WASHINGTON (CNS) — At the end of a process that has taken her 15 years to complete, world-renowned Rwandan genocide survivor and peace advocate Immaculee Ilibagiza became an American citizen the morning of April 17 in New York City.

“I was completely in tears,” she told Catholic News Service in a phone interview April 18. “To be accepted in this country … was like receiving a gift. … I hear my father saying, ‘now you have the right to be here, you don’t have to worry.”

New England Qualifying tournament games held at St. Leo’s School in Leominster.

Before – and after – the legalization of abortion, local Catholics were helping women with problem pregnancies to choose life. They still are.
It was 40 years ago that the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy in all states with the decisions Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton handed down Jan. 22, 1973.
“There were all kinds of back alley abortions” before abortions were legal, Roger Dubuque of Worcester said. So after the change in the law, doctors were going to do them legally and “make them safe.”

SOUTHBRIDGE – Blessed John Paul II Parish has a successful food pantry that is well supported by parishioners. A recent food drive brought in hundreds of bags of groceries for the pantry. Bill Mason, a food pantry volunteer, reports that Father Peter Joyce estimated they had around 600 bags as of the 10 am Mass, with two more Masses to go.
“Just a great outpouring show of faith to help the hungry of our community,” Mr. Mason said.

CNS PHOTO Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo
WASHINGTON (CNS) — The U.S. House Oct. 13 passed the Protect Life Act, which applies long-standing federal policies on abortion funding and conscience rights to the health reform law.
The measure passed with a bipartisan vote of 251 to 172. Its chief sponsors were Rep. Joe Pitts, R-Pa., chairman of the Health Subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., who co-chairs the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus. The bill also had 144 co-sponsors.

GARDNER – Bishop McManus celebrated a Mass of Christian burial Thursday in Sacred Heart of Jesus Church for Father Gerald A. Dorias, 83, who died Sept. 23 in Heywood Hospital.
Bishop Rueger presided at a wake service Wednesday night in the church. Burial will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Notre Dame Cemetery, 135 Nichols St., Pawtucket, R.I.

Even though record numbers of Hispanics are preparing for ordination and being ordained for the Worcester Diocese they are not all assigned to serve in Hispanic communities.