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WORLD NEWS 2 NATIONAL NEWS 3 EDITORIAL 4 POPE FRANCIS 4 COMMENTARY 5 CATHOLIC QUIZ 5 AROUND DIOCESE 7 PARTNERS RESULTS 8
You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.' - John 8:32
VOL. 69, NO. 38 SEPTEMBER 18, 2020 WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS HOME DELIVERY $39/YEAR
FREE IN PARISHES & ON NEWSSTANDS
Msgr. Francis D. Kelly reflects on religious education. 4
Parishes ready to resume Legacy of Hope
BY RAYMOND L. DELISLE
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Legacy of Hope, the multi-year capital campaign which has been underway in the Diocese of Worcester since early 2019, was suspended in March due to the pandemic. Many wondered when, or if, it would resume. In June, conversations about what to do began in earnest between Bishop Mc- Manus with his finance committee and Guidance in Giving Inc., the campaign consultants. "We all agreed that we did not want to impose something on pastors and par- ishes if they were not ready," Bishop Mc- Manus said. "So the directors asked pastors if any of them were ready to conduct their campaigns this fall, assum- ing they could do it within the safety guidelines in place in our state." While some admittedly were not ready to consider fundraising and were still trying to determine how to resume a full Sunday Mass schedule, others enthusiasti- cally said yes. Fifteen parishes are pre- paring to run the campaign this fall. The remaining 40 parishes will conduct cam- paigns in the spring of 2021, according to diocesan fundraisers. There are pastors out there who are ready to go," said Jose DeJe- sus, vice president at Guid- ance in Giving and campaign manager for Worcester. "They were already conducting full weekend Mass schedules and they know that the sooner they begin, the sooner their parish would start benefitting from their parish share." Legacy of Hope is being conducted in four blocks of parishes which last for roughly six months each. Blocks one and two (totaling 45 parishes) conducted their campaigns in 2019 and have already be- gun receiving semi-annual checks for the 40 percent share that goes back to the par- ish as pledges are redeemed. As of early September, a total of $2,377,161 has been returned to the parishes. To date, parish- ioners in blocks one and two have raised nearly $18 million benefiting six key areas for the Diocese of Worcester and the indi- vidual parishes. In the video that was produced in 2018 for the campaign, Father Robert A. Grat- taroti, pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Charl- ton, made the point that evangelization, which is at the heart of the church's mis- sion, relies on communications. What we also know is that communica- SEE NDA , 6
BY TANYA CONNOR
THE CATHOLIC FREE PRESS
A first-time principal is seeing oppor- tunities springing from the coronavirus pandemic - opportunities for growth in faith and long-term investments in the school. We had to limit our enrollment" to 20 students per class because of pandemic guidelines and some grades have waiting lists, said Rene Legendre, who started as principal of St. Anna El- ementary School in Leominster on Aug. 1. (The school has one class each for students in pre-kindergarten through grade 8.) We have a lot of new families," Mrs. Legendre said. "I'm really hoping they see the community that we have, (and) embrace the faith that their children will be exposed to." Parents of second-graders have asked about their children making first Com- munion, and the principal said she sensed that some might not have been
Principal sees opportunities despite pandemic
Notre Dame Academy opens with challenges, encouragement
head of school, said before Mass began. "Together, we all made it through our first day ." She thanked students who complied with the new safety rules, like wearing masks, and implored those who struggled, to do better - or they'll face con- sequences. Soap bubbles waft- ing outside reminded them to keep a six-foot "bubble" around them. Juniors and seniors spread out across the auditorium to attend the Mass in person, and others watched via Zoom from their homerooms, said Susan Butler, the principal.
BY SUSAN BAILEY
CFP CORRESPONDENT
Patrice Metcalf came full circle in her journey to becoming the music director of St. Anne and St. Patrick Parish in Sturbridge: She grew up in the parish. After majoring in music at Westfield State University, Ms. Metcalf applied for the position, but not with- out some hesitation. After graduating from Westfield, I actually took on a job as a music director at another church in western Massachusetts," Ms. Metcalf said. "I didn't really feel like I fit in with the church so I did have my eyes open for other job opportunities. Then I found out that St. Anne's was hiring. I put off applying because I thought it might be kind of silly for me to apply to the church that I had grown up at; I felt uncomfortable. After a while they weren't hiring any- one, so I went ahead and applied, and it worked out." She has been serving as music di- rector there since October 2019, but began singing at the parish when she was a sophomore in high school. I became a cantor when I was 16," she said. "I also joined the adult choir. I continued to sing on a volunteer basis at the parish for weekends and holidays until I went to college. During college I would occasionally sing during my winter and summer
BY TANYA CONNOR
THE CATHOLIC FREE PRESS
WORCESTER - Notre Dame Academy students were chal- lenged to have a relationship with God, share his love, and show concern for others' salva- tion as they started school Sept. 10. Father Jonathan J. Slavinskas, their chaplain, who is pastor of Our Lady of Providence Parish, was preaching at the Mass of the Holy Spirit which wrapped up their first day of school. The Mass was marked by coronavirus-induced chal- lenges - and encouragement in spite of the challenges. We did it!" Lisa Mancini, Gifts
12,541
Raised
$4,379,895
Percent of $5 million goal
88%
SEE LOH, 6 SEE PRINCIPAL, 6
Music comes full circle
TANYA CONNOR CFP
Patrice Metcalf plays the organ for Mass in St. Anne Church. Assumptionist Brother Brian Verzella, who is stationed at the parish, is one of the cantors. SEE MUSICIAN , 7
TANYA CONNOR CFP
Gathered outside at Notre Dame Academy Sept. 10 after opening Mass are Lily Aboujaoude, Rebecca Edwardsen, Emily Wharton, Father Jonathan Slavinskas, chaplain; Lisa Mancini, head of school; Venessa Ankrah and Abby Pratt.
TANYA CONNOR CFP
BY BETH GRIFFIN
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
NEW YORK (CNS) - The worldwide coronavirus pandemic cast an unmis- takable shadow over an otherwise hope- ful prayer service Sept. 14 on the eve of the opening of the 75th session of the U.N. General Assembly. In a videotaped address, U.N. Sec- retary-General Antonio Guterres said the coronavirus pandemic "has exac- erbated inequalities within and among countries, and it is reversing hard-won progress on poverty eradication, food security and other Sustainable Develop- ment Goals." SEE UNITED NATIONS , 6
PHOTO COURTESY OF ST. ANNA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
St. Anna's principal Rene Legendre joins third-grader Eleanor Abad for some outdoor fun.
United Nations looks at world interdependency
'I started thinking that if I went into music ministry , that's my way that I can show my faith.'
Patrice Metcalf
Music Director, St. Anne and St. Patrick Parish, Sturbridge
See Page 8 for Final Results
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