MASSACHUSETTS
The Eagle-Tribune
By Yadira Betances
Staff Writer
Some 900 people in Massachusetts and New Hampshire tonight will become Catholic — the largest group of new Catholics since the priest sex abuse scandal broke four years ago.
"It shows that the faith is growing and that we can see beyond the controversy that God works in wonderful ways," said Diane Jarvis, director of religious education at St. Patrick's Church in Lawrence, which welcomed 26 new members last night. ...
Wearing white dresses, Pamela Pfifferling, 37, and her 12-year-old daughter Courtney were among those receiving First Communion at St. John the Baptist Church in Haverhill. The sexual abuse scandal did make Pfifferling postpone her decision to join the church and enroll her daughters in religious education classes.
"It bothered and disturbed me as it would any parent," she said. "You think that you're safe bringing your kids to church, but when you hear about that, you ask yourself, 'Why should I bring them?' What was going on was frightening."
Posted by kshaw at April 16, 2006 08:55 AM