Building Up the Church Through Lay Leadership, Catholic Schools, and Sharing the Good News (And Go Pats!)

Celebrating Lay Leaders Who Strengthen Our Parishes

Last Thursday, parish leaders from across the Diocese of Fall River gathered at Holy Family Parish in East Taunton for an evening of fellowship, encouragement, and formation at the Parish Leader  Dinner. The room was filled to capacity as leaders came together to share a meal and reflect on the important work of evangelization, with guest speaker Jim Jansen from the Archdiocese of Omaha offering thoughtful insights on accompanying others as they grow into disciples. Fr. David Frederici began the evening by offering an opening prayer, then shared some thoughts about the importance of lay involvement to support their parish and pastor – key pillars of the Stronger Priests, Stronger Parishes, Stronger Church Initiative.

I am deeply grateful to David Carvalho and the Evangelization Team for organizing these gatherings, which continue to strengthen and inspire our parish communities. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to all of our lay leaders whose tireless dedication helps spread the Gospel message throughout the Diocese each day. Based on the strong turnout, we may need a larger space next year! This is an encouraging sign of the vibrant faith and commitment alive in our parishes and Diocesan community.

Making The Anchor and the Good News More Accessible

For many years, The Anchor has shared the Good News with the faithful of the Diocese of Fall River. As media habits continue to change, we have prayerfully discerned how best to steward our resources and deliver important news to you. To provide more timely news in an easily accessible way, The Anchor will transition from a print newspaper to a fully digital format, including a new website and a weekly e-newsletter launching this month. The new format provides opportunities to share news with you as it happens and keep you better informed about all the happenings in the Diocese, along with developments in the Church across the nation and around the world. The articles and weekly e-newsletter are free; please subscribe here.

A Week of Faith, Learning, and Gratitude in Our Catholic Schools

Throughout the Diocese, our schools celebrated Catholic Schools Week in so many unique and wonderful ways. Here are some highlights of those celebrations. I again offer my sincere thanks to the faculty and staff who make Catholic education possible throughout the Diocese of Fall River, and to the families who trust them to form their children in faith, knowledge, and character.

Wishing You a Safe and Enjoyable Super Bowl Weekend

This weekend, the New England Patriots return to the Super Bowl where they will again face the Seattle Seahawks. (We remember the outcome the last time these two teams played each other in the Super Bowl in 2015!) I pray that everyone stays safe and enjoys the time with family and friends. 

Sincerely,

+Bishop da Cunha