It's a momentous time in the Archdiocese of Chicago, as Cardinal George is retired, and Archbishop Blase Cupich is now at the helm. I can still remember the excitement back in September, my heart jumping when I heard the news of his appointment. (I was half-wishing that Wilton Gregory would be appointed Archbishop of Chicago, given that's he from Chicago and is a minority, both of which would suit him well here. But the great thing about the Roman Catholic Church is how our leaders are appointed for us by individuals in a hierarchy under the Pope, who is chosen and who leads by the power of the Holy Spirit. So ultimately, I see God is the one who's making the appointments, and I trust myself to what He decides.)
I sensed the immensity of the occasion while watching Archbishop Cupich's Installation Mass, which I taped because I was at work while it was happening live. While I was around when Cardinal George was installed back in 1997, I was too young to really follow what was happening. So this was the first time in my life I witnessed the change in leadership for the Archdiocese of Chicago. It was quite a scene to watch the many bishops process into Holy Name Cathedral--and then to see them remove and don their miters in unison at the various points during the Mass.
It was amazing to see the workings of the Church as Cardinal Vigano, the Apostolic Nuncio, read the mandate from Pope Francis, and then the consent being given by the assembly, and then to see Blase Cupich walk up to and then take his place at the Cathedra, the symbol of his authority as Archbishop, and then receive the crozier, which apparently was used by Cardinal Mundelein.
One of the things mentioned by the commentators was how Blase Cupich has such a sense of history, exemplified in the design of his coat of arms, and his choice to have the Installation Mass on November 18, the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of Sts. Peter and Paul in Rome, the name of the parish of his grandparents in Omaha.
And he spoke well of our mission as the Church in his homily. In a time when the Roman Catholic Church faces troublesome issues, the departure of many of its members, and the daunting task of reaching out to the young people, Archbishop Cupich reminded us to look to Christ, who beckoned Peter to come out of the boat to Him on the water, with the oft repeated, Do Not be Afraid.
For me, I see that I must not be afraid, and turn toward Christ who first beckoned me into this life of faith in Him, and continues to beckon me to walk out on the water. By so doing, my faith will come alive. One part of his homily especially spoke to me, that we should not be afraid to share with young people how God has worked in our lives. As a Religious Educaiton teacher, that gives me fresh encouragement as I seek to minister to the young people in my class, guiding them on in their journey to embrace faith for themselves.
I look forward to seeing what Blase Cupich makes of his time in the Archdiocese of Chicago. I feel he has a lot to offer, even from just his homily at the Installation Mass, with words of wisdom, encouragement, and humor. His background in an immigrant family, and then his time interacting with aboriginal Americans in the Diocese of Rapid City, SD, make him ready to interact with the diverse groups of people here in the Archdiocese of Chicago. I can also see his conciliatory tone, and hope it will open up dialogue. (This puts my mind at ease, because I was a bit concerned about how he instructed priests in the Diocese of Spokane not to participate in Planned Parenthood protests, and wouldn't say anything against the HHS mandate in the ACA. I hope these were done in a spirit to get people to dialogue about these issues, and prohibit confrontation. If more dialogue comes about as a result, I hope it results in meaningful resolutions that address all facets of these troublesome issues.)
So we're off in the boat with Archbishop Cupich. And it was good having Cardinal George along for the ride for 17 years. He was a strong voice for the Truth, the church, and the faith. I especially appreciated this when he spoke up about the validity of one's values in the wake of the controversy when Chick fil A sought to open another restaurant in Chicago, and got backlash because of the company owners' stance on marriage as it should be. He is also a very scholarly individual, which even showed in the way he spoke about these important moral issues in society. And he showed a good deal of personableness when interacting with individuals, which I had the privilege of experiencing for myself on the few occasions I met him. So yes, I look forward to seeing what roles he takes on in retirement. (This link takes you to a broadcast of the Relevant Radio program A Closer Look, on November 14, which devoted an hour-long panel discussion to Cardinal George upon his retirement.)
Godspeed and God Bless to Archbishop Cupich and Archbishop Emeritus George. I'm sure with Jesus Christ along, it will be quite a ride.
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