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Diocese of Fall River, Mass. † Friday, September 5, 2025
Consecrated to Saint John Vianney, Diocesan priests called to holiness together
Diocese thrust into national spotlight with priest initiative
By Matthew S. Robinson Director of Clergy Support mrobinson@dioc-fr.org FALL RIVER — On August 4th, 2025, our priests did something which captured the attention of the country – they consecrated themselves, their lives, and their ministries to St. John Vianney, the Patron Saint of Priests. This occurred within the broader context of our three-year (2025-2028) Diocesan ‘‘Stronger Priests, Stronger Parishes, Stronger Church Initiative” and coincided Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha leads Diocesan priests in with the 100th anniversary of the consecrating their lives and ministries to St. John Vianney. canonization of that great Saint – the Curé of Ars – whom the his prayers, encouragement, and that is why Pope Benedict XVI, in Church gives to us as a model of support of this incredible consea 2009 Letter to Priests, said, “Dear priestly holiness and parish miniscration. This letter was read to the brother priests, let us ask the Lord try. It also came after nine days of priests at the end of the consecraJesus for the grace to learn for spiritual preparation, in which our tion by Bishop da Cunha. ourselves something of the pastoral priests prayerfully reflected each In that letter, he asked our plan of St. John Mary Vianney!” day upon some aspect of St. John priests to never forget what St. In that same letter from Bishop Vianney’s life and priestly examJohn Paul II once said: “The Curé Paschal, he writes that he prays ple. And, of course, none of this of Ars remains for all countries for our priests to imitate St. John would have been possible without an exceptional model, both in Vianney as their “elder brother.” the prayerful support of so many fulfilling the ministry and in What was so remarkable about this across the Diocese. the holiness of the minister.” In line is that the reflection given by St. John Henry Newman said other words, we shouldn’t see Providence Bishop Bruce Lewandthat “a grace remembered is a grace St. John Vianney only as a modowski, C. Ss R., at the consecration renewed.” So, what were some of el of holiness of life, but also as was about St. John Vianney as an the graces of that day? a model of parish ministry and “elder brother.” This remarkable One of the remarkable gracevangelization. St. John Vianney connection was an extraordinary es was the prayerful support that transformed a parish from 200 grace given by our Lord, reminding we received from Bishop Pascal parishioners to 80,000. In an us that He has anointed this moRoland of Belley-Ars, France. He is era rightly marked by calls to ment. the current Bishop of Ars, the place evangelization, should we not intiAnother grace occurred at the where St. John Vianney lived and mately understand what his pasto- Mass celebrated in Ars itself on labored. Bishop Roland actually ral methods were that led to such 8 Turn to page two wrote a letter to our priests offering a remarkable turnaround? Perhaps
By Joan D. Warren Editor
joandwarren@anchornews.org
The Diocese of Fall River recently gained national attention following a significant event aimed at renewing and strengthening the priesthood. On August 4, the feast of St. John Vianney—the patron saint of parish priests, more than 70 priests and five seminarians gathered at St. John Neumann Church in East Freetown to consecrate themselves to the saint. This momentous occasion, rooted in prayer and fraternity, has been highlighted in a story and an editorial published by The National Catholic Register ‘‘St. John Vianney Priestly Consecration in
Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski of the Diocese of Providence delivered a reflection at the consecration service. 8 Turn to page eight
September 5, 2025 †
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