Archbishop Wenski during June 1st Mass of Installation

On the afternoon of June 1st, Archbishop Thomas Wenski took the reigns of the Archdiocese of Miami. Emerging from outside the Cathedral of St. Mary after  the customary three knocks on the front door, Archbishop Wenski processed into the cathedral of the archdiocese to applause from the congregation. The Mass, which began shortly after 2 o’clock, was aired live on EWTN, CatholicTV, and the Archdiocese of Miami website.

At the beginning of the Mass, Archbishop John C. Favalora welcomed those in attendance, including some 500 priests, 40+ bishops, a Prince of the Catholic Church (Sean Cardinal O’Malley), religious men and women, seminarians, and lay faithful. In his remarks, Archbishop Favalora stated: “Today we all welcome Archbishop Wenski back home.” Favalora shared, “I can attest Archbishop, God does provide.”

Archbishop Wenski greets members of the community following his installation as the fourth Archbishop of Miami

Following the opening remarks of the outgoing Archbishop of Miami, Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, greeted those in attendance. During his greeting, Archbishop Sambi quoted Pope Benedict XVI‘s  12 May 2010 speech to priests, religious, deacons, and seminarians in Fatima: “Let me open my heart and tell you that the greatest concern of every Christian, especially of every consecrated person or minister of the altar, must be fidelity, loyalty to one’s own vocation, as a disciple who wishes to follow the Lord.” After the reading of the Papal Bull, which appointed  him the fourth Archbishop of Miami, the episcopal rock star officially assumed his new duties and responsibilities.

During his homily, Archbishop Wenski called to mind the problems and challenges that the Church of Miami currently faces. Realizing these challenges, Wenski stated: “I am not afraid but I am trembling.” However, the newly installed archbishop comes home to Miami a seasoned pastor, capable of embracing the challenges and leading his flock into the future. Wenski recognizes that he cannot do it alone; the collaboration of all the faithful in Miami is needed to make the local church more united and centered on Christ. “Charity will unite us…May the Virgin of Charity illumine us…with a light that is as brilliant as the star of Christ.” He concluded his homily by saying: “We begin a new chapter in this history of this local Church…So let us begin. Let us start afresh from Christ.”

Following the homily, the rites of installation continued with the Liturgy of the Eucharist. I was somewhat shocked at the shear number of priests in attendance. For the first time (at least for this Catholic), it took longer for the priests to receive the body and blood of our Lord than the laity. It was a nice surprise.

As the Mass came to a close, the seemingly endless procession emerged from the cathedral to music and dancing.

Father Richard Walsh

UPDATE: On June 3, 2010, the College of Consultors for the Diocese of Orlando met to select a diocesan administrator; they selected Reverend Richard Walsh. Father Walsh is currently the Pastor of St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Winter Park. He was ordained a priest on June 16, 1968. Father Walsh assumes the role of diocesan administrator immediately and will carry out those duties until Pope Benedict XVI names a new Bishop for the Diocese of Orlando. Until that time, please keep Father Walsh and the people of the Diocese of Orlando in your prayers.

UPDATE #2: Here is a link to an interview with Archbishop Wenski conducted by WSVN 7 in Miami. http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/21001329909588/

PHOTO SOURCE: (1) Sun-Sentinel; (2) Sun-Sentinel; (3) Diocese of Orlando

Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York wrote the following:

I was overjoyed to learn of the appointment of Archbishop José Gomez of San Antonio as the Coadjutor Archbishop of Los Angeles. He will be a great blessing to the Catholic faithful of our nation’s largest archdiocese, and to the entire Los Angeles community, as well as to my good friend, Cardinal Roger Mahony, who has served the Los Angeles Archdiocese so faithfully for 25 years.

I have known Archbishop Gomez for more than a decade. I cherish his friendship and admire his zeal. I look forward to working together even more closely in the years to come, and assure him of my prayers as he prepares to undertake this new phase of service to Christ and his church.

SOURCE: The Gospel in the Digital Age

PHOTO SOURCE: Global Catholic Radio Conference

Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver, who ordained Archbishop Gomez as an Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Denver, made the following congratulatory remarks upon receiving the news of Gomez’s appointment to L.A.:

Archbishop Gomez first served as a bishop in Denver, and people here remember him with great affection. He played a very big role in making our Hispanic ministry one of the best in the country, but his impact and friendships went well beyond the Hispanic community. He has a great gift for bringing people together from very different backgrounds. He has one of the best minds in the Church in the United States and a great capacity for work, but he combines those qualities with a personal warmth and respect for other people that make him a very effective leader.

The Holy Father has made the perfect choice to lead the Archdiocese of Los Angeles after Cardinal Mahony retires. Archbishop Gomez will serve the Catholic people of Los Angeles with character, courage and good will. It’s a privilege to know him as a brother bishop and also as a friend.

SOURCE: Archdiocese of Denver

Bishop Kevin Farrrell of Dallas wrote:

The Holy Father has made a wise and timely decision in his appointment of Archbishop José Gomez of San Antonio to be co-adjutor Archbishop of Los Angeles and the successor of Cardinal Roger Mahony upon his retirement.

Archbishop Gomez is the first Latino to be named to a major archdiocese. Los Angeles is the largest archdiocese in the United States and is 80% Latino. A native of Monterrey, Mexico and an immigrant himself, he has served in the United States for many years as a priest, auxiliary bishop, and Archbishop of San Antonio.

Cardinal Mahony reaches 75 in February, the age at which he must submit his resignation. The early appointment of a co-adjutor insures a smooth transition of authority. The appointment is also recognition by Pope Benedict XVI of the changing demographics in the Southwest.

At 58, God willing, Archbishop Gomez will lead the Archdiocese of Los Angeles for many years.

We rejoice for him and for the people of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

SOURCE: Bishop Kevin Farrell

And, finally, one of the most important responses of all, the statement from Roger Cardinal Mahony, Cardinal Archbishop of Los Angeles:

When our Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Pietro Sambi, informed me that our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, had appointed Archbishop José Gomez to serve as the Coadjutor Archbishop of Los Angeles, I was so grateful to God for this gift of a Hispanic Archbishop.

I welcome Archbishop Gomez to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles with enthusiasm and personal excitement. The Auxiliary Bishops and I are looking forward to working closely with him over the coming months until he becomes the Archbishop early in 2011.

During the process to select a new Archbishop, I urged that the Archdiocese of Los Angeles deserved to have a Hispanic as the next Archbishop. Los Angeles is the largest Hispanic Diocese or Archdiocese in the United States.

The first four Bishops of the Los Angeles territory were Hispanic Bishops, to be followed by five Bishops/Archbishops of Irish descent, and myself of German and Italian background.

I have known Archbishop Gomez since he became Auxiliary Bishop of Denver in 2001, and subsequently, the Archbishop of San Antonio in 2004. Over the years he has been a most effective leader working with priests serving the Spanish-speaking communities across the country, and his leadership in proclaiming the dignity and rights of our immigrant peoples has helped motivate many people to advocate for our immigrants.

Some may conclude that since Archbishop Gomez was ordained a priest of Opus Dei he must be “conservative.” In fact, these labels of “conservative” and “liberal” are really unhelpful in the life of the Church. We are all called to a deep relationship with Jesus Christ, and I can attest that both of us share a common commitment to Christ and to the Church, and that both of us are interested in promoting the teachings of the Church fully as well as bringing the words and example of Christ to today’s society and world. I consider ourselves to share an equal commitment to the continued growth of the Church here in Los Angeles.

Archbishop Gomez also shares with me a determined effort to make our Church safe for all people, but especially, for children and young people. I look forward to working closely with him to make certain that all our Safeguard the Children programs are fully implemented across the Archdiocese.

Our Archdiocesan Synod concluded in 2003 by establishing six Pastoral Initiatives, the first being a renewed sense of evangelization among our Catholic community. Archbishop Gomez recently wrote two important articles on this topic. The first was entitled Evangelization, Education and the Hispanic Catholic Future in 2009. The second was entitled You Will Be My Witnesses: Pastoral Letter on Evangelization issued in 2010. Both of these pastoral letters will apply well to the Local Church of Los Angeles, and place us on course for a more dynamic outreach to all peoples in the name of Jesus Christ.

During this Year for Priests, Archbishop Gomez published last fall a book entitled Men of Brave Heart: The Virtue of Courage in the Priestly Life.

Archbishop Gomez is the Chair-elect of the Committee on Migrants and Refugee Services of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and will take the leadership in moving the Church’s efforts forward to bring about a more comprehensive immigration reform in our Congress. I eagerly look forward to working directly with him on this important priority of the Church in our country.

There is an interesting link and bond between the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the Archdiocese of San Antonio. In 1934, Father Robert E. Lucey of Los Angeles was consecrated as the Bishop of Amarillo, Texas. In 1940, Bishop Lucey became the Archbishop of San Antonio where he worked tirelessly on behalf of the poor and Hispanics. In 1953, a year before the Supreme Court ruling on desegregation in the public schools, Archbishop Lucey integrated all of the Catholic schools in his jurisdiction. He became the executive chairman of the Bishops’ Committee for the Spanish Speaking, and helped to focus the Church’s attention upon all of those immigrants across our country who needed the Church’s voice on their behalf.

To you, Archbishop Gomez, I not only extend the most warm and cordial bienvenida, but I also ask you to experience and appreciate the wonderful, dynamic Local Church of Los Angeles. As the Archdiocese of Los Angeles continues to grow over the coming year, it is our mutual challenge to deepen the faith life of all our Catholics and to assist them in witnessing their faith to all of their brothers and sisters.

I again welcome you with my eager enthusiasm as I complete my service as the Archbishop of Los Angeles in 2011, and you assume that role for the coming years.

SOURCE: Cardinal Roger Mahony Blogs L.A.

PHOTO SOURCE: AP