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WORLD NEWS 2 NATIONAL NEWS 3 LENTEN REFLECTION 4 EVANGELIUM VITAE 4 COMMENTARY 5 CATHOLIC QUIZ 5 LENTEN ACTIVITY 7 AROUND DIOCESE 8
'You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.' - John 8:32
VOL. 70, NO. 9 FEBRUARY 26, 2021 WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS HOME DELIVERY $39/YEAR
FREE IN PARISHES & ON NEWSSTANDS
Pope Francis prepares for pastoral visit to Iraq in early March. 2 & 4
Pandemic offers opportunity for growth
BY BILL DOYLE
CFP CORRESPONDENT
The pandemic has created hardship, but also opportunity. "It forced us into the 21st cen- tury," said Father Kenneth R. Car- dinale, pastor at St. John Paul II Parish in Southbridge. Attendance at Mass dropped be- cause some people don't feel safe being around others, so pastors needed to find new ways to reach out to their parishioners. Father Cardinale continues to hold Mass- es in person at the parish's two churches, Notre Dame and St. Mary, for those who feel comfortable attending, but for those who don't, he's livestreaming Masses for the first time and posting more often on the parish website, stjp2parish.org/. "In one way it's helped us ap- preciate most intensely what you might take for granted when times are good," he said of the pandemic. "People have really gone through great lengths to be part of a faith-sharing group or a Facebook community celebrat- ing Mass through cyberspace. In one way, you're worrying that it's hurting your faith community, but in some ways it's an op- portunity to grow." Father Cardinale understands the fear of the coronavirus because he contracted it during Holy Week last April and was quar- antined for 14 days when public Masses were suspended. While his associate, Father Wilmar J. Ramos, also quarantined, he celebrated daily Mass in a room in the rectory that he converted into a chapel. He recorded the Easter week services on his cellphone and posted them on Facebook. More than 100 people viewed each service that week and to this day close to 100 watch the par- ish's livestreamed services on Facebook at www.facebook.com/stjp2southbridge. COVID gave Father Cardinale, 59, a head- ache, chills, a low fever, stomach distress and fatigue. He also lost his sense of smell and taste for a couple of days. He said he had felt as sick with other illnesses, but he was more concerned about his bout with COVID. "I've had the flu before," he said, "but I didn't think it could kill me." Over a three-week period, Father Cardi- nale quarantined at St. Mary rectory and four seminarians and two priests quaran- tined at Notre Dame rectory. They've all recovered. While he was quarantined, Father Car- SEE MUSIC , 6
BY TANYA CONNOR
THE CATHOLIC FREE PRESS
Those who attend the Worcester Diocesan Catholic Men's Conference especially relish the opportunity to be with like-minded Catholics, ac- cording to Angelo Guadagno, one of the conference committee members. So, he and other organizers are seeking to make that possible, plan- ning a remote conference instead of an in person one. In 2020 the conference was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year they are seeking remote sites where small groups of men can "attend" the conference together. Last year's speakers are on the slate for this year's March 20 event - Scott Hahn, Bishop Robert Reed and Luis Soto. Surveys from other years show that one of the main reasons men attend the annual conference is to be with 1,000 men who think like they do - in a society where practic- ing Catholics are sometimes scorned - Mr. Guadagno said. Participants see they are not alone and are doing things right. After learning in mid-January that the conference could not be held at Assumption University be- cause of Massachusetts' pandemic regulations, organizers looked for another way to bring men together, Mr. Guadagno said. No site would be allowed to host the large gathering in person, so they arranged to have Array of Hope, a Catholic ministry based in New Jersey, coordinate the technological aspects of a remote
Bringing men together in a new way
Players grow through challenging season
BY BILL DOYLE
CFP CORRESPONDENT
Sports teaches you to overcome adversity. If you're in a slump or on a losing streak, don't give up. No sports season taught Cody Smith or Connor Knowles more about fighting through tough times than the one that the St. Paul Diocesan Junior/Senior High School boys' basketball team ex- perienced this winter. And the adversity had nothing to do with wins and losses for the Knights, who finished with a 4-4 record. It was all about play- ing with former rivals, at a new school, during a pandemic. "It's definitely been one of the most challenging seasons of any sport I've ever had," Cody said. "It has its ups and downs, and as in life, it has its challenges, and you have to overcome them and battle through those challenges and make the most of every opportu- nity that you get." Last winter, Cody and Connor were rivals. Cody played for St. Peter-Marian and Connor for Holy Name. This winter, they were teammates for St. Paul, the new school which opened last fall after Holy Name and St. Peter-Marian merged due to declining enroll- ment. Usually, high school basket- ball teams play 20 regular- season games with the goal of qualifying for the postseason. This year, the pandemic shortened the season to eight games and cancelled postseason play. Players wore masks and fans weren't al- lowed to attend games. St. Paul had to stop practicing twice, for two weeks, each time, while the school switched to fully remote learning in order to stay safe from COVID-19. The Knights
BY TANYA CONNOR
THE CATHOLIC FREE PRESS
"This is a solemn moment in your life," Bishop McManus told people about to be initi- ated into the Church. "You will live the rest of your lives" as Catholics. He was talking to catechu- mens who participated in the Rite of Election Sunday at St. Paul Cathedral. Catechumens are people preparing to re- ceive the sacraments of initia- tion (baptism, first Commu- nion and confirmation) at the Easter Vigil at their parishes. At the Rite of Election, tradi- tionally held the first Sunday of Lent in diocesan cathedrals, the bishop asks questions of the catechumens, their god- parents and the whole congre- gation, as part of the prepara- tion process. The catechumens offer their names for enroll- ment in the Book of the Elect. (This year each was given a different pen to write his or her name, as a pandemic precaution.) In the Act of Elec- tion the bishop declares them members of the elect, and then they are referred to as "elect" instead of "catechumens." Thirteen parishes and As- sumption University, with about 23 catechumens alto- gether, were represented, ac- cording to Elizabeth A. Marcil, director of the diocesan Office of Religious Education. She said her office did not ask for numbers of candi- dates preparing to receive sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil in the parishes. Gifts
4,031
Raised
$1,651,873
Percent of $5 million goal
33%
SEE PARISH , 7 SEE BALL , 6
PHOTOS COURTESY OF PAUL JERNBERG
A scene from the documentary shows Paul Jernberg directing a choir of 130 people in St. John the Evangelist Church in Clinton, singing a Mass for which he composed the music.
'The Song of the Longing Heart'
Documentary focuses on local liturgical composer
Paul Jernberg talks about his mission to renew sacred music.
BY SUSAN BAILEY
CFP CORRESPONDENT
aul Jernberg stands before the 130-member choir at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Clinton, encourag- ing them with these words: "You are going to draw in (the congregation) by your singing - the idea is to surround as much of the congregation as we can with singing." The choir will be performing the "Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit," composed by Mr. Jernberg. Every part is sung, including those customarily spoken by the priest and dea- con. Once the music director at St John's, and still a parishioner there, Paul Jernberg has been composing sacred music for the liturgy for 25 years. "The Song of the Longing Heart," a documentary featured on EWTN, opens with the above scene. In telling Mr. Jernberg's story, the film highlights his mission: the renewal of sacred music in the Catho- lic Church. "We aim to help parishes and communities of humble means, as well as those with an abundance of resources, to recover the dignity, depth, and grace that have characterized the great traditions of Catho- lic sacred music," says Mr. Jernberg in the mission statement found on the website of the Magnificat Institute of Sacred Music. He is the founder and director. The filmmaker, Franois Lesps, made "The Song of the Longing Heart" after an email exchange with Mr. Jernberg over a previous documentary of Mr. Lesps' about Jrme Lejeune, the geneticist who discovered the cause of Down's Syndrome. Moved by the film, Mr. SEE MEN'S , 8
Adding their names to Book of the Elect
TANYA CONNOR CFP
Thaysla Silva, from the Brazilian community at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Milford, offers her name for enrollment during the Rite of Election Sunday at St. Paul Cathedral. SEE ELECT , 6 b
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