You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.' - John 8:32
VOL. 70, NO. 38 SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS HOME DELIVERY $39/YEAR
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Anna Maria College marks 9/11 anniversary
BY BILL DOYLE
CFP CORRESPONDENT
PAXTON - Anna Maria College usually holds a modest 9/11 cere- mony on campus with its fire sci- ence students. In anticipation of the 20th anniversary of the ter- rorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, Deacon John "Jack" Franchi approached President Mary Lou Retelle about conducting another tribute. She asked him if he was vol- unteering to organize it and he said he'd be honored to do it. President Retelle's only request was that the ceremony be more significant than in past years. So, last January Deacon Franchi began planning. He had spent 33 years in the U.S. Air Force before he became a deacon, and he had organized air shows and retire- ment ceremonies, so he knew what to do. He put together an elaborate, 70-minute interfaith tribute last Saturday at the col- lege, that he called, "Operation Patriotism." He estimated 600- 800 people attended. He not only took on the re- sponsibility, he went above and beyond any expectation," Presi- dent Retelle said. It was a labor of love, but I think it helped develop core val- ues in the young people," said Deacon Franchi, who is a chaplain on campus. "At this ceremony, at this tribute, you saw Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives, all together for one reason and one reason only, to pay respects to 9/11. And, to me, we don't see enough of that. And we did it at Anna Maria, a small, little Catholic college of 1,000 undergrads. They melded all of their time and their talent. I didn't do anything. It was all them.... Everybody contributed to SEE CHURCH , 7
BY TANYA CONNOR
THE CATHOLIC FREE PRESS
WEBSTER - Attempts to curtail the Catholic Church are prevalent in the United States. Bishop McManus made this point in his homily at the closing Mass of the Worcester Catholic Women's Conference Saturday at St. Joseph Basilica. Our country, in some ways, is filled with institutions and social move- ments - such as the political left, cul- tural and academic elites and media - that have an agenda to curtail the Catholic Church, he said. "We are the last institution in American society that will not bend the knee" to their radically secular social and political agenda, and this infuriates them. The devil's greatest lie to Adam and Eve was that they would be like gods, he said. There is one God, and we are creatures destined to spend eternity with him. Jesus, the only savior,
NY vaccine mandate without exemptions temporarily blocked
BY TANYA CONNOR
THE CATHOLIC FREE PRESS
WEBSTER - Be who you are. Employ "spiritual Drano" and "smashmouth Catholicism." Do whatever he tells you." These were among ways participants in the Worcester Catholic Women's Conference were urged to combat evil. It was Sept. 11, 20 years after terrorist attacks on the United States killed nearly 3,000 people. Conference participants were asked to sing America the Beautiful" in recognition of the anniversary and to express love for God and country. But speakers focused on more current con- cerns and offered recipes for fighting evil. The conference theme, "Joan up with the armor of God," paid tribute to a woman involved in battles - St. Joan of Arc. I was just very pleased - from the opening (with) the Blessed Sacrament, to the Mass," Corinn Dahm, one of the organizers, said. She estimated that there were about 360 partici- pants and 25 vendors' tables. Bishop McManus opened the conference, held at St. Joseph Elementary School, with adoration and praying of the rosary, and celebrated the closing Mass at St. Joseph Basilica. In between, there were talks, some singing and dancing and opportunities for talking with others and going to confession.
Bishop William Byrne
Bishop William Byrne, bishop of Springfield, painted a picture of confession with images. He also praised his sister, Sister Deirdre Byrne, superior of the D.C. Little Workers of the Sacred Hearts community, who spoke before him. To those who might say they don't need the sacrament of reconciliation, because they didn't SEE 9/11 , 7
SAVE THE DATE
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2021
For more information visit: worcesterdiocese.org/celebrate-priesthood
SAVE THE DATE
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2021
For more information visit: worcesterdiocese.org/celebrate-priesthood
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WORLD NEWS 2 NATIONAL NEWS 3 BISHOP'S LETTERS 4,6 OFFICIAL 4 POPE AUDIENCE 4 COMMENTARY 5 CATHOLIC QUIZ 5 AROUND DIOCESE 8
For Catholic veterans, 9/11 changed trajectory of their military careers. 3 Pope urges Slovak church, government to put people first. 2
John Creamer presents AMC President Mary Lou Retelle with an encased Ground Zero flag at the college's 9/11 ceremony Saturday.
PHOTO BY PATRICK O'CONNOR BRENDA WILLARD CFP
A ongoing raffle of a statue of Our Lady of Fatima is made available at the Worcester Catholic Women's Conference Saturday at St. Joseph Elementary School in Webster. The raffle is a fundraiser for Eternal Life Radio (WQPH 89.3 FM).
BRENDA WILLARD CFP
Women hear how to battle evil
SEE WOMEN , 6
Addressing the times
CATHOLIC WOMEN'S CONFERENCE 2021
TANYA CONNOR CFP
Bishop McManus leads the rosary near a statue of St. Joan of Arc at the women's conference. SYRACUSE, N.Y., CNA) - A federal court on Tuesday granted a temporary restrain- ing order against a New York state CO- VID-19 vaccine mandate, which disallowed religious exemptions, after a group of anonymous medical professionals filed suit against the governor and her admin- istration. Then-governor Andrew Cuomo an- nounced a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all medical workers in the state in August, with a deadline of Sept. 27 to be fully in- oculated. The mandate covers staff at hos- pitals and long-term care facilities such as nursing homes, adult care facilities, and other care settings, and did not include a religious exemption. The Thomas More Society, a conserva- tive legal group, is representing a group of 17 medical professionals who claim the mandate violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitu- tion, and who have chosen to remain anonymous. They are seeking a prelimi- nary injunction to prevent the state from enforcing the mandate. In the ruling from the US District Court for the Northern District of New York, is- sued Sept. 14, Judge David Hurd wrote that the New York Department of Health is barred from interfering in any way with the granting of religious exemptions from COVID-19 vaccination going forward." The state has until Sept. 22 to respond to the temporary restraining order. The Thomas More Society says the plain- tiffs include doctors, nurses, a medical technician and physician's liaison, and that they are "now facing termination from employment, loss of hospital admit- ting privileges, and the destruction of their careers, unless they consent to be vaccinated against their will with vaccines that contradict their sincere religious be- liefs." Many states have introduced COVID-19 vaccine mandates for healthcare workers and teachers. President Joe Biden an- nounced last week that he had directed the Department of Labor to draft a rule that would require employees at all com- panies with more than 100 employees to get vaccinated or face weekly testing. Bishops across the country have issued varying guidance for Catholics wishing to seek conscientious objections to COVID-19 mandates. A few have expressed explicit support for Catholics wishing to seek ex- emptions; some have said that Catholics may seek exemptions, but must make the case for their own conscience without the involvement of clergy; and some have stated that Catholic teaching lacks a basis to reject vaccination mandates. All three COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the United States have some connection to cell lines derived from fetal tissue likely derived from a baby aborted decades ago. The vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna were tested on the SEE VACCINE , 6
Bishop: Church will not bend to radical agenda
TANYA CONNOR CFP
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