Father Pat returns to Festival of Lights thanks to the prayers of many
By Dave Jolivet, Anchor Editor
ATTLEBORO, Mass. — When La Salette Father André “Pat” Patenaude was recuperating from a very serious illness in a Grenoble, France hospital last year, Bishop Emeritus Donald Pelletier, M.S., visited him and said, “Your music ministry will be more powerful than ever.” Bishop Pelletier, an Attleboro native, had earlier given Father Pat the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick because of the severity of his illness.
At the time, Father Pat, known world-wide for his inspiring spiritual song-writing, singing and guitar playing, was wondering if he would ever be able to talk again, never mind sing and play again, let alone be “more powerful than ever.”
Gingerbread houses help sweeten the lives of less fortunate in the area
By Becky Aubut, Anchor Staff
POCASSET, Mass. — The Pocasset Community Building in this neighborhood of Bourne came alive this past week as dozens of children descended on the small community building to load up boxes with canned goods, roll up their sleeves, and continue their goodwill with the creation of more than 30 gingerbread houses that were donated, along with the canned goods, to area shelters and other organizations.
The excitement was felt even before the doors officially opened at 8 a.m., because by 8:30 the tables were completely full, said Christine Tavares.
By Kenneth J. Souza, Anchor Staff
BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. — For the sixth consecutive year, members of the non-profit Cape Cod Bus for Life, Inc., based here in the Fall River Diocese, will be sponsoring several buses to the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. next month.
This year’s march in the nation’s capital, marking the 41st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, will be held on Jan. 22, 2014, and pilgrims traveling aboard the Cape Cod Bus for Life fleet will depart on January 21 and return on January 23.
Vatican survey focuses on family
By Becky Aubut, Anchor Staff
FALL RIVER, Mass. — For the first time, the Vatican has released a survey to dioceses around the world in preparation for the Synod on the Pastoral Challenges to the Family in the Context of Evangelization to be held in October 2014. Seeking the views of parishioners, the questions — all done within the framework of family — touch on topics like artificial birth control and same-sex marriage.
When Bishop George W. Coleman received a memo from Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, president of the USCCB, the memo — dated October 30 — had been forwarded to the bishops from the Most Rev. Lorenzo Baldisseri, general secretary of the Synod of Bishops, asking that the questions be shared as widely as possible to deaneries and parishes so that input from local sources could be received.
Catholic politicians twist pope’s thoughts about same-sex marriage
By Christine M. Williams, Anchor Correspondent
BOSTON — When the Illinois legislature approved a measure to legalize same-sex marriage last month, some Catholic politicians said Pope Francis inspired their support of the measure. On November 20, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco released a statement calling that manipulation of the pope’s words “disgraceful.”
In July, Pope Francis had said, “If someone is gay and is searching for the Lord and has good will, then who am I to judge him? The ‘Catechism of the Catholic Church’ explains this in a beautiful way, it says: ‘no one should marginalize these people for this, they must be integrated into society.’”
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