2008 SYDNEY ADAMS AWARD RECIPIENTS

The Reverend Marc H. Bergeron

Fr. Marc Bergeron has had an active and involved ministry in the Diocese of Fall River. Most of his ministry (the first twenty-four years) was in the North End of New Bedford. He often says, "I have an in depth knowledge of one square mile of New Bedford." Actually his involvements have taken him well beyond that small area. Now he is the Pastor of a large parish and shrine with an area-wide ministry.

Born in New Bedford, MA on January 10, 1945. Parents were Romeo and Ella (Therrien) Bergeron

Graduated from Bishop Stang High School, 1963

B.A. in Philosophy (1967) and Master of Divinity (the M.Div., a professional theological degree) in 1970 from St. Mary's Seminary and University, Baltimore, MD.

Ordained to the Priesthood on Dec. 5, 1970 (Bishop James L. Connolly's last ordination)

Parochial Vicar:

· St. Joseph, New Bedford - 1970-75

· St. Anthony, New Bedford - 1975-83

St. Joseph, New Bedford - 1983-90

Pastor:

· St. Joseph, New Bedford - 1990-94

· St. Anne, Fall River 1994 to the present

An Advocate in the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal

Catholic Elementary School Administrator - 1975 to the present

Ecumenical Officer of the Diocese of Fall River; a close collaborator of the bishop charged with encouraging various Ecumenical and Inter-Faith initiatives and building good relationships with persons and groups of other faith traditions.

      Member of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Council of Churches

      Former treasurer of the Massachusetts Commission on Christian Unity

     Catholic Co-Chairperson of the Lutheran-Catholic Dialog Committee of New England

Member of the Board of Directors of the Inter-Church Council of Greater New Bedford

Former member of the Board of Directors of the United Way of Greater Fall River

Member of the Fall River Homeless Service Providers Coalition

Served as Vice-Chairman and Treasurer of the Presbyteral Council, Diocese of Fall River.

Former Member of the National Board of Directors and the Executive Board: the National Federation of Priests' Councils representing the priests of MA, ME, NH, VT.

A founder of the Engaged Encounter Weekends in the Fall River Diocese, continues to serve as a team priest

Served as a team member for: Cursillo, Marriage Encounter and Life in the Spirit Seminars

Former member of the Board of: Sacred Heart Home, New Bedford

 And Market Ministries (which operates a shelter and soup kitchen in New Bedford)

Former Chaplain to the New Bedford Catholic Guild for the Blind

LINDA ANDRADE RODRIGUES

For the past five years, Linda Andrade Rodrigues has served as the religion editor at The Standard-Times in New Bedford, Massachusetts. A Davis Scholar and honors graduate of Wellesley College, she majored in English and Medieval/Renaissance Studies with a focus on religious history. Mrs. Rodrigues began her career in 1982 as a correspondent for the Fall River Herald News, Fall River, Massachusetts. She joined the staff of the Hathaway Publishing Newspapers, Somerset, Massachusetts, in 1984 and served as special sections editor for their four suburban newspapers. In 1999 she accepted the position as real estate editor at The Standard-Times. Mrs. Rodrigues is an award-winning journalist garnering a 2006 Louis Cassels Religion Writer of the Year award from the Religion Newswriters Association, three New England Press

Association awards and three Suburban Newspapers of America awards. She recently contributed to the book “The Franciscans: For the Love of God—a Photo Essay” by Peter Pereira. A resident of Assonet, Massachusetts, she is married to Joseph Rodrigues; and they have three children: Holly, Matthew and Shane.