Diocese of Fall River, Mass.
F riday , November 14, 2014
Massachusetts voters approve earned sick time referendum
By Christine M. Williams Anchor Correspondent
Fifteen years ago last week, the former Provincial House at La Salette Shrine in Attleboro was destroyed in an early morning fire on Nov. 5, 1999, claiming the life of Father Michael O’Brien, OFM, Cap., a visiting priest from Wales. (Anchor file photo)
Remembering La Salette’s tragic loss 15 years later By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff
ATTLEBORO — During this month of November when the faithful are asked to remember all the souls in purgatory who have passed on, the closeknit La Salette Shrine community in Attleboro is offering a special prayer for the soul of a dear, departed priest who lost his life in a tragic fire on the shrine grounds 15 years ago. Capuchin Father Michael O’Brien, a visiting priest from Wales who was staying at the former Provincial House on
WAREHAM — The Sacred Hearts Retreat and Spirituality Center in Wareham recently hosted a weekend Charis Seekers’ Retreat, a Jesuit ministry for young adults in their 20s and 30s that strives to
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the shrine property, was killed when the building was destroyed in a tragic fire in the early morning hours of Nov. 5, 1999. A memorial blog posting has been set up via La Salette’s website asking people to remember Father O’Brien in their prayers and as a tribute to the centuryold stone structure — more commonly known as “The Castle” — that once graced the western portion of the Attleboro shrine property. An email sent from the shrine on the 15th anniversary of the devastation read, Turn to page 18
Charis Seekers’ Retreat building UMD’s campus ministry roots By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff
BOSTON — On Election Day, 60 percent of Massachusetts voters extended the right to earn sick time to all wage earners in the state. Those workers will soon be able to accrue one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked. The law, a result of the voters’ approval of Question 4, will take effect on July 1, 2015. Lewis Finfer, director of the Massachusetts Communities Action Network, said the new law will allow almost one million workers to take care of themselves and their families. “It’s about fairness,” Finfer said. “We’re taught in our faith tradition to put our faith values out into the
world, and I think this very much affirmed people’s values about the dignity of people.” Many faith-based groups supported the measure, including more than 20 Catholic parishes in the Diocese of Fall River that collected signatures for the ballot measure. A statement from United Interfaith Action of Fall River and New Bedford said, “No parent in Massachusetts will be forced to choose between going to work to put food on the table and staying home to take care of a sick child. No worker will risk losing their job because they need to see a doctor.” The four bishops of Massachusetts
help individuals to see the grace of the Catholic faith in his or her life. Each retreat offers young adults the opportunities to find grace in the faith through talks, prayer and reflection. “Seekers is for a young person looking Turn to page 15
Students who attended the recent Seekers’ Retreat sponsored by the UMass Dartmouth Campus Ministry, brought forth their prayers during the closing service
Members of the Men of St. Bernard’s group from the Assonet parish, volunteered to build a ramp for an area handicapped individual last Saturday. The group, established this past summer, invites members as soon as they make their Confirmation. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza)
New Assonet men’s group ramps things up to help someone in need By Dave Jolivet Anchor Editor
ASSONET — There is a group of men from St. Bernard’s Parish in Assonet who, last weekend decided to ramp things up a bit. The Men of St. Bernard’s is a fledgling parish organization that took flight only this past summer. One of the founders, Mike Faria, a former Grand Knight of the parish’s Knights of Columbus Council, told The Anchor that he and some other Knights were concerned about the fouryear span between when a young man makes his Confirmation and age 18 when he can become a member of the Knights. “We wanted these young men to have something to be a part of right after they
make their Confirmation,” Faria said. “Since the parish has no youth group, and the Knights are a few years off, we asked our pastor, Father Mike Racine, if we could establish a new group for men from post-Confirmation age on. He was on board right away. “Almost immediately, we had a core group of 30 individuals, including several teens who had recently been confirmed.” The group meets monthly and the mission is to provide an organization for men of the parish, committed to the collective Spiritual growth and support of the parish. “Mike Faria and some others approached me with this idea and I gave my Turn to page 18