FALL RIVER — David Flanagan (in photo, right) has been appointed principal of Holy Name School, effective July 1, 2019. This announcement was made by Father Jay Maddock, pastor of Holy Name Parish in Fall River. The appointment received the approval of the Fall River Diocesan School Superintendent Stephen A. Perla. Flanagan replaces Dr. Patti Wardell, who retired after having been principal for the past 14 years.

Most recently, Flanagan was the assistant principal at Bishop Hendricken High School in Rhode Island for 14 years, where he oversaw academics, personnel, and the international student program recruiting students from China, Korea, and other parts of Asia. Previously, he taught at Mount St. Charles Academy and was an Adjunct Professor of History at Providence College’s School of Continuing Education​.​ Prior to moving into education, he practiced law for a few years, after getting his law degree from Suffolk University Law School.

“I am so thrilled with the opportunity to bring my secondary school experiences to this wonderful school community,” expressed Flanagan. “Dr. Wardell has done a tremendous job with this school, and I truly look forward to leading this team to ensure we provide the best educational and spiritual experience for our students and families.”

Father Maddock said, “​Catholic education is the foundation of faith in the Church of the future​. I am very confident that Mr. Flanagan will be an exceptional leader to ensure our school is stronger and more vibrant than ever.”

Superintendent Perla added, “David’s tenure as an education administrator demonstrates very strong leadership skills and we are blessed to add his talent to the growing group of new school leaders in the Diocese of Fall River.”

Flanagan received his bachelor and master degrees in political science, education and history from Providence College.

He resides in Hope Valley, RI, where he and Barbara, his wife of 31 years, have four children and are active members of the St. Rose of Lima parish in Warwick, RI.

Holy Name School strives to produce confident, competent, and caring individuals who can work cooperatively, show respect for one another and who demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of Catholic values.

Holy Name School has openings in most grades for the 2019-2020 school year. All are welcome to visit and see what great things are happening at Holy Name School!

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The Catholic Schools Alliance comprises administrators, teachers, staff, parents and clergy joined in partnership to educate the children of the Diocese of Fall River in Catholic faith and values. Our schools have a demanding educational culture that helps students from across the academic spectrum reach their God-given potential. With an emphasis on service and respect for the dignity of every person, we prepare students to meet the challenges of today’s diverse world and become meaningful contributors to society.

ATLANTA, Ga. — Nearly 700 members of the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW) from around the country met in Atlanta, Ga. from August 26-29, 2019 for their annual convention, marking the group’s 99 years of service to the Church. This year’s theme, Caring for God’s Creation, showcased NCCW’s continuing efforts to address important needs of our times through spirituality, leadership and service.

During the convention, Beth Mahoney (in photo at right), who is president of the Fall River Diocesan Council of Catholic Women and principal of St. Stanislaus School, Fall River, was installed as the Boston Province Director. As such, she will represent Catholic Women from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont in a two-year term as a member of the NCCW Board of Directors.

Mahoney has served as the National Spirituality Commission Chair from 2015-2017. During this term the commission produced a Mercy Retreat booklet and the Vocation Purse program to assist young women entering religious life with their financial debts. She also served as the NCCW Education Committee chair from 2017-2019 during which time committee members produced resources on Laudato Si and Evangelii Gaudium to help members reflect on the papal writings of Pope Francis, and introduced the guide for the high school councils.

Mahoney said she is “looking forward to her new role as the Boston Province Director” and “encourages new members to join.”

The convention program included keynote speaker Bishop Peter A. Rosazza D.D., Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Hartford, who discussed women’s response to Pope Francis’s plea to save Mother Earth, along with additional speakers addressing other issues important to the NCCW mission. Mother Dolores Hart, O.S.B., was awarded the first NCCW Honorary Lifetime Membership Award given to a distinguished American Catholic woman.

NCCW Commissions of Spirituality, Leadership and Service presented their efforts to combat human trafficking, their work on ways to respond to Pope Francis’s call to care for creation, and new resources for membership such as retreats for those mourning the loss of a family member to suicide.

NCCW was founded in 1920 under the auspices of the U.S. Catholic bishops. After witnessing the important work done by Catholic women’s organizations during World War I, the bishops called for the founding of NCCW to bring these organizations together, giving Catholic women in the U.S. a unified voice, a national service program and the ability to reach out to each other through a national organization.

Next year, NCCW will celebrate its 100th anniversary in the context of its annual convention in Arlington, Virginia.

For more information or to join, please visit the national website at www.NCCW.org or email Mahoney at frdccwbeth@gmail.com.

FALL RIVER — The Faith Formation Office will offer Essential Catholicism: A Preparation Course for Adult Confirmation in two separate locations this fall, beginning in October. Essential Catholicism is a six-session course.

In North Dartmouth, it will be held on consecutive Wednesday evenings, from October 2 through November 6, at Bishop Stang High School, 500 Slocum Road. (Use the Chapel Entrance.)

In Easton, the course will be offered on consecutive Thursday evenings, from October 3 through November 7, at the Holy Cross Parish Center, 225 Purchase Street.

Classes in both locations will be from 7 to 9 p.m.

Both sessions will conclude with a mandatory retreat for adult confirmation candidates on Saturday, November 16, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at a location to be announced.

There is a $45 class registration fee for class materials and lunch on the retreat day.

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., will celebrate Adult Confirmation at 7 p.m. on Thursday, December 5, at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fall River, for any adult candidate who is at least 18 years of age and has completed the preparatory instruction.

To register for either class or obtain further information, please contact your parish office. You may also visit the Diocesan Office of Faith Formation  website at www.fallriverfaithformation.org or contact Deacon Bruce J. Bonneau at that office at 508-678-2828, ext. 13.

FALL RIVER —Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., will offer a Diocesan Planning Commissions Celebration Mass at 9 a.m. on Saturday, September 14, at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River. The Mass will conclude the work of nearly 400 volunteers who served on various planning commissions as part of the Fall River Diocesan Rebuilding in Faith and Hope initiative, and all members of the commissions have been invited to take part. In the context of the Mass, representative planners will present to the Bishop the goals formulated by each commission over a months-long process launched last February.

The Diocesan Planning Commissions Celebration Mass will be live streamed via Facebook Live on the diocesan Facebook page at www.facebook.com/fallriverdiocese/

A video of the Mass will also be posted on the Diocesan Facebook page for later viewing and after its processing will be also available on the Diocesan website.

FALL RIVER — FACE -the Foundation to Advance Catholic Education- will host its 25^th annual Fall Scholarship Dinner on Tuesday, October 1, at White’s of Westport.

Since 1995, each year the Fall Dinner brings together community members from Southeastern Massachusetts to raise much needed scholarship funds for Catholic school children in need. All proceeds from the Fall Dinner go directly to student scholarships across the Fall River Diocese.

The featured speaker at this year’s Fall Dinner will be pro football player Matthew Slater, a three-time world champion and special teams captain for the New England Patriots. A graduate of a Catholic high school in his native California, Slater has a strong record off the field in community service and outreach. In 2013 was selected to receive the Ron Burton Community Service Award from the New England Patriots organization.

The Fall Dinner is a principal source of financial support for FACE and the critical scholarships it makes possible. In the 2018-2019 school year, FACE provided $1.3 million in scholarships to 925 students enrolled in a Catholic school in the Fall River Diocese. FACE uses an outside service, FACTS, to determine financial need so that every situation can be fairly assessed for scholarship opportunity.

Beginning at 5:30 p.m., the Fall Dinner will feature a reception, an extensive multi-course meal and the program with Slater. Emcee for the night will be WPRI-TV Providence news anchor and Bishop Stang High School, Dartmouth, alumna Kait Walsh.

In the context of the program, Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., will present the annual Timothy Cotter Friend of Catholic Education Award to Roger K. Sullivan who is chairman of the Diocese of Fall River Central Catholic Schools Board. A member of St. Pius X Parish in South Yarmouth, Sullivan has also served as chair of the advisory board of his parish’s school.

John Feitelberg, president of HUB International, and Janna Lafrance of Lafrance Hospitality are chairing a committee planning the Fall Dinner. Sponsorship opportunities are available.

Feitelberg encourages businesses and individuals to “please consider supporting the Fall Dinner and helping make a difference for hundreds of students in need. So many young lives will be changed for the better with your support.”

For more information, please call 508-675-1311 ext. 6529 or visit www.face-dfr.org

FALL RIVER — The planning process underway in the Fall River Diocese reached a milestone on Saturday, September 14^th as Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., offered a Mass to celebrate the work of nearly 400 volunteers who have been serving on various planning commissions as part of the diocesan Rebuilding in Faith and Hope initiative.

Planning commissions were formed to address three areas: Catholic Social Services, Youth and Young Adult Ministries/Services, and Diocesan Governance. The latter commission, Diocesan Governance, was then divided into four separate groups to look at communications; finance and administration; human resources; and facilities and real estate.

These recommendations were formally presented to Bishop da Cunha by representative members of each commission in the context of the September 14^th Mass.  Allison Gingras presented for the Diocesan Governance Commission, Deborah Cabral for Youth and Young Adult, and Stacia Plumb for Catholic Social Services.

Moving forward, the recommendations are being reviewed by the Bishop who will work with the newly-constituted Diocesan Pastoral Council. It will be their task to prioritize them and map out a strategy for their implementation. Once completed, these next steps will become part of the final version of the strategic plan for the Fall River Diocese to then be presented to Bishop da Cunha for his acceptance.

Watch the September 14 Diocesan Planning Commissions Celebration Mass here

FALL RIVER — Five people serving within the area justice system will be given the St. Thomas More Award in recognition of their dedicated service at the annual Red Mass to be celebrated at 4 p.m., Saturday, September 28, in St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River.

Selected to receive the award are, as distinguished jurist, Judge John M. Julian, Presiding Justice, Barnstable District Court; as distinguished attorney, Marita Durkin Gray, of the Law Office of Marita Durkin Gray, Fall River; as distinguished court employee, Nelia Silva, Probation Officer, Fall River District Court; as distinguished recipient of the ecumenical award, Attorney George Keches, of Keches Law Group, Taunton; and as distinguished recipient of the Joseph P. Harrington Founder’s Award, Attorney Paul Mathieu, of Mathieu and Mathieu Law Office, New Bedford.

The Red Mass is celebrated each year in the Fall River Diocese to invoke God’s guidance and strength on those who work to promote justice in the legal system. The Mass is a longstanding tradition in the Church and is widely celebrated in dioceses throughout the United States.

Award recipients were nominated for the recognition by the Red Mass planning committee, headed by New Bedford attorney Michael J. Harrington.

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., will be principal celebrant and homilist at the Mass.

Judges, attorneys and others working in the justice system throughout Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands are invited to attend.

The Red Mass is so named because of the color of the vestments worn during the liturgy, which is the Mass of the Holy Spirit, who will be invoked upon those in attendance.

The presentation of the St. Thomas More Awards at the conclusion of the Red Mass is a tradition unique to the Fall River Diocese. The award is named for St. Thomas More, a 16^th -century English layman and lawyer martyred for opposition to the divorce of King Henry VIII and for refusing to renounce papal authority.

All are welcome at the Red Mass. A reception and dinner will follow for which a ticket is required. For information, please contact Atty. Harrington at 508-994-5900.

Bishop da Cunha joins with recipients of the St. Thomas More Award following the annual Red Mass on September 28th. Pictured are, left to right, Judge John M. Julian, Attorney Marita Durkin Gray, Bishop da Cunha, Attorney George Keches, Probation Officer Nelia Silva, and Attorney Paul Mathieu.

FALL RIVER — The Red Mass in the Fall River Diocese concluded on Saturday, September 28, 2019, with the presentation of the St. Thomas More Awards by Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., to five members of the area justice system in recognition of their dedicated service.

Receiving the award were, as distinguished jurist, Judge John M. Julian, First Justice, Barnstable District Court; as distinguished attorney, Marita Durkin Gray, of the Law Office of Marita Durkin Gray, Fall River; as distinguished court employee, Nelia Silva, Probation Officer, Fall River District Court; as distinguished recipient of the ecumenical award, Attorney George Keches, of Keches Law Group, Taunton; and as distinguished recipient of the Joseph P. Harrington Founder’s Award, Attorney Paul Mathieu, of Mathieu and Mathieu, New Bedford.

The award is named for St. Thomas More, a 16^th -century English layman and lawyer martyred for opposition to the divorce of King Henry VIII and for refusing to renounce papal authority. The award itself is a medallion embossed with a likeness of the saint, recognizes dedicated service by members of the area legal community.

The Red Mass is celebrated each year in St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River to invoke God’s guidance and strength on those who work to promote justice in the legal system.

Award recipients were nominated for the recognition by the Red Mass planning committee from across the diocese, headed by New Bedford attorney Michael J. Harrington.

Julian became Presiding Justice of the Barnstable District Court in May of this year. He also continues as Associate Justice of the Edgartown District Court to which he was appointed in 2002. In addition, he is the presiding judge at the Barnstable Drug Court and Plymouth Drug Court.

Julian serves as co-chair of the Barnstable County Regional Substance Abuse Task Force and is a member of PCO Hope, a partnership organization that provides care and compassionate support to those suffering from substance use disorders and their families in Plymouth County.

Earlier in his career, he was for ten years an assistant district attorney in Suffolk County.

Judge Julian holds a law degree from New England School of Law.

He is married and the father of three sons. A longtime resident of Cape Cod, he is a parishioner of Our Lady of the Cape Parish in Brewster.

Durkin Gray established her private practice of law in 1996 and concentrates in the areas of elder law, probate of estates and wills, and trusts. She is also now serving a five–year appointment as a public administrator for Bristol County, handling the estates of those deceased without a will or next of kin.

She earned her law degree from New England School of Law in 1990 and began her career at the Fall River-based firm of Corrigan, Johnson and Tutor.

Throughout the years, she has served as a director for numerous community service organizations including the Family Service Association of Greater Fall River; the United Way; Swansea Council on Aging; and Stanley Street Treatment and Resources, Inc. She was also a trustee of the Taunton State Hospital and a past president of the Fall River Bar Association.

In recognition of contributions, the Fall River Chamber of Commerce selected her to receive its John S. Brayton Community Service Award in 2010.

She is a lector at her parish of St. Francis of Assisi in Swansea, where she resides with her husband, Wayne.

Silva joined the Fall River District Court as a clerk in the Probation Department in 1998. After obtaining a master’s degree in rehabilitative counseling, she was promoted to Associate Probation Officer in 2016 and then to her current position as a Probation Officer in 2017.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in English and writing and communications from the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth before studying for her master’s at Bridgewater State University. She is currently studying to attain certification to teach elementary education.

A lifelong resident of Fall River, she is a parishioner of Santo Christo Parish there and has taught in the parish’s faith formation program for some 30 years. She has also volunteered to serve scholarship fundraisers at St. Bernard Parish in Assonet.

Keches is president and founding partner of Keches Law Group, P.C. He has long been involved in workers’ compensation cases, the area in which he now concentrates his own practice.

He formally served by gubernatorial appointment as a commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents, which oversees the adjudication of workers’ compensation cases. He has also been counsel to the Joint Judiciary Committee, Massachusetts State Legislature; counsel to the Massachusetts Bar Association; and as a member of a workers’ compensation law firm.

He has taught Workers’ Compensation Law at the New England School of Law for over 13 years and lectures extensively in various legal education forums including those of the Mass. Bar Association.

Keches is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School in Boston.

As a child growing up in New Bedford, he attended St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church in that city and while he no longer living in the area, he continues to maintain ties with that faith community.

He has supported numerous educational, health and civic entities. He and his wife, Ann, established the Maguire Keches Projects Foundation to help persons and charitable foundations in need.

Mirroring that with an aim to facilitate ‘professional giving,’ Keches Law Group, P.C., has recently started Keches Cares to address the needs of the less fortunate.

Mathieu has been a practicing attorney in the Greater New Bedford Area for 58 years.

Born in New Bedford, he has served his native city through the years as a member of the city council; as city solicitor; and as a member and chairman of and later general counsel to the New Bedford Housing Authority.

He and his wife, Janet, raised six children with three of them following their father into the field of law. Mathieu now works two of his sons in their law office.

Upon moving his family to Freetown some years ago he joined the then-new parish of St. John Neumann and began 35 years of service as a Eucharistic Minister. He continues in that ministry today. Mathieu was chairman of the Building Committee that oversaw the planning and construction of the parish’s church, which was completed in 1988.

YARMOUTH—In honor of the Brazilian population on Cape Cod, St. Pius X School will hold its second annual Our Lady of Aparecida celebration on Friday, October 11th at 1:00 pm.  Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., who was born and raised in Brazil, will celebrate a Mass at that time as the centerpiece of the school’s celebration.

The feast day of Our Lady of Aparecida is celebrated October 12th and commemorates one of the most important miracles to ever occur in Brazil.  In 1717, the governor of the Sao Paulo Province was passing through a small town.  The people in the town wanted to provide a big feast for the governor, but feared that they would not have enough fish for the crowd.  After days without a catch and trying one final time, the fisherman caught in their nets a headless statue of the Virgin Mary. On the next try, they brought in the actual head of the statue.  After putting the statue back together, they had a rich and bountiful catch, bringing in more than enough fish for the feast.  Word of this miracle spread and many people began to visit the statue.  The people called the statue “Our Lady of Aparecida” because it means “she who appeared.” In 1930, Pope Pius XI declared Our Lady of Aparecida the patroness of Brazil.

Recalling his homeland and heritage, Bishop da Cunha said he is pleased to be taking part in the celebration.

“It is an honor and a pleasure to celebrate this tradition with the St. Pius X community,” Bishop da Cunha said.  “I remember looking forward to the October 12th festivities when I was a child, so participating in this celebration brings me back to how my family established traditions for Our Lady of Aparecida.  What a wonderful experience for all children and their families to learn about this very important miracle in Brazil.”

St. Pius X Principal Anne Dailey shared that the school is “thrilled to have Bishop da Cunha to lead us in this very important celebration for our entire student population. Our students love to learn about their faith and the world around them, and to have Bishop’s Brazilian influence is an extra special event!”

Father Paul Caron, pastor of St. Pius X Parish and School added, “Last year’s event proved to be a wonderful celebration.  The children really enjoyed acting out the events that took place in 1717 as well as learning some of the prayers in Portuguese.  Bishop da Cunha’s presence will bring even more attention to the Brazilian people in our community and how we can all learn from each other’s traditions.”

St. Pius X Church is located at 98 Station Avenue in South Yarmouth. For more information, please go to www.spxschool.org or call the school at (508) 398-6112.

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The Catholic Schools Alliance comprises administrators, teachers, staff, parents and clergy joined in partnership to educate the children of the Diocese of Fall River in Catholic faith and values. Our schools have a demanding educational culture that helps students from across the academic spectrum reach their God-given potential. With an emphasis on service and respect for the dignity of every person, we prepare students to meet the challenges of today’s diverse world and become meaningful contributors to society.

FALL RIVER – Members of the Fall River Diocese are invited to join Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., in the annual Procession and Mass for Peace on Monday, October 14, 2019, the Columbus Day holiday.

Participants in the procession should meet no later than 5:30 p.m. in the area of St. Anne Church, across from Kennedy Park on South Main Street, to march approximately one-half mile to St. Mary’s Cathedral. The procession will begin at 6 p.m. Marchers will carry candles, recite the rosary and sing Marian hymns in various languages.

At 7 p.m., Bishop da Cunha will celebrate the Mass for Peace at St. Mary’s Cathedral, located at the corner of Second and Spring Streets. The Bishop will be homilist at the liturgy.

The Mass for Peace will last about one to one and one-half hours, with the entire ceremony concluding around 8:30 p.m.

Those who are disabled or handicapped should proceed directly to St. Mary’s Cathedral, where a special area will be designated for them.

The Columbus Day Procession and Mass for Peace is a long tradition in the Fall River Diocese. It was first held in 1975 especially to pray for peace in Portugal but its emphasis has since broadened to include peace and justice worldwide.

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WESTPORT— On Tuesday, October 1, nearly 400 friends, supporters, students, and student-athletes attended a lively evening in support of FACE and Catholic education.

FACE, which is the Foundation to Advance Catholic Education, held its 25th annual Fall Scholarship Dinner at White’s of Westport. Proceeds from the event support financial scholarships to assist with the costs of a Catholic education.

Kait Walsh, WPRI-TV news anchor and Bishop Stang High School, Dartmouth, alumna, served as the evening’s emcee for the second year in a row. Walsh, whose husband is also a Stang graduate, remarked from the stage on the importance of the mission of Catholic education.

“As (my husband and I) prepare to welcome our second child into the world, it gives us so much hope to know that everyone here shares our commitment to the special, welcoming, and nourishing environment that is found in our Catholic schools,” she said.

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.V.D., presented the Timothy J. Cotter “Friend of Catholic Education” Award to Roger K. Sullivan, chairman of the Diocese of Fall River’s Central Catholic Schools Board, in recognition of Sullivan’s tremendous leadership and unwavering support of Catholic schools in the diocese.

Cassidy Witkus-Gagnon, who is a junior at Coyle and Cassidy High School in Taunton, addressed the crowd, sharing her personal experiences as a Catholic school student. In addition to the academic and service experiences her Catholic education has offered, Witkus-Gagnon – who has created a Stocking Stuffer Drive that has to-date provided hundreds of gifts to children in need throughout her community – spoke about some of the more commonplace, everyday values her Catholic education has instilled.

“My Catholic education has shaped me into a person who holds the door for someone else; who stacks the dishes at the end of the table when I go out to eat to help the server; who returns the cart at the grocery store instead of leaving it in the parking lot; who moves a cart left in a parking space, so an elderly woman doesn’t have to get out of her car; and who is happy that she’s 16 years old, so she can finally donate blood at a blood drive,” she told the audience.

Fall Scholarship Dinner co-chairs John Feitelberg, president of HUB International, and Janna Lafrance of Lafrance Hospitality, led the Text-to-Give initiative that raised nearly $20,000 for scholarships at the event.

Afterwards, featured speaker Matthew Slater, three-time world champion and Special Teams Captain for the New England Patriots, spoke on how his strong Christian faith has influenced his personal life, family values, and football career. Guests enjoyed hearing from Slater -who had scored his first career touchdown two days earlier- and had a chance to pose for photos with the Super Bowl champion.

“For so many young people, your support makes that single, life-changing difference,” Bishop da Cunha told guests. “Tonight was our 25th dinner. I hope that, 25 years from now, our Diocese can say that it is stronger than it has ever been, through the blessings you are bestowing today.”

A total of nearly $300,000 was raised through this year’s event, thanks to the tremendous generosity of so many friends of Catholic education. All proceeds from the FACE Fall Scholarship Dinner go directly to student scholarships across the Diocese and make a difference for hundreds of students and families in need.

View photos from the Fall Scholarship Dinner on the FACE Facebook page here

Please visit www.face-dfr.org to learn more about FACE.

This week, I would like to introduce my new blog, Building Faith. This blog is not only the fruit of the diocesan Rebuilding in Faith and Hope initiative but also a wonderful way to celebrate my fifth year as Bishop of Fall River.

Installation Mass, September 24, 2014. ©The Anchor and Anchor Publishing

In April 2017, I shared this story in my Rebuilding in Faith and Hope Pastoral Letter. Over two years later, now with a Strategic Plan, carefully developed by over 400 volunteers, I would like to launch my blog with this same sentiment of hope.

Returning to the Sacristy after celebrating Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral, a woman approached me to ask a question. She said, “Bishop, I’ve been reading in the diocesan newspaper [The Anchor] about all the initiatives you are taking and the new people you’ve hired. Before, I felt worried about some of the challenges facing our Church, but now I’m feeling more hopeful than ever about the future of our Diocese. Is this real or am I dreaming?” I share this experience with you — in all humility — because it expresses exactly what I hope every priest, religious and layperson in our Diocese will feel someday soon: a profound sense of hope for the future! (Read Pastoral Letter here) 

It is my desire to utilize this weekly blog, which will post every Wednesday, to build community within our diocese, strengthen our faith, and share the many activities a Bishop is blessed to participate in. 

Bishop da Cunha offers a reflection during St. Pius X School’s Our Lady  Aparecida Celebration on October 11, 2019

Celebrating Our Lady Aparecida at St. Pius X School

As Bishop, I am pleased to be invited to participate in many events throughout the Fall River Diocese. On Friday, October 11, in honor of the Brazilian population on Cape Cod, the children of St. Pius X School hosted its second annual Our Lady Aparecida celebration. The staff and students of St. Pius X School shined acting out the apparition, singing songs in Portuguese, and offering a delicious spread of Brazilian food.  

I offered a short reflection, during which I reminded them of their responsibility to continue to tell the stories of our faith, so that their children and grandchildren, can share in the rich traditions of the Catholic church. I was also invited to present a flower and prayer to “a living statue” of Our Lady Aparecida. This student took her role so seriously, I questioned whether she blinked once during the entire flowers and prayers ceremony. Truly a wonderful way for the St. Pius X students to learn about another culture and come together to celebrate as a community. It was an honor to be invited to take part.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Bishop da Cunha

FALL RIVER—Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., has launched a blog today (October 23, 2019) as an additional means to communicate with the faithful in the Diocese of Fall River in an easy, less formal and popular way.

On his blog, entitled “Building Faith,” Bishop da Cunha intends to share his experiences and reflections as he travels around the diocese and sometimes beyond carrying out the responsibilities that are his as bishop.

As he explains in his first post, “It is my desire to utilize this weekly blog to build community within our diocese, strengthen our faith and share the many activities a Bishop is blessed to participate in.”

Bishop da Cunha also noted that the introduction of the blog is “a wonderful way to celebrate my fifth year as Bishop of Fall River.”

The blog can be accessed through the diocesan website at www.fallriverdiocese.org/bishops-blog

Bishop da Cunha plans to post each Wednesday and to include photos and other media as available to accompany his text.

The launching of the blog is one of the initial actions to emerge from the diocesan Rebuilding in Faith and Hope initiative. The initiative brought together nearly 400 persons meeting over several months this year to study and offer planning recommendations designed to strengthen areas of diocesan administration, ministries and services.

“As the Diocesan Pastoral Council continues to review the proposed planning recommendations to prioritize them and determine the best way to implement them, we’re excited that the Bishop’s Blog and a few other recommendations could be put into place quickly,” said Laura M. Carrillo, the director of Strategic and Pastoral Planning in the diocese. “And we knew Bishop da Cunha is eager to start his blog.”

EASTON – The Diocese of Fall River’s Catholic Parent Advisory Council (CPAC) and the S.E.A.L. Foundation are pleased to sponsor Richard Solomon, Ph.D. to lecture on “Neuro-Diversity – The Brain and How Your Child Learns.”

This free event is scheduled for Wednesday, October 30, 2019 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Stonehill College McCarthy Auditorium in Easton, Massachusetts.

In his presentation, Dr. Solomon will explain how we all learn differently, and the development of the scientific concept of neurodiversity. Because neurological differences are now recognized as a human variation and not a disability, Dr. Solomon explains learning differences in this context and connects how children learn or do not learn. A question and answer period will follow Dr. Solomon’s presentation.

“We are very honored to have an expert of Dr. Solomon’s caliber present to our families and communities,” according to Sandi Drummey, Assistant Superintendent for the Diocese of Fall River. “There is a real need for educators and parents to better understand learning differences, and we hope this lecture will provide a foundation of understanding. We encourage everyone to attend who has an interest in understanding learning differences.”

Kerry Peroni, Founder of the S.E.A.L. Foundation adds, “It is so important for parents to know that they have resources to help them navigate the education of a child with learning differences. Understanding how your child learns is the first step in this process. We will be available to all parents with additional guidance after Dr. Solomon’s lecture.”

Dr. Richard Solomon is the Clinical Director of Delta Consultants, a multi-disciplinary clinical practice, located in Providence. Dr. Solomon completes neuropsychological evaluations, child, adolescent and family therapy in his practice and supervises pre and postdoctoral interns and residents. He consults to numerous schools throughout New England and in other parts of the country. He is an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at the University of Rhode Island and the past president of Prevent Child Abuse-Rhode Island. Dr. Solomon presents on neurodiversity and learning differences nationally.

For more information or to register, please go to www.catholicschoolsalliance.org/neuro-diversity/.

About the Catholic Schools Alliance
The Catholic Schools Alliance comprises administrators, teachers, staff, parents and clergy joined in partnership to educate the children of the Diocese of Fall River in Catholic faith and values. Our schools have a demanding educational culture that helps students from across the academic spectrum reach their God-given potential. With an emphasis on service and respect for the dignity of every person, we prepare students to meet the challenges of today’s diverse world and become meaningful contributors to society.

About The Catholic Parent Advocacy Council (CPAC)
The Catholic Parent Advocacy Council (CPAC) is open to all families within the Diocese of Fall River. CPAC offers families a forum for discussion and sharing about the challenges and successes experienced when parenting children with learning differences.

About the S.E.A.L. Foundation
To provide funding for specialized education in non-public schools so that all children, even those who learn in different ways, can be afforded the opportunity to attend a school of their choice.

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As October (Respect Life month) comes to a close, I wanted to take this opportunity to share one of our Diocese’s most valuable commodities — our retired priests and deacons. These men continue to assist me and serve the people of the Fall River Diocese by offering Mass, hearing Confessions, serving on parish and diocese committees, and of course, through their prayers. 

Twice a year, at the Cardinal Medeiros Home for Retired Priests, retired clergy join me to share a meal and receive an update on the Diocese. It is evident, those who are still physically able, desire to serve in ministry. What joy to spend time with these faithful men, whose stories and love of the church, encourage my own priesthood. 

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to spend time with them and ask you please remember them, especially the infirmed, in your prayers.

Mass for Peace Procession from St. Anne’s Shrine to St. Mary’s Cathedral

A Special Mass for Peace in Our World

The Columbus Day Procession and Mass for Peace is a long tradition in the Fall River Diocese. It was first held in 1975 especially to pray for peace in Portugal but its emphasis has since broadened to include peace and justice worldwide

Happily, the weather cooperated for a prayerful candlelight procession from St. Anne’s Shrine to St. Mary’s Cathedral including reciting the Rosary and singing Marian hymns. 

A few aspects of the Mass which I particularly enjoy that it is celebrated in Spanish, English, and Portuguese, and the wonderful singing, which participants offered so enthusiastically and with such faith.

The Mass for Peace, which began in 1975, continues to draw over 700 people to pray for peace. I was delighted to look out into the Cathedral and see every seat filled, even the choir loft was filled that evening. The Mass initially intended as prayers to Our Lady of Fatima for peace in Portugal, now include many troubled places in our world needing our prayers, such as Syria, Iraq, North Korea, and many other places.

I pray you will mark your calendar for Columbus Day, 2020, to join us in the 45th annual Candlelight Procession and Mass for Peace.

All Saints Day

Friday, November 1st, is a Holy Day of Obligation. The faithful can find Masses throughout the Diocese, beginning on the vigil of the Holy Day on October 31  into the evening of November 1st. I welcome you to join me at 6 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral on November 1st, where I will be celebrating an All Saints Day Mass in Spanish.

The Fall River Diocese website offers links to all Diocesan parishes which can be used to help locate a Mass. If you need help finding a Mass outside the diocese, MassTimes.org is a good resource.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Bishop da Cunha

FALL RIVER — Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., this weekend (November 2-3, 2019), informed parishioners and priests of the Diocese of Fall River that two priests have been placed on administrative leave from active priestly ministry. This comes as a result of information gathered during an external review of the Diocese’s personnel files.  The information relates to alleged misconduct, said to have occurred decades ago, that requires further investigation.

The priests placed on leave are Father Richard E. Degagne, pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Easton, and Father Daniel W. Lacroix, co-pastor of St. Joseph-St. Therese, St. Mary, and Our Lady of Fatima Parishes in New Bedford.  The priests will remain on leave pending further investigation of both cases of alleged misconduct by external investigators.  The misconduct alleged of Fr. Degagne is said to have occurred before he was a priest.  Both priests have denied the alleged misconduct. These matters have been referred to the Bristol County and Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Offices.

Parishioners of the parishes where these priests serve were informed of this in a letter from Bishop da Cunha that was read at all weekend Masses.

The Diocese of Fall River placed the priests on leave based on information from an external review of the Diocese’s priest personnel files, announced earlier this year. In addition to this review, Bishop da Cunha has instituted a host of revamped practices and procedures to ensure the safety of parishioners of the Fall River Diocese especially children and young people, as well as to foster healing in the wake of the clergy sexual abuse crisis.

“Nothing is more important than the welfare of survivors, children and our community at-large,” said Bishop da Cunha. “We have pledged to handle all matters of abuse in a pastoral and professional way and have implemented many new reforms since 2017. I continue to pray for anyone who has been affected by the scourge of sexual abuse.”

In addition to instituting the external review, the Diocese established a revamped Safe Environment Enterprise to re-structure and strengthen all child protection programs and protocols and create more effective policies and processes for handling allegations and the survivors of abuse impacted by them.  The Diocese has hired former law enforcement officials and a social worker to oversee it.

Anyone with information or concerns that they wish to raise regarding the conduct of any past or present member of the Diocese, is encouraged to contact the Bristol County or Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Offices, or the Diocese of Fall River, Office of Safe Environment at 508-985-6508 or by email osechancery@dioc-fr.org.

This week I am in Rome, with about twenty of my fellow Region I Bishops, for our ad limina visit with Pope Francis. As faithful people, we are called to trust in God’s timing, even when it appears inopportune. This mandatory meeting with the Pope and other Vatican officials is formally called ad limina apostolorum, which means “to the thresholds of the apostles.” This is a pilgrimage all Bishops are required to do typically every five years, however, due to the change of Pope in 2013, this is the first one for our region and for the US since 2011.

Bishop da Cunha kneels at the Tomb of St. Paul

In next week’s blog, I will provide more details on my ad limina visit.  You can read more about the Roman Curia and all the Dicasteries, Congregations, Councils, and Commissions that make up the Administration of the Holy See by clicking here.

The main purpose, and highlight really, of our ad limina visit, is the meeting with Pope Francis to present our report on the state of our dioceses. Ahead of our visits, our diocese submitted a quinquennial report which covered twenty different areas of work in the diocese that we report on such as finances, vocations, ministries and apostolates, essentially, the report covers every aspect of diocesan affairs over the last eight years.

This will be a week filled with many opportunities to share the relentless hard, and remarkable, work of the Fall River Diocese, especially with Pope Francis. Our meeting with the Holy Father will take place on Thursday, November 7th; all the Region I Bishops meet with the Pope as a group. I have already seen Pope Francis a couple of times in the dining room and in the chapel but Thursday is when we will meet and speak with him personally.

Again, I very much look forward to sharing the details of my ad limina visit, along with other details of this important week in Rome, in next week’s blog. Until then, please know I am remembering each of you in my prayers.

My Meeting with Pope Francis

This was my third ad limina visit, and probably I would say the best one.

Although Pope Francis was detained in joining us, because of another commitment, he did not rush his time with us. Giving the Bishops of Region I, nearly two hours of his time, to engage in conversation. A conversation that did not feel like a formal meeting but a discussion among brothers. There was no hierarchy in where each of the Bishops sat nor in the order in which we spoke.

In the meeting, I mentioned my concerns for the suffering faced by so many people who are forced to leave their own countries and become migrants and refugees around the world. Pope Francis’ response to us was lengthy and thoughtful. To summarize, Pope Francis wished for immigrants to remain hopeful and to know that the Church continues working on their behalf; and will do all it can to best serve their needs.

Later, nearing the end of our meeting with Pope Francis, he turned again to the topic of migrants and refugees, showing how concerned he is with these suffering brothers and sisters. I was also impressed when he looked right at me and not only remembered what I had said but also that I was the one who had said it. With all the conversations that had gone on for nearly two hours, I found it remarkable that he would have recalled this information.

A Once in a Lifetime Encounter

While in Rome for our visit, we all stay in the Saint Martha House (Domus Santa Marta), where Pope Francis resides. One morning, during our ad limina visit, the Bishops were preparing to leave for a meeting with the Congregation for Catholic Education at the Vatican. The Bishops gathered together to proceed to their meeting, missing, however, was Bishop Peter A. Rosazza retired auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Hartford. Assuming, because of the rain, he’d decided not to join the others that morning; the Bishops left for their meeting.

A short time later, Bishop Rosazza exited Santa Marta, trying to gain his bearings, and decide how best to get to his appointment. As Bishop Rosazza stood with his cane and his umbrella, a car arrived to bring Pope Francis to the Apostolic Palace for his daily meetings. The Holy Father asked Bishop Rosazza where he was heading. Bishop Rosazza explained he was going to the meeting at the Congregation for Catholic Education. Without hesitation, Pope Francis instructed Bishop Rosazza to get in the car with him, and they’d bring him where he needed to be.

Bishop Rosazza sat in the front seat, as the driver made his way around St. Peter’s Square, dropping the Pope first at his office, then safely delivering the retired Bishop to his destination. Bishop Rosazza joined the rest of us and recounted his remarkable encounter with Pope Francis, recognizing, above all, this once in a lifetime blessing. This story, to me, epitomizes Pope Francis’ empathetic heart for others, especially if he sees someone in need.

More To Come Next Week

My visit to Rome came with many blessed moments, including some unexpected encounters with Pope Francis. I saw him in the Santa Marta chapel praying as well as places that surprised me, such as in the dining room fixing his own plate at the buffet table. My experience confirmed the image many of us have of Pope Francis, of a simple, humble, down-to-earth, compassionate, and caring person.

Overall, I was very impressed with all of my experiences in Rome, too many to share in one blog post. So, I will continue in next week’s blog with some of my personal experiences including the honor of being the celebrant for the Mass for our group of Bishops at the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Bishop da Cunha