VOL. 30, NO. 18
•
Friday, May 2, 1986
FALL RIVER, MASS.
Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly
•
$8 Per Year
Three hours of sharing
Appeal Day Sunday Over 20,150 volunteer solicitors will make house to house calls within their parishes from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday on behalf of the 45th annual Catholic Charities Appeal. Visiting some 114,000 homes representing over 325,000 people, the volunteers will ask funds for maintenance and expansion of diocesan apostolates of education, social services, health care and charity. Explaining the undertaking, Bishop Daniel A. Cronin has written to diocesan families, asking their generous support of the 1986 Appeal. ' "Here in the diocese of Fall River," he wrote, "for over 40 years now, we have conducted in the springtime a special appeal to
the residents of our diocese, seeking contributions to assist us in continuing to provide a wide range of social, educational, charitable and pastoral programs of care for those in need. This is our annual Catholic Charities Appeal, and as bishop of our diocese, I am writing to you today to enlist your generous and enthusiastic support in response to this appeal. "Our theme for the 1986 Catholic Charities Appeal is 'Reach Out In Love.' Every disciple of the Risen Savior has the responsibility and the privilege of manifesting his or her love for brothers and sisters in tangible ways: healing the suffering, consoling those with troubled hearts and souls, proclaiming the gospel, the Good News. "While it may be difficult for
you to reach out in love much beyond the boundaries of your own home and family, your own neighborhood and parish, your o~n place of employment or recreation, nonetheless, the agencies and institutions which depend upon our annual Catholic Charities Appeal do reach out in much wider, deeper range, to encompass countless thousands of people. "What an exciting thought: it is possible to enlarge the scope of our charity and love by participating in the appeal, by supporting those who do what we, personally' and individually, cannot do, in touching the lives of so very many people who need healing and consoling, who need care and instrucTurn to Page Six
Referendum hopes expressed
Pro-lifers at work
As The Anchor went to press, results of Wednesday's meeting of state legislators sitting in Constitutional Convention were not yet known. The Convention was held to determine whether to place a referendum question on tax-funded abortion on the November 4 ballot. Before the Convention, Jeffrey J. Dongvillo, pro-life education director for the Massachusetts Catholic Conference, expressed confidence that legislators would decide in favor of the question. He quoted an earlier release from Gerald D'Avolio, Massachusetts Catholic Conference executive director.
D'Avolio said the referendum will allow the voters of the Commonwealth to express whether or not they want their tax dollars to pay for Medicaid abortion. "The citizens of this state have never approved the use oftheir tax dollars for welfare abortions. The state legislature has never approved tax-funded abortion. We are one of only 14 states still funding Medicaid abortions. Some of these abortions are for minor girls, performed without their parents' knowledge or consent," he continued. "This referendum will allow the people of Massachusetts to make our state constitution neutral on
abortion and would allow the state legislature to act later to stop taxfunded abortion- Medicaid abortions," the Massachusetts Catholic Conference director explained. "In 1977-," he said, "the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the right of the federal government and the states to refuse to fund medically unnecessary abortions. In 1979, the Massachusetts legislature passed and the governor signed a state law restricting tax funded abortions. "In 1981, the state Supreme Court struck down this statute, Turn to Page Six
Linking hospitals, nursing homes
Feasibility study underway St Anne's Health Care System, ial Home in Fall River, Our Lady's Inc., the parent corporation of St Haven in Fairhaven, Marian ManAnne's Hospital in Fall River, and or in Taunton and Madonna Manthe Diocese of Fall River have or in North Attleboro. agreed to investigate the feasibility In a joint 'announcement, Most of consolidating ownership and Reverend Daniel A. Cronin, operation of the four diocesan S.T.D., Bishop of-Fall River and long-term care facilities in a subsi- president of each of the four hopies diary corporation affiliated with , for care of the elderly, and Sister the St. Anne's Health Care System. Dorothy Ruggiero, D.P., provinThe homes are Catholic Memorcial superior of the Dominican
Sisters of the Presentation whose provincial house is in Dighton, and chairman of St. Anne's Health Care System, Inc., stated that both church organizations recognize that Southeastern Masssachusetts has a rapidly growing elderly population with unique service needs. In today's rapidly changing health care environment, it is critiTurn to Page Six
"Mother and Child" from 13th century psalter
Our Ble~sed Lady Maria, men and angels sing Maria, mother of our King. Live, rosy princess, live. And may the bright Crown of a most incomparable light Embrace thy radiant brows. 0 may the best Of everlasting joys bathe thy white breast. Live, our chaste love, the holy mirth Of heaven; the, humble pride of earth. Live, crown of women; 'queen of men. Live, mistress of our song. And when Our weak desires have done their best, Sweet angels, come, and'sing the rest. - Richard Croshaw