Cultivating the Fields of Community, Liturgy and Service

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1 May/June 2018 issue no: 10 Cultivating the Fields of Community, Liturgy and Service After what was a long and demanding winter, spring has arrived. Alleluia! New life is peaking through the dark soil and the warmth of the sun is victorious over the chill of the past few months. But now is also the time to aid in the process of new growth. We till the soil fertilize the ground cover and plant our seeds and perennials and with a nurturing spirit we await the bloom of new growth. At our recent diaconate convocation we each received a particular invitation to respond to the Master Gardener of the vineyard. At the invitation of Bishop Da Cunha we were challenged to cultivate the fields of community, liturgy and service. Father Warren Savage invited us to plant the living seeds of God Word deeply within our hearts and to become, not only the hearers of that Word but the doers of Order of Acolyte - June 19 You're Invited Nine candidates who are studying for the Fall River Permanent Diaconate will be installed as acolytes at a Mass celebrated by Most Reverend Edgar da Cunha, Bishop of Fall River, on Tuesday, June 19, 2018, at 7:00 p.m., at Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in New Bedford. The ministry of acolyte, as you know, is the second of two ministries which candidates must receive and exercise as part of their preparation for ordination as a permanent deacon. Priests are invited to join the pastors of the candidates, priests who are their Spiritual Directors, and Formation Instructors, in concelebrating the Mass. Deacons and wives from the diocese and the families of the candidates are invited to join in prayer at this Mass. We especially hope that all deacons will participate in support of these candidates who will, God willing be ordained in May, fallriverdeacons.com the Word in our daily diaconal ministry. But as the gospel of John reminds us our success is dependent upon one thing, our faithfulness to the one we remain with. We walk in the vineyard of community, trusting in the gift that we are as the Body of Christ. We cultivate the field with the tools of our litany of thanksgiving. We harvest as collaborators in humble service with the Master of the Vineyard. May the seed of God s loving Word find willing hearts and rich soil to bear great fruit. Lord we have heard Your Word give us the courage to truly RSVP with generosity. In Christ s Love, Fr. Bob Oliveira Listening Sessions for Deacons and Wives with Bishop da Cunha On June 26, 2018, at 6:30 pm, at Holy Name of the Sacred Heart Parish, Bishop da Cunha invites all deacons and wives to attend a listening session as part of the Rebuilding in Faith and Hope Strategic Planning Process. Prior to the session, we will send you the questions that will be asked so that you'll have time to give them some thought. We'll also provide a form for you to record your comments should you not take the opportuntity to speak directly to the Bishop or cannot attend. All of the information collected will be presented to the Bishop and will be utilized by the Deacon Council as they continue to develop a strategic plan for the Office of the Permanent Diaconate. All deacons and wives, are invited and encouraged to attend this important session.

2 Candidate Formation Classes Open to all deacons and spouses. Details and registration will be available on our website shortly. Semester 1, 2018 Marriage: Instructor Deacon Maurice A. Quellette Tuesday Evening Classes: September: 11,18,25 October: 2,16,23, November: 6,13,27 December: 4,11 Canon Law: - Instructor Rev. Jeffrey Cabral, JCL Thursday Evening Classes: September: 13,20,27 October: 4,18,25 November: 8,15,29 December: 6,13 Semester 2: 2019 Homiletics: Instructor -- Rev. David Frederici Tuesday Evening Classes: January: 8,15,22,29 February: 5,12,26 March: 12,19,26 April: 2,9,30 May: 7, Book of Revelation: Instructor -- Deacon Eugene Sassesville Thursday Evening Classes: January: 10,17,24,31 Liturgy: Instructors -- Msgr. Stephen Avila & Rev. Daniel Lacroix Thursday Evening Classes: February: 7,14,28 March: 14,21,28 April: 4,11, May: 2 Classes are held at Holy Name Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish Center, 121 Mt. Pleasant St. New Bedford, MA Sessions begin with prayer at 6:30 pm and classes are held from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm. For further information regarding the schedule of classe, please contact Fr Bob Oliveira at

3 Diocese of Fall River Office for the Permanent Diaconate Couples Retreat 2018 August 24-26, 2018 Registration now open Limit 30 couples Register at frpermanentdiaconate.com This is the only retreat sponsored by the Office of the Permanent Diaconate this year.

4 Information Nights We have scheduled two Information Nights for those who are interested in learning more about the permanent diacaonte. The first sessions will be held on June 12 and August 28 at 7:00 pm at Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish Hall in New Bedford. These dates may be announced in any presentations you are giving at the parish. We expect to haveadditional Info Nights in the Fall and early Winter. The Aspirancy phase for those seeking to be admitted to the 10th Diaconate Class will be in the Spring of The final and formal application process will begin in the fall of The preliminary application may be found on the website. Wives Council We are pleased to begin the process of forming a Advisory Council of Wives who will help the office in its ongoing planning to best support the wives and widows of deacons. As we have with the Deacon Council, we ask each of the three deanery areas to put forth the names of two wives to serve on the council for a period of one year beginning in August Please feel free to contact Deacon Frank Lucca or Father Bob Oliveira with any questions. Letters of Suitability New Database/Website A new database/website for all clergy within the Boston Province to use whenever they request letters of suitability for exercise of their ministry outside of their home diocese for a temporary stay (less than 14 days). Visit to access the database website. The link is also available from the Deacons Only tab of the Diaconate website. Verify Your Contact Information In the Deacons Only section you will find the Deacon Address Book (please verify your information in there and let us know if it needs to be updated) as well as CEU Reports and other report forms. Diaconate Website Access Happy BIrthday May Anthony Cipriqno 12 John Foley 29 Paul Levesque 8 John Foley 29 Joesph McGinley 4 Robert Normandin 12 John Welch 25 June David Akin 1 Bruce Baxter 2 Ralph Cox 6 Frank Fantasia 8 Michael Guy 1 Fred LaPiana 3 Paul Roma 5 Thomas Souza 6 Alan Thadeu 7 Walter Thomas 10 John Twerago 3 Prayer Requests Deacon Tony Cipriano and Lorraine Cipriano Deacon Bob Normandin Retirements Deacon Richard C Zeich St. Pius X Parish Thank you for your service to God's people! For updates and additional information,please visit our website: or Please note the password for the Deacon Only section (user: diaconate2013 pwd: permanent.) In this section you will find the Deacon Address Book (please verify your information in there and let us know if it needs to be updated) as well as CEU Reports and other report forms.

5 Convocation 2018 It s good to be here! That remark was shared by a number of deacons who attended our recent convocation. It is good for us to be gathered as a community of faith; a fellowship of servants rooted in the one who calls us friend and beloved one. During our convocation we were privileged to hear the Shepherd of our diocese, Bishop Da Cunha, remind us of the roots of our diaconal identity in community, liturgy and service. We are called together and we acknowledge that the gift of community is celebrating that what we may lack as individuals together we have it all. In liturgy we proclaim in prayer and celebration what we have seen and touched in Christ. We are grafted to our source of life as one who abides in Christ s friendship. In service we share the heartbeat of Christ s love and invite others to know the joy of Christ. Fr. Warren Savage reaffirmed each of the foundational roots suggested by the Bishop by reechoing the Bishop s question posed to each of us: How are we on fire as disciples of Christ? How are we participating in the process of becoming more faithful disciples of community, liturgy and service? As we go forward, may the hopes of our convocation become the invocation of spirit filled servants who s declaration is It is good to be here! Here! Here in this community, here is this moment of liturgy and praise and here in this service rendered in the Lord s love. Calendar Updates Deacon Council Meeting July 12, :30 pm Institution to the Order of Acolyte June 19, :00 pm Holy Name of the Sacred Heart Parish, New Bedford Couples Retreat - Registration Now Open (Limit 30 couples) August 24-26, Miramar Retreat Center - Duxbury, MA Cape Cod Deanery Gathering June 22, 2018 Deacon Wives Listening Session with Bishop da Cunha June 26, :00 pm Holy Name of the Sacred Heart Parish, New Bedford Candidate Wives Program October 6, :00 am 2 pm Advent Study Day December 1, :00 am 2:00 pm Ordination of the Ninth Permanent Diaconate Class May 18, St Mary's Cathedral

6 The Deacon at Mass - Liturgy of the Word In preparation for the ordination of our candidates, I've been reading over various doucments and instructions as they pertain to the diaconate. I've noticed that I have been doing somethings incorrectly and as I've watched other deacons in the last several months, I've found some inconsistencies on how we do things, especially at the altar during Holy Mass. In the months ahead, I'd like to share what I've learned and hope that you will all align yourselves with what is expected of us as deacons of the Mass, particularly. I've highlighted my errors in yellow. In His Service and Yours, Deacon Frank If incense is used, the deacon assists the priest when he puts incense in the censer during the singing of the Alleluia or other chant. Then he makes a profound bow before the priest and asks for the blessing, saying in a low voice: "Your blessing, Father." The priest blesses im: "May the Lord be in your heart..." The deacon signs himself with the sign of the cross and responds: Amen. Then he takes the Book of the Gospels which was fittingly laid on the altar and, with a bow to the altar, processes to the ambo, slightly elevating the book, with the censer bearer preceding him, while the censer is smoking, and with ministers holding lighted candles. There he greets the people, saying, with his hands joined: "The Lord be with you," and then, " A reading from the Holy Gospel..." signing the book with his thumb and afterwards, himself on his forehead, mouth and breast. He incenses the book and proclaims the Gospel reading. After the reading, he acclaims without raising the Book of the Gospels: "The Gospel of the Lord," to which all respond: "Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ." Then he venerates the book with a kiss and the deacon says inaudibly: "Through the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped away." He then returns the book to the priest or places it in another suitable place. When the deacon is assisting a Bishop, he may carry the book to him to be kissed. In more solemn celebrations, as circumstances allow, the Bishop may impart a blessing to the people with the Book of the Gospels. Then the deacon carries the Book of the Gospels to the side table or another dignified and appropriate place (no. 175). Reprinted with permission from the National Diaconate Institute for Continuing Education (NDICE) Office for the Permanent Diaconate Father Robert Oliveira - frboboliveira@frpermanentdiaconate.com Deacon Frank Lucca - deaconfranklucca@frpermanentdiaconate.com Diocesan Co-Directors Jackie Collins - office@frpermanentdiaconate.com Administrative Assistant 121 Mt Pleasant Street New Bedford, MA Ph: (508) E: frpermanentdiaconate@verizon.net Fax: