FALL RIVER — A special ecumenical worship service to mark the 500^th anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation will take place at 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 5, at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River. All are invited to attend. The cathedral is located at 327 Second Street.

The Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Fall River, will preside at the service and Reverend James Hazelwood, Bishop of the New England Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, will preach.

A committee of representatives of Catholic, Lutheran and other Christian denominations is planning the worship service. Father Edward J. Healey, who is Ecumenical Officer for the Fall River Diocese and its representative on the committee, pointed out that the prayer service will at the same time both mark history and make history.

“As we mark this significant anniversary of this pivotal moment in the history of Western Christianity, we will also be making history as this 5^th centenary observance is taking place in the context of 50 years of ecumenical dialogue and cooperation,” he said.

“Protestants and Catholics can now gather in prayer together not only to remember the origins of their divisions but most especially to celebrate their ongoing progress along the path toward greater unity over the past five decades.”

An invitation has been extended to clergy from Catholic and Protestant faith communities to participate in the ecumenical service along with members of their congregations and members of their music ministries, who will join together to form one unified choir to lead music for the service.

Reverend Hazelwood became Bishop of the New England Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 2012; Bishop da Cunha has led the Fall River Diocese since 2014.

On behalf of the planning committee, Father Healey encourages all to join Christians from throughout southeastern Massachusetts, both Protestant and Catholic, for the service, which he prays “will not only be historic but also healing.”

The beginning of the Reformation is generally dated from the publication of certain theses by Martin Luther in Germany on October 31, 1517.

FALL RIVER — Diocese of Fall River Catholic Schools Superintendent Stephen A. Perla, a strong advocate for Catholic school special education students, was recently invited to participate in the United States Department of Education’s Annual National Private School Conference in Washington D.C.

As a member of the Conference’s panel on “Empowering Private School Officials to Participate in Timely and Meaningful IDEA Consultation,” Perla spoke about the legal rights that private school students have under the federal law, the Individual Disability With Education Act (IDEA), and the challenges that private school leaders and families confront attempting to access special education services for private school children.

The panel especially focused on IDEA’s consultation requirements. Under the federal law, public school officials are required to consult with private school leaders about child find screenings, the number of private school students who need special education services, the amount of federal funds to be allocated to serve private school special education students, and what special education services private school officials would like IDEA funds to provide.

Since IDEA’s passage in 2004, private school officials have been tirelessly working to have the federal law appropriately implemented. There is still much more work to be done before we see the true intent of the law fully implemented, according to Perla. In Massachusetts, private school leaders are fully committed to securing special education services that private school students are legally entitled to and their parents have paid for these services via their taxes, concluded Perla.

(L to R) Maggie Hubbard, Director for Special Education, Archdiocese of Washington D.C.; Ruth Ryder, Office of Special Education Programs Monitoring and State Improvement Planning, U.S. Department of Education; Stephen Perla, Superintendent of Schools, Diocese of Fall River; Pamela Allen, Office of Non-Public Education, U.S. Department of Education; and Dwight Thomas, Office of Special Education Programs Monitoring and State Improvement Planning, U.S. Department of Education.

FALL RIVER — Whether it is in the biotech lab at Bishop Connolly High School, on the track with Fr. Tom’s track team at Our Lady of Lourdes, in the TV studio of St. John Paul II High School, or in the classroom for Fr. Pregana’s Q&A session with the 8^th graders of St. James – St. John School, every day amazing things are happening in the 22 schools that make up the Diocese of Fall River Catholic Schools Alliance!

To showcase the happenings of our schools and to make it easier for interested families to find information about our schools, the Catholic Schools Alliance has launched a new website: www.CatholicSchoolsAlliance.org. The website provides information about why families choose to send their students to Catholic schools, testimonies from current students, parents, and faculty, as well as information about financial aid available to help families afford tuition.

The website highlights the impressive numbers that make our schools stand out; like families receiving over $5 million dollars in financial aid for the 2017 – 18 school year, that 74% of our High School AP students score a 3 or better on their AP exams and how 51% of our teachers have advanced degrees. Our schools are more than just numbers. Our schools are made up of people who make every student feel safe, welcomed and loved. We want to use this platform to tell their stories and to recognize them for what they give to our communities.

We invite you to take a look at www.CatholicSchoolsAlliance.org to find out what makes our Catholic schools special and to consider enrolling your student in one of our schools today. For more information about the Catholic Schools Alliance please contact Sarah Heaton at (508)678-2828 or sheaton@catholicsa.org.

FALL RIVER — Students interested in attending a Catholic high school in the Fall River Diocese and their families are encouraged to take time for a visit in November to learn firsthand about what each has to offer. Most of the schools will be hosting an Open House during the month; dates and times are listed below.

An Open House is a great opportunity not only to tour the building and campus,  but also to talk with teachers, coaches, administrators and current students and get the latest on the variety of programs –academic, extra-curricula, athletic and otherwise- available at each. The specifics on the admission process are also explained along with the how-to’s on applying for financial aid.

Interested persons are encouraged to visit the school’s website to get the particulars on the Open House program.

Open House, November 12, from 1 to 3 p.m.
373 Elsbree Street, Fall River, Tel 508-676-1071
www.bishopconnolly.com

Open House, November 5, at 1 p.m.
70 Holcott Drive, Attleboro, Tel 508-226-1731
www.bishopfeehan.com

Open House, November 5, from 1 to 3 p.m.
500 Slocum Road, North Dartmouth, Tel 508-996-5602 Ext 424 or 435
www.bishopstang.org

Open House, November 16, at 7 p.m.
120 High School Road, Hyannis, Tel 508-862-6336
www.sjp2hs.org

Coyle & Cassidy hosted its Open House in October;
Anyone who missed it is invited to contact the school to schedule a private tour.
21 Hamilton Street, Taunton, Tel 508-823-6164
www.coylecassidy.com

The placement or entrance exam for diocesan high schools will be administered on Saturday, December 2, at each school with times varying slightly. (Make-up exams set for Saturday, December 9). Please contact the school for further information.

FALL RIVER — Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., will award the Marian Medal to 82 laypersons from parishes throughout the Fall River Diocese at 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 19, at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, 327 Second Street, Fall River.

First presented in 1968, the annual award recognizes members of diocesan parishes for their dedicated service to the Church.  Recipients are nominated for the award by their pastor.

The medals will be blessed and presented in the context of Evening Prayer of the Church and Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

Made of sterling silver, the Marian Medal is embossed with a Miraculous Medal on one side and the Fall River Diocesan coat-of-arms on the other.

The Marian Medal recipients for 2017 are listed below by deanery or area.

Attleboro Deanery

Ann Allen, St. Mary Parish, North Attleboro; Jean Barrett, St. Mary Parish, Mansfield; John W. Blake, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish, Seekonk; George Boler, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Parish, South Attleboro; Delores Duquette, St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Attleboro; Robert Fife, St. John the Evangelist Parish, Attleboro; Frank Gibbons, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Seekonk; Beatrice Melanson, St. Mary Parish, Attleboro Falls; Joanne M. Regali, Sacred Heart Parish, North Attleboro; and Jane Steeves, St. Mary Parish, Norton.

Cape Cod & Islands Deanery

Jeanne Alves, St. Anthony Parish, East Falmouth; Ralph A. Babusci, Jr., Our Lady of Victory Parish, Centerville; Barbara Bowers, Our Lady of the Cape Parish, Brewster; Richard C. Ciotti, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Wellfleet; Paul Corriveau, St. John the Evangelist Parish, Pocasset; Joseph Cusack, Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, Osterville; Paul DeMeo, St. Patrick Parish, Falmouth; Salvatore Ferraioli, Corpus Christi Parish, East Sandwich; Marianne A. Greene, Good Shepherd Parish, Vineyard Haven; Elizabeth B. Kelley, Christ the King Parish, Mashpee; Mary M. Kocot, Holy Trinity Parish, West Harwich; Dennis Lucier, St. Pius X Parish, South Yarmouth; Ronald J. Mador, St. Joan of Arc Parish, Orleans; Virginia Marchand, St. Margaret Parish, Buzzards Bay; Patricia McGoldrick, St. Elizabeth Seton Parish, North Falmouth; Kevin Perry, St. Francis Xavier Parish, Hyannis; Robert Russell, St. Peter the Apostle Parish, Provincetown; Judith Wodynski, St. Mary/Our Lady of the Isle Parish, Nantucket; and Richard Allen Wright, Holy Redeemer Parish, Chatham.

Fall River Deanery

Judith Boucher, St. George Parish, Westport; George Cabral, St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Fall River; Armando V. Camara, St. Mary Cathedral Parish, Fall River; Roland Charron, Our Lady of Grace Parish, Westport; Caroline Cooper, St. John the Baptist Parish, Westport; Lydia M. Costa, Espirito Santo Parish, Fall River; Antonio Cruz, Santo Christo Parish, Fall River; Carlos de Medeiros, Good Shepherd Parish, Fall River; Maria Ferreira, St. John of God Parish, Somerset.

Also, Marguerite Lavoie, Holy Name Parish, Fall River; Nancy Lenon-Robillard, St. Louis de France Parish; Swansea; Judith Lussier, Holy Trinity Parish, Fall River; Lawrence Machado, St. Dominic Parish, Swansea; Paulette Martinville, St. Bernard Parish, Assonet; Francis J. Mullins, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Swansea; Robert Oliveira, St. Joseph Parish, Fall River; Richard Raiche, St Bernadette Parish, Fall River; Janice Rousseau, St. Patrick Parish, Somerset; Elizabeth Schneider, St. Anne Parish, Fall River; Robert Soares, St. Thomas More Parish, Somerset; Anne Varley, St. Stanislaus Parish, Fall River; and Mary Wick, St. Michael Parish, Fall River.

New Bedford Deanery

Paul Baptista, St. Lawrence Parish, New Bedford; John Bastoni, St. John Neumann Parish, East Freetown; Teresina Bettencourt, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parish, New Bedford; Jane Marie Brightman, St. Julie Billiart Parish, Dartmouth; Mark J. Bruce, Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, New Bedford; Betty Lou Cabral, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, New Bedford; Jean Carlozzi, St. Patrick Parish, Wareham; Luann M. Connolly, St. Anthony of Padua Parish, New Bedford;  Andrea Corrie, St. Mary Parish, New Bedford; Mary Ellis, St. Mary Parish, South Dartmouth.

Also, Maria dos Anjos Ferreira, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, New Bedford; Kurt Gent, St. Joseph-St. Therese Parish, New Bedford; Michael Gonet, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, New Bedford; Grace Gwozdz, St. Mary Parish, Fairhaven; Mark Hadley, St. Francis Xavier Parish, Acushnet; William B. Markey, Our Lady of Fatima Parish, New Bedford; Marion Oliveira, Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, New Bedford; Carolann Renaux, St. Joseph Parish, Fairhaven; David St. Aubin, St. Rita Parish, Marion; Natalie Taber, St. Anthony Parish, Mattapoisett; and Carol Walsh, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, New Bedford.

Taunton Deanery

Marcia Adams, Holy Family Parish, East Taunton; Virginia Amaral, St. Anthony Parish, Taunton; Jeffrey Annunziato, St. Andrew the Apostle Parish, Taunton; Donna Cunha, Holy Cross Parish, South Easton; Donald Emond, St. Nicholas Myra Parish, North Dighton; Shirley Martin, Annunciation of  the Lord Parish, Taunton; Jeffrey Mattson, St. Mary Parish, Taunton; Frederick McCarthy, St. Ann Parish, Raynham; Leo D. McEvoy, Immaculate Conception Parish, North Easton; and Nancy Simmons, St. Jude the Apostle Parish, Taunton.

The Catholic high schools in the Diocese of Fall River will administer an Entrance/Placement Examination for new students on Saturday, December 2, with the make-up exam on Saturday, December 9. Students wishing to enter any of these schools next September should report to the school of their choice.

                                                                                    TESTING DATES    ARRIVAL    TESTING

Bishop Connolly High School, Fall River         December 2 & 9     7:45 a.m.     8 a.m.

Bishop Feehan High School, Attleboro             December 2 & 9     7:30 a.m.     7:45 a.m.

Bishop Stang High School, No. Dartmouth      December 2 & 9     7:45 a.m.     8 a.m.

Coyle and Cassidy High School, Taunton         December 2 & 9     7:45 a.m.     8 a.m.

St. John Paul II High School, Hyannis               December 2 & 9     7:45 a.m.     8 a.m.

The exam will last until approximately 11:30 a.m. Students should bring two sharpened #2 pencils to the test and the $20.00 registration fee -either cash or a check made payable to the school (Coyle & Cassidy is $25.00). Students need bring no records with them, nor do parents have to accompany them. Information regarding courses, activities, and financial aid, etc. will be given at the time of the examination, or can be obtained by contacting the school at any time. Students planning to take the make up exam on December 9 should notify the Admissions Office of the school before that Saturday.

For more information, please contact the school of interest:

Bishop Connolly High School
Bishop Feehan High School
Bishop Stang High School
Coyle and Cassidy High School
St. John Paul II High School

STATEMENT OF THE FALL RIVER DIOCESE ON THE SALE OF THE
BELLS OF ST. LAWRENCE MARTYR PARISH, NEW BEDFORD
November 21, 2017

At the request of Father Robert Powell, pastor of St. Lawrence Martyr Parish in New Bedford, the Fall River Diocese, acting in a fiduciary role, oversaw the sale of the parish’s 14-bells to the Verdin Bell Company. The parish will receive the $32,000 proceeds remaining from the sale after Verdin covers its cost for their removal from the bell tower.

The decision by the parish to sell the bells, which have not worked in some time, followed the parish’s receipt of a proposal of $66,000 to repair their deteriorated mountings and an additional $73,838 estimate not including electrical work to make them operable again. An electronic carillon system was installed in 2016.

Father Powell had previously surveyed parishioners on the prospective sale of the bells, receiving support for going forward with it. He likewise received advice to proceed from members of both the parish Pastoral Council and Finance Council.

The Verdin Company had initially given Father Powell an anticipated date of November 19 or 20 for removal of the bells. However, because their necessary preparatory work took less time than expected, they began that work last week without prior notification to either St. Lawrence Parish or the Fall River Diocese.

Work is well underway on the St. Lawrence Parish bell tower to repair the leaks, repoint the stone, and replace the crumbling traceries.

The Fall River Diocese is researching the lawsuit that was filed, but feels there is no merit to it nor any misappropriation of funds by the Diocese as claimed.

FALL RIVER — Catholics in the Diocese of Fall River will have the opportunity to “give to those who have given a lifetime” as part of the collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious, to be held in parishes Dec. 9-10. Coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) in Washington, D.C., the annual appeal benefits 32,000 elderly Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests whose religious congregations lack adequate retirement funding.

Last year, the Diocese of Fall River contributed $157,637.07 to the collection. In 2017, the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts, whose Provincial House is in Fairhaven, received financial assistance made possible by the Retirement Fund for Religious. Women and men religious who serve or have served in the diocese but whose communities are based elsewhere may also benefit from the annual appeal.

The 2016 collection raised almost $30.7 million. Roughly 94 cents of every dollar aids senior religious. In June, the NRRO distributed $25 million to 390 religious communities across the country. Communities utilize these funds to bolster retirement savings and subsidize expenses, such as prescription medications and nursing care. Throughout the year, additional funding is allocated to assist religious communities with the greatest needs and to promote ongoing education in retirement planning and eldercare delivery.

“We are humbled and profoundly grateful for the love and support of Catholics across the nation,” said Presentation Sister Stephanie Still, the NRRO’s executive director.

Despite this generosity, many religious communities still struggle to provide for aging members. Only 41 of the 539 communities submitting data to the NRRO in 2016 were adequately funded for retirement. Traditionally, Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests—known collectively as religious—served for small stipends that did not include retirement benefits. Today, hundreds of religious communities lack sufficient retirement savings. Compounding the funding shortage are the rising cost of care and the decrease in income that has resulted from the declining number of religious able to serve in compensated ministry.

In addition to providing assistance for day-to-day needs, collection proceeds underwrite initiatives to help religious communities address the factors underlying their retirement shortfalls. These efforts have facilitated solutions such as collaborative care facilities, strategic partnerships with health-care providers and numerous cost-saving measures.

For more information, please visit: www.retiredreligious.org

FALL RIVER – Catholic Social Services’ headquarters in Fall River’s South End becomes an even busier place in the weeks leading up to Christmas as the agency’s annual Gift of Giving program goes into full operation to help brighten Christmas for hundreds of needy families throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod.

CSS staff persons and a dedicated contingent of volunteers are busy collecting, sorting, wrapping, and packaging toys, warm clothes, and other sundry items in preparation for their delivery before Christmas.

While the numbers for this year aren’t final yet, Dennis Canulla of CSS estimates that the Gift of Giving program will provide help to over 600 families.

Thanks to the program and the generosity of those who support it, each child within those families will receive two toys, an outfit of clothing, and a few smaller items like books, gloves or hats. Coats are also included to the extent that supplies last.

“I think every kid should be able to wake up Christmas morning, rip open the paper on a present and get something,” explained Canulla, who has been with CSS for 33 years in part- and full-time positions working in outreach to the disabled. “I was lucky as a child and always had presents under the tree. I want all kids to have that experience as well.”

Canulla is overseeing the Gift of Giving operation this year: the sorting, wrapping, packaging and distribution of gifts. The other key leader is Dr. Mary Lou Frias, who recruits, schedules and supervises the 150 to 200 volunteers who come in to assist the CSS staff. The Gift of Giving operation goes daytime, most evenings, and even Sundays as the time before Christmas grows short.

Frias has helped with the program since its inception 20 years ago.

“It’s Christmas to me, it fuels my heart and my soul,” she said.

Volunteers come individually as well as in groups representing a variety of schools, athletic teams, organizations, and faith communities.

“They range from 12 to 84 years of age, and many are here year after year,” Frias said of the volunteers. “My job is to get them to the door; once here, they want to be a part of it.”

Along with the volunteers, Frias also credits the dedication of the CSS staff who are “driven by the heart” to get it all done every year.

The Gift of Giving program begins in earnest around Thanksgiving when 20 or so parishes in the Fall River Diocese set up a giving tree decorated with prepared tags of needed gifts.  Canulla noted that 10,000 tags were prepared for distribution to parishes. Parishioners then choose a tag, purchase the suggested gift, and return it unwrapped to their parish.  The gifts are then transported to CSS headquarters where they are wrapped, labeled and organized into bundles to meet the particular needs of each recipient family.

Along with participating parishes, schools and a few organizations and businesses also set up the giving trees or make monetary donations.

Gift of Giving assists families and children from all over the Fall River Diocese. From mid-October through November, families of any religious denomination with needs that have not been met by any other organization may go to any Catholic Social Services office in the diocese to file a request for assistance from the program. Some supporting documentation is required.

At this point, anyone interested in supporting the Gift of Giving program is asked to offer a monetary donation to enable the purchasing of items needed to fill in the gaps for certain sizes and ages. Please forward a check payable to Catholic Social Services to that agency at PO Box M, South Station, Fall River, 02724.  Kindly note “Gift of Giving” on the check’s memo line.

For further information, please contact Catholic Social Services at 508-674-4681.

FALL RIVER — Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., will be the principal celebrant and homilist of the Mass for Christmas to be broadcast on Christmas Day from 12 noon to 1 p.m. on WLNE-TV, Channel 6. The one-hour televised liturgy is sponsored by the Fall River Diocesan Television Mass Apostolate.

The Portuguese Channel will air Christmas Mass in Portuguese at 7:30 p.m. on Christmas night. The Rev. Gastão Oliveira, pastor of Santo Christo Parish in Fall River, will be celebrant and homilist for the Mass. The Portuguese Channel is carried by most cable systems in the Fall River Diocese.

Dear Friends in Christ,

On September 20th of this year, Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico as a Category 4 storm, leaving the Caribbean Island without electric power and water and affected by an unprecedented path of destruction. Still today many people are without the basic necessities of life. Because many still don’t have electricity, Internet, TV, or cell phone service, families are spending more time together, family members are communicating with each other and rediscovering the value of family time.

Jesus came to reconnect us with God and with one another. He came to reestablish the links that were broken and rebuild the bridges that were destroyed by sin. No tie is more powerful in this world than the bond between family members. Our family and our faith are the most precious gifts we have.

Research shows that people who are disconnected from the real world and from real people suffer serious consequences and are less happy than people who are connected with other people, especially with family. We were not made to live alone or to live with virtual connection. We were made to live in a family, in society and connected with each other. Research has also shown that children of families who spend time together and who share meals together, do better in school and are less likely to get in trouble or get involved with alcohol or drugs. Imagine how many more benefits it would bring to families and children if they prayed together, went to church together and spent real quality time together sharing their values and celebrating their faith!

What we do in this life, good or bad, impacts the lives of others. Therefore, we are responsible for each other. Our attitudes and our behavior affect our relationship with God and with humanity. Being part of a family and of a social group is a privilege and responsibility. Loving and being loved is the essence of the human existence. It is in the family that we learn how to love and consequently how to live. It is the key to the meaning of life itself. “The family lives its Spirituality precisely by being at one and at the same time a domestic Church and a vital cell for transforming the world” (Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitia # 324).

The coming of Jesus made it possible to reconnect ourselves with God and with each other. He gave us the tools to help us break the barriers of separation and division. He wants to make of us one family, living as brothers and sisters. Obviously, we have a long way to go. There are still separations, divisions, hatred and discrimination. All of these are the effects of original sin, but we have been redeemed. Therefore, we are called to resist the temptations of isolating ourselves from our families or of fostering divisions among God’s people. We are more alike than we are different. We must find and affirm what we have in common rather than what is different in us. Christ is our peace. He broke the barriers of hostility that kept us apart. “The pleasure of belonging to one another leads to seeing life as a common project, putting the other’s happiness ahead of my own” (Amoris Laetitia #220).

As we celebrate Christmas this year, let us pause and remember the family of Nazareth, the family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and acknowledge the importance of families in our own lives. We live in a time when everyone is very much influenced and affected by the power of modern communication tools such as smartphones, tablets and many others. We are impacted by the Internet, social and virtual communication. Many, especially the younger generation, are so attached to the virtual world that they end up disconnected from the real world and from real people. My hope and prayer is that we will make this Christmas a real celebration of family and of unity. “For a Child is born to us, a Son is given us; upon His shoulder dominion rests. They name Him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace” (Is 9:5).

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D.
Bishop of Fall River

FALL RIVER — The Diocese of Fall River Catholic Schools Alliance is excited to announce that 11 of its schools have received School Solutions Seed Fund Grants from the Carney Family Charitable Foundation for a total of $66,498. Each school submitted an application identifying a promising on-the-ground solution to address current challenges facing their school. Seed fund grants will provide an opportunity for schools to move quickly to test, create, or pilot innovative solutions or new ideas, or make a mid-course correction to work already underway as a response to an identified need or challenge students face.

Below is a brief summary of each of the 11 projects that will be implemented during the Spring 2018 Semester.

Bishop Stang High School, New Bedford
Project Name: Let There be Light

Let There be Light is a multidisciplinary project through which faculty and students from Environmental Science, Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics classes will create a Microbial Fuel Cell from mud that will produce enough electricity to light a bulb bright enough to allow someone to read in the dark. Additionally, the project will be completed in collaboration with students and faculty at St. Mary’s Junior Seminary, located on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. In addition to enhancing global awareness, success for this project means that faculty and students have taken a challenging, “real-world” issue; collaboratively applied research, STEM and problem-solving skills; and worked to solve it.

Coyle and Cassidy High School, Taunton
Project Name: Implementing Brown University’s Choices Program

The Choices Program from Brown University is a series of 41 historical and current events modules that will help students understand pivotal points in history and current issues. The Choices Program will help students develop an understanding of historical contingency as well as events in the present day. Each module combines primary sources, videos, online activities, and hands on activities. Through the implementation of the Choices Program students will learn to engage in thoughtful discussion and develop a language of values that helps them understand the past and current events.

Espirito Santo Parochial School, Fall River
Project Name:  Strengthening Math-Science Connections in the Middle Grades

“Strengthening Math-Science Connections in the Middle Grades” will provide students with some of the tools needed to appropriately address the updated science standards while focusing on encouraging students’ mathematical thinking and bolstering their skills. Success would be reflected not only in improved assessment scores but also in the quantity and quality of “math talk” during science.

Holy Family Holy Name School, New Bedford
Project Name: Responsive Classroom

Holy Family-Holy Name School, in collaboration with St. Joseph School, St. James-St. John School, St. Francis Xavier School and All Saints Catholic School will be providing an opportunity for their staff to be trained in the Responsive Classroom model. The Responsive Classroom approach aims to bring a strong focus between academic success and social-emotional learning (SEL). Training in Responsive Classroom will empower our educators to create safe, joyful and engaging learning settings where our students have a sense of belonging and feel that they can and do succeed. We will know that it is successful when we see the difference in the students’ approach to learning, their connectedness in their lives between academics and social skills, and in the overall receptiveness to learn in a safe setting in the classroom.

Holy Trinity School, Fall River
Project Name: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Ceramics

Holy Trinity is excited to implement “A Multidisciplinary Approach to Ceramics” to help children who are dealing with special learning and behavioral concerns. Through their work in creating both slab and wheel thrown projects students will learn fine motor skills, attention to detail, and patience. These skills will translate into the classroom, allowing students to reach their full potential.

Our Lady of Lourdes, Taunton
Project Name: Social-Emotional Curriculum

With so many challenges in society today, the faculty of Our Lady of Lourdes School realizes that children need support on the social and emotional levels. Children who are struggling with social or emotional problems have difficulty learning. We chose to invest in a curriculum that will help students to identify and handle their feelings and to navigate the social world, so that they can be more successful in school and learn important life skills.

St. James St. John School, New Bedford
Project Name: 3-D Printer

St. James St. John School will be purchasing a 3-D printer package to further enhance our Middle School Science and Math programs. Working with community partners, with a focus on STREAM, we will be able to offer our students an opportunity to learn in a hands on environment that is both innovative and challenging. This new tool will spark the imagination of our students, engaging reluctant learners, and preparing students to be well equipped, and strong leaders of the future.

St. John the Evangelist, Attleboro
Project Name:  Interactive Learning through Coding

Learning facts is an obvious necessity in an academic environment, but facts are not the final goal. This grant will enable us to enhance learning by incorporating a flexible technological platform. Students will have the opportunity to collaborate and find solutions in open ended problems. This project uses coding as a platform for employing the academic principles learned in the classroom.

St. Joseph School, Fairhaven
Project Name: New Bedford Symphony Orchestra Symphony Symbiosis

Students from St. Joseph will attend the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra Symphony Symbiosis. Through this program students will explore the concept of balance in music and ecology. Students will explore various ecosystems to analyze whether it demonstrates elements of stability or imbalance. In music, students will explore balance in classical music—hear how composers achieve balance through the orchestration of musical parts among musical instruments. Students will also create observation squares and visit local salt marshes.

St. Pius X School, South Yarmouth
Project Name: Responsive Classroom

SPXS sought, through this grant, additional training and support to increase the efficacy of Responsive Classroom Techniques throughout the school. Outcomes, measured through observation and formative and summative assessments, will gauge student learning, and the impact on teacher-mentoring in these areas. The school pursued the grant because of the success of last year’s introductory initiative, which was funded through the inaugural School Solutions Seed Fund.

St. Stanislaus School, Fall River
Project Name: Outdoor multi-disciplinary learning atelier

Based on the traditional artist’s atelier, a learning atelier is a space filled with tools and materials that fosters collaborative learning under the guidance of an expert. St. Stanislaus’ atelier will contain areas for science, math, writing, dramatic performance, music, and art, as well as a tinkering table. As an example of how it would be used, students might read a classic such as Old Mother West Wind, monitor the weather outside, construct a squirrel-proof bird feeder, learn a folk song while accompanying it on rhythm instruments, and study the geography of Massachusetts.

For more information please see our website, www.catholicschoolsalliance.org or contact Sarah Heaton at (508)678-2828 or sheaton@catholicsa.org.

FALL RIVER — The weekly Television Mass sponsored by the Fall River Diocese on WLNE-TV, Channel 6, will be seen at a special time this Sunday, January 7, only.  The Mass will air that day at 10:30 a.m. The different time is necessitated by a change in ABC network programming on that day. The Television Mass will return to its regular 11 a.m. time slot on Sunday, January 14.

FALL RIVER– The annual Catholic Communication Campaign (CCC) collection will be taken up at parish Masses in the Fall River Diocese during the weekend of January 20 and 21, 2018.

This yearly national campaign is designed as a shared collection, meaning half of the proceeds stay in the local diocese and the other half is forwarded to the Catholic Communication Campaign office of the U.S. Bishops’ Conference.

The portion remaining in the Fall River Diocese is used to fund the weekly Television Mass, which airs at 11 a.m. each Sunday on WLNE-TV, channel 6. The cost for the Television Mass averages slightly over $100,000 each year including production, airtime and closed-captioning –all of which are handled by different entities.

In addition to proceeds from this weekend’s CCC collection, the Television Mass is also supported by the Catholic Charities Appeal.

At the national level, the CCC helps the Church spread the Gospel message through television, radio, print, social networks and the Internet by the U.S. Bishops’ Conference staff and other grantee organizations here in the U.S. and abroad.

To learn more about the Catholic Communication Campaign and the important work it supports, please visit www.usccb.org/ccc

Donations to support the Diocesan Television Mass may also be sent directly at any time to the Television Mass, Fall River Diocese, P.O. Box 2577, Fall River, MA 02722.

FALMOUTH — Planned for the first Sunday of February, the 13^th annual Winter Brunch sponsored by the Foundation to Advance Catholic Education or FACE offers an opportunity for an enjoyable get-together to break up a cold month and a way to assist Catholic school students in the Fall River Diocese at the same time.

The FACE Winter Brunch will take place on Sunday, February 4, at the Coonamessett Inn of Falmouth, with doors opening at 11:15 a.m.

Guests will enjoy a classic Sunday Brunch featuring roasted meats, chicken, eggs, bacon, sausage, vegetables, salad selections, muffins, pastries and an extensive dessert bar. Along with delicious foods, there will be fun-filled family raffles, a silent auction, mystery prizes, special activities for children, and more.

Host of the Winter Brunch will be Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., of the Fall River Diocese. Mary and Larry McGrath, parishioners of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Pocasset, are serving as chairpersons for the event.

Proceeds from the Winter Brunch support FACE, which provides need-based scholarships to students attending Catholic schools in the Fall River Diocese including those on Cape Cod. In the current school year alone, FACE is providing $1.4 million in tuition assistance to 1,100 students in diocesan schools. Of that amount, $112,000 is being directed to 56 students who are part of a new “Hope and Opportunity Initiative,” which aims to reach elementary school students living at or below the poverty line with expanded tuition aid.

Tickets for the Winter Brunch are $30 for adults; $15 for youth (under 13 years); and complimentary for children under 7. Seating is limited and reservations must be made prior to the event. No tickets will be available at the door. Please contact Jane Robin at 508-759-3566 for tickets and further information.

Winter Brunch Sponsor & Ticket Order Form

FALL RIVER — Catholic Social Services of the Fall River Diocese is reaching out to individuals who have or have had DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) in the light of a recent federal court order regarding the program.

On September 5, 2017, the Trump Administration announced that the DACA program was going to end. However, on January 13, 2018, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that due to a federal court order, “USCIS has resumed accepting requests to renew a grant of deferred action under DACA” until further notice.

Catholic Social Services immigration attorney Tim Paicopolos explained that there are three important points to know: persons who have ever had (or currently have) DACA are allowed to file requests for DACA; persons who had their DACA terminated will be able to file requests for DACA; and persons who never had DACA will not be able to request DACA.

Paicopolos said, “It is unclear how long this policy will continue – it could change at any time.”

Therefore he recommends that all individuals who have or have had DACA speak with an immigration attorney as soon as possible “to find out what their rights are regarding this change in policy.”

Catholic Social Services may be able to help with the application. The agency represents people on their DACA cases at no cost and has helped over 200 people with their applications. This service is only available to those who have had or currently have DACA.

Please contact Paicopolos at Catholic Social Services at 508-674-4681 as soon as possible. You are asked to leave a message if you cannot reach him at that time.

The January 13, 2018 USCIS announcement may be viewed here.

FALL RIVER — Catholic schools in the Fall River Diocese will observe Catholic Schools Week from January 28 through February 3 with Masses, open houses and a variety of special programs and activities.

Celebrated annually across the country beginning on the last Sunday in January, the week is designed to highlight the value of a Catholic education to young people and its contributions to the Church and wider community.

It is also the time when most Catholic schools host open houses and open registration for the following academic year. Parents who are interested in enrolling a child in a Catholic school in the Fall River Diocese or learning more about one should contact the school of interest for information or visit www.CatholicSchoolsAlliance.org.

Specific Catholic Schools Week schedules vary from school to school but often feature academic and athletic challenges; music and arts festivals; guest speakers; special opportunities for prayer; activities to support charities and outreach to those in need; appreciation events; and student socials.

The national theme for the celebration is “Catholic Schools: Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed.”

In a message for Catholic Schools Week, the diocesan Catholic Schools Office –led by Superintendent of Schools Stephen A. Perla- said, “We are emboldened by and hope-filled about the future of our Catholic schools, for each of them are deeply animated by Gospel values, academic excellence, and innovation. These schools are truly regional treasures continuing to meet the spiritual and diverse academic needs of the region’s children and the families they serve.”

The message referenced the work of the Catholic Schools Office Leadership Team over the past year to implement recommendations from the fall 2016 report of the Diocese’s Task Force on Catholic Education, and highlighted three major initiatives: the establishment of a Central Board of Catholic Education to support diocesan schools; ongoing development of a Strategic Plan by each school to set its priorities and guide its direction for the next three years; and the investment of over $800,000 to improve Wi-Fi infrastructure in 20 schools.

Looking ahead to the 2020-2021 school year, the Catholic Schools Office has adopted four major diocesan-wide goals: increase academic growth across all disciplines by 5 percent; increase enrollment by 3 percent; stabilize school finances; and increase church attendance in school parishes.

The Catholic Schools Office concludes its message for Catholic Schools Week with an expression of deep gratitude to all who serve and support Catholic education, especially the parents of students “for the trust they have placed in our schools to provide their child with an excellent academic program and to assist them with deepening their personal faith.”

On February 2, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, the Church also celebrates World Day for Consecrated Life. In parishes, this year it is observed the weekend of February 3-4. Pope Saint John Paul II instituted the World Day for Consecrated Life celebration in 1997.
Please pray for all those who have made commitments in the consecrated life, and be sure to thank them on their special day. May they continue to be inspired by Jesus Christ and respond generously to God’s gift of their vocation.

Say the Prayer for Consecrated Persons
Learn more about World Day for Consecrated Life

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., will celebrate the Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life with Religious from the Fall River Diocese on Saturday, February 3, at St. Julie Billiart Parish, 494 Slocum Rd., in Dartmouth, beginning at 9 a.m.

Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette Father Flavio Gillio will lead a Reflection and Shared Prayer on the theme of “From Jerusalem to the Jordan River: Re-experiencing our mountaintop experiences with God to find purpose, meaning and goals in today’s religious life.” The reflection will be followed by the celebration of Mass with the Bishop and then lunch. All priests are welcome to concelebrate. Women and Men Religious are asked to RSVP before January 30th to Sr.Paulina@dioc-fr.org

FALL RIVER — Lent, the forty-day season of prayer, sacrifice and almsgiving in preparation for the joyous celebration of Easter, begins on Ash Wednesday, February 14, 2018.

Parishes throughout the Fall River Diocese will mark the start of Lent with the traditional rite of distribution of ashes.

Ashes, symbolic of penance, are blessed and distributed on that day as a reminder that Lent is a time for repentance and spiritual renewal. Ashes are used to mark on the forehead of the faithful the Sign of the Cross, with the reminder: “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel” or “Remember you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.”

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha will celebrate the 12:05 p.m. Mass on Ash Wednesday at St. Mary’s Cathedral, 327 Second St., Fall River, during which he will bless and distribute ashes to congregants, marking for them the start of their Lenten journey.

The Church calls for days of abstinence and fasting during Lent:

• Abstinence from meat on Ash Wednesday, all Fridays during Lent and Good Friday for those aged 14 and older;
• Fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday for those aged 18 through 59. Fasting is defined as eating only one full meatless meal. Two other meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to one’s needs.

Those who are not obliged to fast or abstain from meat are encouraged to join in those disciplines to the extent that they are able.

Catholics are urged to regard the Lenten season as a serious time for spiritual renewal by intensifying prayer, practicing works of piety, and seeking out opportunities for charity.

Most parishes in the diocese provide additional liturgical services and/or programs as opportunities for spiritual growth during Lent, and in some deaneries -or geographic regions- of the diocese, parishes work together to sponsor multi -day or -evening retreats. Parishioners should check their parish bulletins for listings of such events.

Dear Friends,

Many of us remember – maybe even with some nostalgia – when Lent was a time of real Penance and sacrifice.  The Church still teaches us that Lent is a special time of conversion; that Penance and sacrifice are essential practices to help us in the process of change, which leads to sanctification.  Obviously, Penance and sacrifice are not limited to the practice of Fasting and Abstinence – although these are good and practical ways to incorporate sacrifices into our daily lives.  This is not meant to indicate that our spirit is good or our body is bad.  However, bodily discipline and some sacrifices are good for spirit and body.  When we fail to recognize our need for sacrifice, we fail to acknowledge our need for conversion.  Sacrifices are not meant to be an end in themselves; they are always meant as a means to conversion and sanctification.

Lent is a time to remember all that Jesus did for us and to acknowledge all He was willing to suffer for us. By accepting and embracing our own sufferings, we share in the sufferings of Christ, so that we can also share in His Resurrection.  But who wants to suffer?  No one likes to face suffering.  We do all we can to avoid suffering.  We try to eat well, exercise, visit the doctor, have our annual check-up; all this to avoid sickness and suffering.  However, we also know that we cannot fully avoid suffering.  No one is immune to the evils that surround us and no one is exempt from the suffering that befalls us.  One of the greatest problems of humanity is to learn how to suffer.  Do we realize that suffering can also be a path to happiness, fulfillment, transformation and Salvation?

No one is ready to accept suffering until they know the good it does.  Since suffering is unavoidable, we might as well learn to accept it and discover its value.  “The one who faces suffering for itself is a masochist, the one who suffers for a superior ideal is a wise person” (Huberto Rohden).  That is what Jesus did and taught us to do.  Don’t suffer aimlessly.  Jesus knew that His sufferings were not useless; He knew that He was saving the world through His suffering.  That is why He was able to accept it lovingly and peacefully.  “Son though He was, He learned obedience from what He suffered; and when He was made perfect, He became the source of eternal Salvation for all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:8).  The one who rebels against suffering faces two evils instead of one.

When, like Jesus, we learn how to make our sufferings meaningful and redemptive; when we learn how to offer our sufferings to God as an oblation, as a sacrifice, as a prayer for us and for others, our sufferings will be easier to bear. As St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans, “we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4).

Let us keep the Spirit of Lent alive in our families, our homes, our parishes, our schools and in our own lives.  Let us keep the Spirit of Sacrifice, and let us teach our children the value of making Penance and sacrifice during Lent.  Let us all take time during Lent to pray together as a family so that the future generations will not forget that Jesus suffered and died to save us.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V.
Bishop of Fall River

Bishop da Cunha’s 2018 Lenten Message in PDF format