March Announcements Author: The Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D. Bishop's Blog 22 Mar 2023 Share Annunciation of the Lord Exactly nine months before we celebrate the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, we celebrate the Annunciation of the Lord on March 25th. Luke’s Gospel gives an account of the Angel Gabriel’s visit to the Blessed Virgin Mary to announce the Good News, “the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.” Mary’s humble and faithful response, her Fiat, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word,” modeled how we are all to trust in God and His plans for our lives. She opened her heart to be the Mother of God, to bring us the Savior of the World; and will, from the foot of the cross, become Mother to us all. Pro-Life Mass and Awards On Thursday, March 23, at 11 a.m., I will celebrate the Annual Pro-Life Mass at St. Julie’s in Dartmouth, to which all are invited to attend. The presentation of the John Cardinal O’Connor Awards and the announcement of the Pro-Life Student Essay Contest winners will also take place at the conclusion of the Mass. Both are sponsored by Family and Respect Life Ministries of the Diocesan Secretariat for the New Evangelization. Bishop da Cunha with 2022 Pro-Life Student Essay Contest winners The John Cardinal O’Connor Annual Pro-Life Award is presented to recipients who express, by their actions, a deep understanding of the sacredness and dignity of all human life from conception through natural death. For those unable to attend in person, the Mass and reading of the winning essays will be available via Facebook Livestream; additionally, the winning essays will also be highlighted in The Anchor, our Diocesan newspaper. Lumen Christi 2023 Gala First having welcomed faithful parishioners to worship in 1856 as a parish church, the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption has served as the center of our Diocese since 1904 – the very beginning of the ‘new’ Diocese of Fall River. Join us for a night in celebration of our Mother Church and help Lumen Christi – the Light of Christ – continue to shine forth from the Cathedral and bless our Diocese and all of the faithful within it. All proceeds from this event will support repairs and renovations that will help us shine the light of our beloved Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption for years to come. Learn more here: https://www.catholicfoundationsema.org/cathedral-gala. Financial Aid Applications Due The Foundation to Advance Catholic Education (FACE), in conjunction with many generous donors, helps many families who cannot afford the full cost of educating their children in one of our Catholic elementary and middle schools by awarding scholarships that go directly to the school for the student’s tuition. FACE works with FACTS Management Company, a third-party tuition assistance company, which collects all of the necessary financial information for your family, analyzes it, and provides a financial evaluation to ensure families receive a fair evaluation for tuition assistance. Applications for the 2023-2024 school year are now open. Please note returning student applications must be completed by Friday, March 24, 2023. Click the Image for More Information FACE uses the FACTS Tuition Management system to gather specific data in order to determine the level of financial aid. Factors such as income, expenses, household size, and the number of children in Catholic schools are used to help FACE make an informed decision about the amount of financial aid needed for each family. The application is only available online. English and Spanish language versions are provided. It is very important to have your application complete by the deadline to ensure your family is considered for scholarship opportunities. Get started here: https://www.face-dfr.org/how-to-apply. Yours in Christ, Bishop da Cunha The Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D. The Bishop of Fall River Categories In the News Press Releases and Statements Messages from The Bishop Bishop's Blog Success Stories Photo Gallery Videos Related Posts In the News 17 Jan 2020 Diocesan High School Students to Take Part in March for Life in Washington, D.C. FALL RIVER – Almost 300 high school students and chaperones from the five Diocesan Catholic high schools will make the long bus trip to Washington, D.C., next week to celebrate … Read More Bishop's Blog 25 Jan 2023 Catholic Schools Week While admittedly, I might be partial, I do believe that Catholic schools in the Diocese of Fall River are some of the finest; they continue to impress me with … Read More Bishop's Blog 30 Mar 2022 The Right to Life and a Catholic Education Annual Pro-Life Mass On Friday, March 25th, I celebrated the Annual Pro-Life Mass at St. Julie’s in Dartmouth. The Annunciation of the Lord is known as a Solemnity—the highest level … Read More
