantic Ocean. Although her final flight proved fateful, Maxwell believes she knew the risk — and that the potential reward was worth it. Earhart once offered advice when it came to risk: “Decide whether or

not the goal is worth the risks involved. If it is, stop worry-ing.” Of course, the risks you take should be calculated; you shouldn’t fly blindly into the night and simply hope for the best. Achieving the goal or at

least waging a heroic effort requires prepara-tion, practice and some awareness of your skills and talents.

We cannot know everything there is to know — no one can. Recognize this about yourself because it

shows that you have the gift of humility. And this alone is rea-son to keep learning, not just enough, but as much as you can. Make it a lifelong journey, adventure and a personal goal. Take risks. Step out of your comfort zone. Don’t worry about how you will save the world on your own. Rather, allow yourself to trust an-other person to build a deeper relationship and together work to do your part in making the world a better place. What you

don’t want to do is be com-placent. Never think someone else will do it. You have the potential and the talent, so take it upon yourself. You don’t have to know everything nor do you always have to be suc-cessful.

Blessed Mother Teresa once said, “God doesn’t require us to be successful. God asks us only to be faithful.” Be true to yourself. Know what you can and cannot do. What you can do, do it well, always finding ways of doing it better. What you cannot do, learn how to do it. Your mind is waiting for you to expand it and make it the beautiful gift God created it to be. Never think just enough. Never do just enough. Never learn just enough. Live to fulfill your life. Love to fulfill God’s will. Learn to fill your mind!

Oh! And don’t forget to pray. There’s never enough of this! God bless!

Anchor columnist Ozzie Pacheco is Faith Formation director at Santo Christo Par-ish, Fall River.

Coyle and Cassidy Students could be heard chanting the Taunton school’s Coyle chant while participating in the Walk for Suicide Prevention. In addition to staffing volun-teer tables, they all completed the three-mile route. The same group spent this week promoting the need for increased awareness of this very important issue. Ribbons and paper chain links were sold so as to promote solidarity and the idea that we are all “linked” together.

18 September 26, 2014

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theological link to the Lord Jesus, Who sent His Apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul, to Rome. Here they shed their blood for the sake of introducing people to the Son of God.”

Being able to study at a seminary situated within close proximity to the Vatican and essentially being the pontiff ’s “neighbor” has been a great blessing for Schrader.

“The North American Col-lege is very near St. Peter’s Square, the place where St. Pe-ter was martyred,” he said. “His bones still lie under St. Peter’s Basilica. On a tour of the ex-cavations under St. Peter’s Ba-silica, you can see the jawbone of the man who professed to Jesus, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.’ Of-ten I go to the Sunday Angelus with the Holy Father to receive his blessing and be encouraged by his words. Pope Francis echoes St. Peter’s confession of faith and brilliantly leads the Church.”

While it has often been said that “all roads lead to Rome,” Schrader’s journey to the Eter-nal City has been marked by several key milestones along the way.

Since his father was enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, he and his siblings have lived at vari-ous military bases with their parents over the years. Dur-ing the latter half of his high school career, Schrader was ac-tually living in northern Italy, near Aviano Air Force Base, where his family attended Sun-day Masses.

It was during this crucial time in his life that he met Fa-ther Dennis Hanley, the Cath-olic chaplain on base.

“Father Hanley first asked me to consider being a priest when I was 17 years old,” Schrader recalled. “In my earli-er teen-age years, I had experi-enced a deepening of my faith because of the example of my two best friends. Father Hanley must have seen that I loved the Eucharist and that I was striv-ing to be holier through the Sacrament of Penance. At first, he offered a light-hearted in-vitation to consider the priest-hood. Until then, I had never thought of becoming a priest because I had never known a priest personally.”

Once planted, that ini-tial seed began to take root in Schrader.

“Eventually after some months, I began to take Father Hanley’s invitation seriously,” he said. “I prayed and I thought about this unbelievable invita-tion to join the ranks of men who represent Jesus in a special and powerful way.”

Another important mile-stone on Schrader’s journey was a stop in Germany in 2005 for World Youth Day in Cologne, which eventually inspired him to attend the Franciscan Uni-versity of Steubenville.

“With the exemption of first grade, I had always gone to public school,” Schrader said. “I wanted to go to a Catholic uni-versity, and I chose Franciscan University because there was a priestly discernment program on campus. At the time, my parents were moving to Cali-fornia after my dad’s retire-ment from the Air Force. This would have made going to a seminary very difficult, because I had no home diocese. Going to Franciscan University was one of the best decisions I ever made, second only to applying to seminary.”

After his first year at Steu-benville, Schrader’s path veered towards New England.

“After my freshman year, my family moved to Sagamore Beach, into the Diocese of Fall River,” Schrader said. “I con-tinued at Franciscan University until graduation and my subse-quent entrance into St. John’s Seminary in Boston.”

While admitting he could fill the pages of The Anchor with inspiring stories of priestly role models he’s met over the years, Schrader singled out his Spiri-tual director at St. John’s Semi-nary, Father Philip Merdinger, as “a model priest” who he hopes to emulate.

“He is a founding member of a religious community, called the Brotherhood of Hope, whose members dedicate themselves to the evangeliza-tion of university campuses,” Schrader said. “His merciful re-sponse to my Confessions and struggles showed me a priestly heart and guided me towards a deeper conformity with Je-sus Christ, the Priest. Father Merdinger is in love with God the Father and dedicated to the Divine Will in all things.”

One of the first people Schrader befriended after set-tling in the Fall River Diocese was Father Christopher Pe-schel, who was ordained to the presbyterate in June.

Schrader fondly recalled Fa-

ther Peschel — who was then himself a seminarian — invit-ing him to attend the annual feast at St. Michael’s Parish in Fall River.

“It was the first time I had been to Fall River and to a Por-tuguese feast,” he said. “I was planning to watch the proces-sion, eat some food, and par-take in the prayers. As I was sitting in the church waiting for the procession to begin, a few men asked me to help them carry the statue of Santo Cristo. Surprised by the invitation, I excitedly agreed. As we were struggling to lower the statue to leave the church through the main doors, Father Jason Bril-hante — also a seminarian at the time — looked at me with wide eyes and expressed to me that it was a great honor to be carrying Santo Cristo.

“Two hours later, we re-turned to St. Michael’s Church, my shoulder was in pain, but I was filled with joy because I had been chosen to carry Christ through the streets of Fall River. I look back now and realize that God was beginning to let me fall in love with the Diocese of Fall River.”

Looking ahead with great anticipation to his October 2 diaconal ordination, Schrader said he is excited that his par-ents, Steven and Diane Schrad-er, will be traveling to Rome, along with his sister, Anna. His grandmother and three aunts will also be there.

Sadly, his brother Sam won’t be able to attend because he is enlisted with the Massachu-setts Air Force National Guard.

“Please pray for him as he is currently at pre-deployment training,” he added.

He is also honored that representatives from Corpus Christi Parish in East Sand-wich, St. John and St. Vincent de Paul parishes in Attleboro, and St. Patrick’s Parish in Wareham will be making the trek to Rome for his special day, along with diocesan priests Msgr. Stephen Avila, Father George Harrison, Father Jay Mello, Father Ron Floyd, Fa-ther Jason Brilhante, Father Riley Williams, and Father Richard Wilson.

“Father Williams will be vesting me in the deacon’s vest-ment, the dalmatic, during the Rite of Ordination,” Schrader said. “When I was a freshman at Franciscan University, he was a senior. As a new seminarian in Rome, he was finishing his last year of studies in Rome as a priest; and during the summer of 2013, I was assigned with him

in Attleboro. God has allowed Father Williams and I to walk together along the way to the priesthood, so I thought it was fitting that he should vest me.”

On the day following his dia-conal ordination, Schrader will gather with family and friends for a Mass celebration at the Basilica of St. Bartholomew on Tiber Island, where the re-mains of the Apostle are kept in the main altar.

“In addition, St. Pope John Paul II designated this church as a shrine to the ‘New Mar-tyrs,’ that is to the men and women who gave their lives for Christ in the 20th and 21st centuries,” Schrader said.

The side chapels of this landmark church hold relics from many such “New Mar-tyrs,” including Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, who knew that Nazism was incompatible with faith in Christ, and Sha-baz Bhatti, a Christian federal minister in the Pakistani gov-ernment and an outspoken opponent of Pakistan’s severe blasphemy law.

“I want to show my friends and family this holy place in Rome, and it will be a privilege to proclaim the Gospel and preach my first homily there,” he said.

Although he is the only seminarian slated to be or-dained for the diocese next year, Schrader has great ex-pectations that vocations will increase in the coming years, especially with the installation of Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha — a Vocationist Father — as the eighth Bishop of Fall River this month.

“I believe that God is calling many men to the priesthood in our diocese,” he said. “Unfortu-nately, it is often very difficult to hear the voice of the Lord. One way to help young people hear the call of God is to foster in our homes and in our par-ishes a culture of contempla-tive prayer and joyful Christian fellowship. Teach your children and grandchildren how to pray and introduce to them the treasure of encountering God in silence. Without a bit of silence every week, it is nearly impossible to hear God’s call.”

“Bishop da Cunha’s outgo-ing joy in following the Lord has been contagious to me,” he added. “I think he will con-tinue to manifest the attractive joy of the Gospel as our chief shepherd and young men and women will be inspired by Bishop da Cunha to be coura-geous in their search for their vocation from God.”

Jack Schrader to be ordained transitional deacon October 2continued from page one

19 September 26, 2014

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests

during the coming weeksSept. 27

Rev. John W. Greene, S.J., Former Teacher at Bishop Connolly High School, Fall River, 1991

Sept. 29Rev. J.A. Payan, Founder, St. Ma-

thieu, Fall River, 1899Rev. Roman Chwaliszewski,

OFM, Conv., Pastor, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Bed-ford, 2012

Sept. 30Rev. John J. Griffin, Pastor, St.

Paul, Taunton, 1963Rev. George Taraska, OFM, Conv.,

Parochial Vicar, Holy Rosary, Taunton, 1993

Oct. 1Most. Rev. William O. Brady,

S.T.D. Archbishop of St. Paul, 1961

Oct. 2Rev. Joseph E. Sutula, Pastor, St.

Casimir, New Bedford, 1961Rev. Rene R. Levesque, Pastor,

Blessed Sacrament, Fall River, 1999

Rev. Stanislaus T. Sypek, 2011

Oct. 3Rev. Msgr. Arthur G. Considine,

Retired Pastor, St. Mary, South Dartmouth, 1991

ACUSHNET — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Parish on Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Evening prayer and Benediction is held Monday through Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.ATTLEBORO — Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the St. Joseph Ado-ration Chapel at Holy Ghost Church, 71 Linden Street, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.ATTLEBORO — The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette holds Eucharistic Adoration in the Shrine Church every Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. through November 17.ATTLEBORO — There is a weekly Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration Thursdays from 5:30 to 6:30 pm at St. John the Evangelist Church on N. Main St.BREWSTER — Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the La Salette Cha-pel in the lower level of Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road, on First Fridays beginning at noon until 7:45 a.m. First Saturday, concluding with Benediction and concluding with Mass at 8 a.m.BUzzARDS BAy — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Margaret Church, 141 Main Street, every first Friday after the 8 a.m. Mass and ending the following day before the 8 a.m. Mass. EAST FREETOWN — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. John Neu-mann Church every Monday (excluding legal holidays) 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Our Lady, Mother of All Nations Chapel. (The base of the bell tower).EAST TAUNTON — Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the chapel at Holy Family Parish Center, 438 Middleboro Avenue, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. On First Fridays, Eucharistic Adoration takes place at Holy Family Church, 370 Middleboro Avenue, from 8:30 a.m. until 7:45 p.m.FAIRHAVEN — St. Mary’s Church, Main St., has Eucharistic Adoration every Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Chapel of Reconciliation, with Benediction at 11:30 a.m. Also, there is a First Friday Mass each month at 7 p.m., followed by a Holy Hour with Eucharistic Adoration. Refreshments follow.FALL RIVER — Espirito Santo Parish, 311 Alden Street, Fall River. Eu-charistic Adoration on Mondays following the 8 a.m. Mass until Rosary and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.FALL RIVER — St. Bernadette’s Church, 529 Eastern Ave., has continuous Eucharistic Adoration from 8 a.m. on Thursday until 8 a.m. on Saturday.FALL RIVER — St. Anthony of the Desert Church, 300 North Eastern Av-enue, has Eucharistic Adoration Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.FALL RIVER — Holy Name Church, 709 Hanover Street, has Eucharistic Adoration Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Our Lady of Grace Chapel.FALL RIVER — Good Shepherd Parish has Eucharistic Adoration every Friday following the 8 a.m. Mass and concluding with 3 p.m. Benediction in the Daily Mass Chapel. A bilingual holy hour takes place from 2 to 3 p.m. Park behind the church and enter the back door of the connector between the church and the rectory.FALMOUTH — St. Patrick’s Church has Eucharistic Adoration each First Friday, following the 9 a.m. Mass until Benediction at 4:30 p.m. The Rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.MANSFIELD — St. Mary’s Parish, 330 Pratt Street, has Eucharistic Adora-tion every First Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with Benediction at 5:45 p.m.MASHPEE — Christ the King Parish, Route 151 and Job’s Fishing Road has 8:30 a.m. Mass every First Friday with special intentions for Respect Life, followed by 24 hours of Eucharistic Adoration in the Chapel, concluding with Benediction Saturday morning followed immediately by an 8:30 Mass.NEW BEDFORD — Eucharistic Adoration takes place 7 to 9 p.m. Wednes-days at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 233 County Street, with night prayer and Benediction at 8:45 p.m., and Confessions offered during the evening. Please use the side entrance.NEW BEDFORD — There is a daily holy hour from 5:15-6:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1359 Acushnet Avenue. It includes Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Liturgy of the Hours, recitation of the Rosary, and the opportunity for Confession.NEW BEDFORD — St. Lawrence Martyr Parish, 565 County Street, holds Eucharis-tic Adoration in the side chapel from 7:30-11:45 a.m. ending with a simple BenedictionNORTH DARTMOUTH — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Julie Billiart Church, 494 Slocum Road, every Tuesday from 7 to 8 p.m., ending with Benediction. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available at this time.NORTH DIGHTON — Eucharistic Adoration takes place every Wednesday following 8:00 a.m. Mass and concludes with Benediction at 5 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration also takes place every First Friday at St. Nicholas of Myra Church, 499 Spring Street following the 8 a.m. Mass, ending with Benediction at 6 p.m. The Rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 8 a.m.OSTERVILLE — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at Our Lady of the As-sumption Church, 76 Wianno Avenue on First Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to noon.SEEKONK — Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish has perpetual Eucharistic Adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the chapel at 984 Taunton Avenue. For information call 508-336-5549.TAUNTON — Eucharistic Adoration takes place every Tuesday at St. An-thony Church, 126 School Street, following the 8 a.m. Mass with prayers including the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for vocations, concluding at 6 p.m. with Chaplet of St. Anthony and Benediction. Recitation of the Rosary for peace is prayed Monday through Saturday at 7:30 a.m. prior to the 8 a.m. Mass.TAUNTON — Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament takes place every First Friday at Annunciation of the Lord, 31 First Street. Exposition begins following the 8 a.m. Mass. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed, and Ado-ration will continue throughout the day. Confessions are heard from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. Rosary and Benediction begin at 6:30 p.m.WAREHAM — Eucharistic Adoration at St. Patrick’s Church begins each Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. and ends on Friday night at midnight. Adoration is held in our Adoration Chapel in the lower Parish Hall.

Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese

~ PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION ~EAST SANDWICH — The Corpus Christi Parish Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 324 Quaker Meeting House Road, East Sandwich. Use the Chapel entrance on the side of the church.NEW BEDFORD — Our Lady’s Chapel, 600 Pleasant Street, offers Eucharistic Adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day. For information call 508-996-8274.SEEKONK — Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish has perpetual Eucharistic Ado-ration seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the chapel at 984 Taunton Avenue. For information call 508-336-5549.WEST HARWICH — Our Lady of Life Perpetual Adoration Chapel at Holy Trinity Parish, 246 Main Street (Rte. 28), holds perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. We are a regional chapel serving all of the surrounding parishes. All are invited to sign up to cover open hours. For open hours, or to sign up call 508-430-4716.

FALL RIVER — Sister An-toinette Landry (Sister Anne Pauline), SUSC, died at Catholic Memorial Home in Fall River September 13 at the age of 93. She was born in Chelsea, on Mar. 31,1921, the daughter of the late Francois and Genevieve (Martin) Landry. In addition to her Holy Union Sisters, nieces and neph-ews, grandnieces and grandneph-ews survive her. Her sister, Leona Rowean and brothers F. Valery,

Paul, J. Burton and Frank pre-deceased her.

Sister An-toinette gradu-ated from St. Rose High School, Chel-sea. She entered

the Holy Union Sisters in Fall River on Sept. 10, 1938, and pro-nounced her final vows on Aug. 1, 1946. She received a B.A. in ele-mentary education from Stonehill College.

Sister Antoinette’s ministries included teaching, administration and secretarial work. She taught in parish elementary schools in Bal-timore, New York and Fall River. She was principal at St. Francis de Sales School, Patchogue, N.Y., and Sacred Heart School, Fall River. She served as secretary to the Holy Union Sisters personnel board and taught French at the former Sacred Hearts Academy, Fall River. When she left educa-tion, she used her secretarial skills as province secretary for more

than 10 years. She also worked part-time at Bishop Connolly High School, Fall River.

The wake, prayer vigil and Mass of Christian Burial took place at Catholic Memorial Home on September 17. Burial was at St. Patrick Cemetery, in

Sister Antoinette Landry, SUSC (Sister Anne Pauline) Fall River. Funeral arrangements were by Waring-Sullivan Funeral Home, Fall River.

Donations in Sister Antoi-nette’s memory may be made to the: Holy Union Sisters Mission Advancement Office, P.O. Box 410, Milton, Mass., 02186-0006.

A fund-raiser to benefit the St. Anthony of Padua Parish Food Pantry in New Bedford will be held tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. (after the 4 p.m. Mass). The food

pantry, along with support from the Knights of Columbus, is hosting a clam cakes and chowder dinner. Tickets are $7 and may be purchased ahead of time or at the door. Please come join them to support this worthy cause.

Maria Rocha of the Mission From God Healing Ministry will present a teach-ing and conduct a healing service tomorrow from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at St. An-

thony’s Parish, 126 School Street in Taunton. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available at 4 p.m. This event is sponsored by The Living Word Prayer Group.

For more information, call Mary Leite at 508-822-2219.

The 40th anniversary of Portuguese Pilgrimage Day will take place Sunday at La Salette Shrine, 947 Park Street in Attleboro. Bishop Edgar Moreira da Cunha, S.D.V., will celebrate Mass at 3 p.m. with music provided by the Our Lady of the Rosary Choir from Providence, R.I. Confessions will be heard from 1 to 4 p.m., with the praying of the Rosary in Portuguese at 1:30 p.m. The shrine cafeteria will be open to serve visitors.

Beginning with its October 3 meeting, the Fall River Area Men’s First Friday Club will meet at St. Joseph Church, 1335 North Main Street in Fall River. The meeting begins with a 6 p.m. Mass, followed by a hot meal from White’s of Westport, and then a top-notch guest speak-er. New members are encouraged to attend. Representing 18 different parishes, this is the longest continuous running First Friday Club in the U.S., having begun in 1947. The club is for men only, although women guests are invited on special occasions. The club meets once a month on the First Friday of the month, October through June, in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The club has no other duties other than the First Friday meetings.

On October 3 at 7 p.m. Bob Curley, whose 10-year-old son Jeffrey was murdered in Boston in 1997, will share his personal about-face journey from vengeance to forgiveness at Christ the King Parish in Mashpee. All are welcome to hear Bob discuss “Beyond an Eye for an Eye” and refreshments will be served.

Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, 2282 Route 6 in Wellfleet, will host its annual Holly Fair on Oc-tober 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on October 12 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The fair will feature beautiful theme baskets, a quilt raffle, books, teacup raffle, homemade items, toys, orna-ments, baked goods, wreaths, a silent auction, white elephant sale, jewelry, cookie table, and much more. Free photos with Santa will be taken from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on October 11. Lunch will be served as well. For more information call 508-349-1853 or 508-255-6076.

A benefit concert featuring Father André Patenaude, “Father Pat,” will be performed on October 12 at St. Anne’s Shrine, South Main and Middle streets in Fall River. All children under age 12 are admitted free, and adults are admitted for just $10 each. An international recording star with an amazing variety of inspirational music, Father Pat will perform from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. The proceeds from the concert will be used by the St. Anne Shrine His-torical Restoration Committee for continuing restoration of this magnificent shrine, the biggest, best, and oldest shrine in the Fall River area. The Shrine Restoration Committee began salvaging the sacred landmark 10 years ago and has raised, and spent, more than $300,000 which includes in-kind donated labor and materials, bringing the shrine back to its former glory.

The Fall River Diocesan Council on Catholic Nurses will sponsor an educational seminar en-titled “How to manage your stress” on October 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at White’s of Westport. The seminar will feature speakers Eva M. Conroy, MSN, PM; Susan Caron, BA, RN-BC; Karyl Benoit, BS; Father Leonard Kayondo, MA; and Sister Gloria Vugo, OP, BS. The event is open to all who are interested and five nursing contact hours will be awarded for this program. Deadline to register is October 11. For more information or to register, call 508-678-2373.

Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish will host its annual Holiday Fair on November 7 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on November 8 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the church hall, Coyle Drive off Route 152 in Seekonk. Super raffles include an Apple iPad Air, 46-inch Samsung LED smart HDTV, scratch tickets, “Kim’s Special Raffles,” famous “Baskets Galore,” and more! There will also be jewelry, hand-knit and sewn items, Christmas items, adults and kids instant win, toys, and more for sale. Enjoy home-baked goods, fudge, candy and meat pies. “Louise’s Café” will be open both days, so plan to stop by and indulge.

St. Mary’s Parish, 106 Illinois Street in New Bedford, is hosting its annual Holiday Fair in November and is looking for crafters. The fair will be held November 8 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and November 9 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information contact Linda at 508-995-4166.

Around the Diocese

20 September 26, 2014

(assistant director) played roles of Retreat Master and rocking babies to sleep.”

Since that wonderful week-end, the retreat house has seen thousands of people pass through its doors following a day, a weekend, or a week of prayer, tears, Spiritual relief and healing, laughter, and an experi-ence of the presence of Christ in their lives.

Over the last five decades the center has been home to family retreat weekends; Cursillo week-ends; Teach the Children Well programs; Marriage Encounters; high school retreats, Emmaus re-treats; retreats that were directed, guided, seasonal, and specialized for mother-daughters, father-son, women only, men only, married couples, single people, divorced/widowed/separated, religious, A.A., and Charismatic renewals.

Add to that the countless workshops; renown speakers, catechists and religious; and spe-cial private retreats by persons or groups who rented the house, the center can be regarded as nothing but holy ground.

Last September, retreat house director La Salette Fa-ther Cyriac C. Mattathilanickal said, “The Lord said to Moses on Mount Sinai: ‘You shall treat this 50th year as Sacred. You shall proclaim liberty in the land for all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to your own property, each of you to your own family. This 50th year is your year of jubilee.’ (Lev 25:10).

“I like to declare, as Moses did, a jubilee year. It is a time to rejoice. It is a time to celebrate. It is a time to count one’s blessings. It is a time to be grateful. It is a time to return to the family. It is a time to return to the basics, the origins of our home away from home. Mary, at La Salette, called us to return to her Son Je-sus through prayer, Penance and zeal.

“Please do come home to La Salette, visit with us, stay for a while, discover your true self in God, rejoice with God and with us.”

Father Mattathilanickal told The Anchor that “more than 100,000 people have benefited from the programs at the retreat house over the last 50 years.”

He said that in the early days, the Cursillo movement was very active at the center. “Now the demographics are changing and there are more ethnic groups that want and need Spiritual retreats and programs here,” he added.

“While the Cursillo program has moved from La Salette, it’s still very active here in the Spanish and Vietnamese communities. These communities also utilize the center for family retreats now.”

Father Mattathilanickal said that the center serves Haitians, Portuguese, Brazilians, Filipinos, Indians, and Spanish faithful.

He also told The Anchor that the Retreat Center hopes to promote a greater awareness of the Spiritual direction and pas-toral counseling available there. “We have some very capable and well-trained people who min-ister in Spiritual direction and pastoral counseling,” he said.

Dorothy Levesque, one of those experienced counselors and retreat masters, told The An-chor, “The first word I thought of when I started working here after 25 years in the Providence Diocese was ‘peace.’ And I see the peace I feel coming into the people as they first walk in the doors at the retreat center for a retreat or program.”

Levesque has run retreats for divorced and separated in-dividuals, youth, weekend and day retreats, and ministers with Spiritual direction and pastoral

counseling. “To me, this is like a safe place. Often people come here hurting and angry and with the insecurities that life can deal out. For a weekend or a day, there is a release of those hurts. They are able to let go and re-ceive the peace that Jesus wants to give them.

“As long as I have been min-istering like this, that still feeds me. More than I can feed them.”

Currently, the 50-year-old building is receiving a make-over with a renovation project for all the boarding rooms — new carpets, beds and curtains. Next year the private bathrooms will receive an overhaul.

A special Mass, open to the public, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Retreat Cen-ter will take place on October 12 at 10 a.m. at the Shrine church. That will be followed by a social and dinner for invitees who have been instrumental in financially supporting the Retreat House.

“This Retreat House is part of our ministry as La Salette Fathers and Brothers,” Father Mattathi-lanickal said. “We try to keep all retreats, public or private, afford-able. We are not here to make money, just to keep the house maintained and functioning.”

Retreat center marks half century as Spiritual havencontinued from page one

Above is a small cozy meeting area for retreatants and below is where faithful at the La Salette Retreat Center break bread and share meals and fellowship. (Photos by Dave Jolivet)