Diocese of Fall River, Mass. † Friday, March 24, 2023
Bishop Connolly school family responds to news of closure with love and support
their parents and guardians, and the faculty and staff, it has been a davejolivet@anchornews.org time when this group has rallied around each other for support and FALL RIVER — On March comfort. 8, the Diocese of Fall River anOver the past several years, the nounced that Bishop Connolly Diocese of Fall River has worked High School in Fall River would hard to maintain educational cease operations at the end of the 2022-23 academic year. Despite the excellence, expand enrollment and recruitment activities, and bolster diocese’s best efforts to maintain financial aid the operational e are very saddened opportunities and financial with the news of the at the school. viability of this school, the con- closing of your school. We know Despite these how hard you and the staff work efforts, Bishop tinued decline to build a community of love and Connolly has in enrollment and substantial values that we decided to send our experienced a significant financial impact daughter to your school. We apof the pandemic preciate everything you have done decline in enrollment and, and current eco- and we will pray for everyone.” as a result, the nomic environdiocese has spent over $1 million to ment proved unsustainable. sustain the school over the past five News about the closing of Bishop Connolly High School came years. The diocese said in a press as a shock to many in the Fall River release that it no longer has the recommunity and beyond. What had sources to continue to keep Bishop Connolly operational. been a mainstay in the city’s north “While we sincerely regret end on Elsbree Street since 1966 is having to close Bishop Connolly, closing its doors at the end of the our ultimate goal is to strengthen current academic year. Catholic education in the Diocese While the news was a terrible blow, especially to the students, 8 Turn to page 13 By Dave Jolivet Editor
“W
Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., right, and presenters Father Roger Landry and Mari Pablo, take part in a Question and Answer session at the recent diocesan Women’s and Men’s Conference in Easton. (Photo by Deacon Alan Thadeu)
Hundreds from across the area attend return of diocesan Women’s and Men’s Conference EASTON — “It’s so good to the day’s multifaceted program. be together again,” a very pleased It was “a day of prayer, listenBishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., ing, reflection, and sharing now said in remarks welcoming the crowned with the celebration of hundreds of faithful to the first the Eucharist,” said Bishop da in-person Women’s and Men’s Cunha, before beginning a Mass to Conference held in the Diocese close the conference. The bishop of Fall River in three years bewas the principal celebrant and cause of postponements due to the homilist. coronavirus panReflecting on the demic. The Lenten Gospel passage of day of spiritual the Samaritan womrenewal took place an meeting Jesus at on Saturday, March the well and forev11, in the Ames er being changed Sports Complex at because of it, Bishop Stonehill College in da Cunha explained Easton. in his homily that It was his hope, that experience the bishop shared, should be ours as that attendees would well. be able as best they could to put “When we encounter Jesus, aside “our concerns, troubles, that’s what ought to happen. We and busyness of our daily lives” should be changed,” he said. for an opportunity to “experience All of us thirst like the Samarstrengthening and renewal of itan woman at the well, he continfaith.” ued, but “only Jesus has the waters The conference theme of “Rethat quench our thirst forever; only ceive Jesus, Worship Jesus,” mirror- Jesus has all the answers; only Jesus ing the National Eucharistic Reviv- offers the ultimate fulfillment of al now underway, was reflected in March 24, 82023 Turn †to page eight 1