Diocese of Fall River, Mass.
F riday , November 20, 2015
Diocesan prison ministry causing a ‘chain reaction’
By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff beckyaubut@anchornews.org
FAIRHAVEN — Volunteers for the prison ministry program of the Fall River Diocese have been visiting the Bristol County Jail and House of Correction in North Dartmouth for almost 20 years, spending multiple weekends during the year on separate Residents Encountering Christ retreats for men and women inmates, and visiting weekly for follow-up meetings. Passing more than 60 retreats at this point, longtime prison ministry volunteer and Spiritual director from St. Joseph’s Parish in Fairhaven, Deacon Douglas Medeiros said that the recent men’s retreat “was just unbelievable. I would say our retreats have just gotten better and better. The retreats are based
Miss America 2001 Angela Perez Baraquio (at left), now a Catholic school principal in California, was the guest speaker at last week’s annual Fall Scholarship Dinner of the Foundation to Advance Catholic Education. Joining her under its banner are Jane Robin of the FACE Cape Cod Office; Sandra L. Sevigney, Fall Dinner chairperson; and Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V. (Photo by John E. Kearns Jr.)
Joe Martino, a member of St. Julie Billiart Parish in North Dartmouth, and also a member of the Residents Encountering Christ prison ministry in the diocese, displays a cross made of two pieces of chain and fastened together into a cross to make a pendant for a necklace. The crosses help raise funds for various diocesan ministries. (Photo from www.ChainCrossing.com)
on the Paschal Mystery, so Friday night is about dying, Saturday is about rising and Sunday is about Christ coming again into our lives. The talks are focused around those themes.” This past men’s retreat also had a first for the program — a former inmate as a facilitator of the retreat “and that is the first time in our history where we’ve had a former inmate direct the retreat,” said Deacon Medeiros. The program currently has two former inmates on team and during Deacon Medeiros’ past 10 years in the program, there’s never been any former inmates on team: “They are just incredibly powerful examples of what can happen when you let your faith be so part of your life, and you practice it,” he said. “In the back of my head, growing up, I always wanted to be a pen pal to a person who was an inmate — I always had that little leaning there,” said Sister Marianna Sylvester, R.S.M., a member of Our Lady of Assumption Parish in New Bedford who has been involved in prison ministry for the past 18 years. “When I was asked to participate, I was still hesitant. What I discovered and what I had Turn to page 18
Attleboro parish to offer Year of Mercy prayer program By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff kensouza@anchornews.org ATTLEBORO — In honor of the Jubilee Year of Mercy announced by Pope Francis earlier this year, St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Attleboro will initiate a three-hour program of prayer and reparation on First Friday evenings and First Saturday mornings of each month. Catholic faithful throughout the diocese are invited to participate in this monthly First Friday and First Saturday program to fulfill the requests of the Sacred Heart
of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The program will begin on the First Friday evening, December 4, from 9 p.m. to midnight at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, 71 Linden Street in Attleboro. The program will provide the faithful with a solemn and prayerful opportunity to fulfill the requests of Our Lord to make the first nine Fridays in reparation to His Sacred Heart and obtain the 12 promises of His Sacred Heart. The evening will begin with adoration, meditation on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary, hymns Turn to page 15
Anchor subscription drive kicks off in this edition
By Dave Jolivet Editor davejolivet@anchornews.org FALL RIVER — Anchor readers will notice that there is a subscription envelope insert included with this week’s edition. As was mentioned in a front-page story in last week’s edition, because of the upcoming parish assessments beginning Jan. 1, 2016, The Anchor will no longer be subsidized by diocesan parishes. While this will put a strain on Anchor resources, the publication is appealing directly to subscribers, instead of going through diocesan parishes. Current Anchor subscribers are encouraged to renew their subscriptions with this envelope insert. By doing so, their current subscription will continue when it is scheduled to lapse. That would be a differ-
ent date for various subscribers, depending on when the subscriptions initially began. There is a section on the insert for new subscribers to begin receiving The Anchor at their residences, and there is also an option for individuals to submit a tax-deductible contribution to keep the 58-year publication in production. As was also mentioned in last week’s Anchor article, The Anchor, as of Jan. 8, 2016 will become a bi-weekly publication. With the change, The Anchor plans on carrying a much larger local content, concentrating on diocesan events, news stories and features. The paper will also continue to bring readers its fine lineup of local columnists. The Anchor encourages all subscribers to renew their subscriptions, and to encourage others to become a member of The Anchor family by subscribing for the first time.