Bishop da Cunha Building Faith Blog Fall River Diocese

Mass for the Culture of Life

God is a God of justice who treats everyone equally—with great love. While He has no favorites, He is especially aware of people not privileged with the justice this world has to offer. In God’s eyes, as we read in Sirach, all deserve the same justice.

  “The Lord hears the cry of the poor” (Psalm 34:7a).

Our Mass on Sunday at St. Mary’s Cathedral was for the Culture of Life, at which we recall the greatest injustice. To deny an innocent person the right to live, to be—to exist. The right to come into the world and grow, prosper, and receive all God has in store for us.
 

We are called to imitate God’s justice in the world. If we want to live in peace, we must work for justice, as Pope Paul VI taught. Without justice, the world falls to violence, hostility, and evils of all kinds.
Today, we recognize that the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was a tremendous step toward justice and peace. That’s not all we have left to do; we have yet to finish the race. We accomplished this magnificent goal at the federal level; however, we still need to continue to work to change it at the state level. Our most important work still before us is perhaps the hardest, that of changing people’s hearts.
 

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. To learn more about the Catholic response, visit the U.S. Bishop’s website for their Pastoral Letter, “When I Call for Help.”
If you, a family member, or a friend needs help now, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 800‐799‐7233 (24 hours); 800‐787‐3224 (TTY), www.thehotline.org.

What Can I Do To Be Helpful If An Abusive Situation Is Revealed?

  • Listen, Believe, and Refer. Share that the abuse is not God’s will. Say that help is available 24/7 at the National Domestic Violence Hotline:1-800-799-SAFE (7233), 1-800-787-324 (TTY), or at www.ndvh.org.
  • Let them know that without intervention, abuse often escalates in frequency and severity over time.
  • Seek expert assistance by calling the NDVH. Refer them only to specialized domestic violence counseling programs, not to couples counseling.
  • If possible, encourage the abusive person to seek help. Attending an appropriate 12-step recovery group has been a source of recovery for many people. (Source: https://www.catholicsforfamilypeace.org)

Mass for Deceased Bishops, Priests, and Deacons

Next week we will celebrate All Saints Day on November 1st and All Souls’ Day on November 2nd. All Saints Day, the Solemnity of All Saints, is dedicated to the saints of the Church, that is, all those who have attained heaven. All Souls’ Day, the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, is dedicated to those who have died and not yet reached heaven.

Here in the Diocese of Fall River, we invite you to a special Mass, celebrated annually—usually on November 2nd- to pray for deceased bishops, priests, and deacons of our Diocese. It will be at 12 noon on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at St. Mary’s Cathedral. I will be the principal celebrant and homilist at the Mass.
Yours in Christ,
Bishop da Cunha

The Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D.
The Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D.
The Bishop of Fall River