Diocese of Fall River, Mass.
F riday , December 12, 2014
Diocesan faithful celebrate feast of ‘Empress of America’ By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff
Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., celebrated Mass with the Catholic schools from the Attleboro deanery in the auditorium of Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro. It was the bishop’s first trip to Bishop Feehan and for many students, the first time they got to see the newly-appointed bishop. (Photo by Becky Aubut)
Bishop da Cunha celebrates Mass with Attleboro area schools By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff
ATTLEBORO — It was another first for the newly-appointed bishop of the Fall River Diocese, as Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., celebrated a Mass with students from the Catholic schools from the Attleboro deanery in the auditorium of Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro.
“I am really happy to be here with all of you this morning. This is my first time here at Bishop Feehan High School, and my first time meeting some of you. Today we come together to pray and to hear God’s Word,” began the bishop to the crowd of young faces that also included the superintendent of Catholic schools, Dr. Michael Griffin, assistant superinten-
dent Dr. Donna Boyle, and assistant superintendent for personnel, Louise Kane, in attendance. Speaking to the young crowd, Bishop da Cunha created a homily that helped the youth connect the Christmas season with their Catholic faith, and explained to the students that the Advent season is more Turn to page 18
Third Sunday of Advent 2014 — December 14
For half a century, Fairhaven group has been spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus By Christine M. Williams Anchor Correspondent
FAIRHAVEN — Every Catholic family in the Diocese of Fall River is invited to open their doors and hearts to Jesus. The Men of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Fairhaven enthrone homes in order to spread the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. They say that the enthronement ceremony brings peace, promotes prayer and strengthens family bonds. They
have seen the benefits in their own homes and the 50 homes they visit each year. They would like to share the devotion’s graces with many more. “Once you open your heart to loving Jesus more, your life starts to change,” said Marc Costa, the Fairhaven chapter’s president. There is a second chapter in the Fall River Diocese, and between the two groups, there are members who are willing to travel all over Massachusetts. “We go
from home to home — wherever we’re invited,” Costa said. At the initial visit, the men bring a statue of Mary and get to know the family. The following week, they come again to speak about the devotion to the Sacred Heart. The next visit is the enthronement, which usually consists of a Mass along with the hanging of an image of the Sacred Heart. Later, the men will follow up with the families who Turn to page 18
TAUNTON — As Spanishspeaking Catholics worldwide prepared to celebrate the feasts of St. Juan Diego on December 9 and Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12, members of several Hispanic parishes within the Fall River Diocese were also preparing for their own annual Mass to mark the occasion this weekend. This year the annual Spanish language Mass honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe will be held tomorrow beginning at 6 p.m. at St. Anthony’s Church in Taunton with Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., as the principal celebrant. With a growing number of Hispanic cultures moving into the area, Spanish language Masses are among the most popular non-English services in the diocese, second only to Portuguese. “It’s a nice tradition and some of the Hispanic communities are actually growing (within the diocese), so it’s good to be able to get everyone together in one
place,” said Father Marc Fallon, C.S.C., regional coordinator of the Hispanic apostolate and priest in residence at St. Mary’s Parish in Taunton. “It’s certainly become a high point for the Hispanic community over the years.” Noting there are currently “seven different parishes that sponsor Hispanic ministries in the diocese,” Father Fallon explained that historically the annual observance has rotated among those seven locations — Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. James Parish and St. Kilian’s Parish in New Bedford; St. Francis Xavier Parish in Hyannis; St. Mary/Our Lady of the Isle Parish in Nantucket; the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in Fall River; St. Vincent de Paul Parish (formerly St. Joseph Parish) in Attleboro; and his own St. Mary’s Parish in Taunton. But because the Mass has consistently drawn larger crowds in recent years, Father Fallon said this year’s Taunton Turn to page 15
Members of the Diocesan Hispanic Choir have been rehearsing for the annual celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe, to be held this year at St. Anthony’s Parish in Taunton tomorrow night beginning at 6 p.m. with Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., as principal celebrant.