During this morning’s Mass celebrating the Feast of Ss. Peter and Paul, the Holy Father conferred the pallium on 38 new metropolitan archbishops.

To the glory of Almighty God and the praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of the apostles Peter and Paul, and of the Holy Roman Church, for the honor of the Churches, which have been placed in your care, and as a symbol of your authority as metropolitan archbishop: We confer on you the pallium taken from the tomb of Peter to wear within the limits of your ecclesiastical provinces.

May this pallium be a symbol of unity
and a sign of your communion with the Apostolic See,
a bond of love, and an incentive to courage.
On the day of the coming and manifestation
of our great God and chief shepherd, Jesus Christ,
may you and the flock entrusted to you
be clothed with immortality and glory.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Archbishop Thomas Wenski:

Archbishop Thomas Wenski receives the Pallium | Reuters

The homily given by Pope Benedict XVI will be posted as soon as it is translated into English by the Vatican. Be sure to check for updates if you would like to read it.

Source: CatholicTV

2009 Pallium Mass in Rome | REUTERS

Sorry for the lack of posts over the last couple of days, which have been rather eventful for me. On Friday morning I flew out of Orlando International Airport bound for Los Angeles to celebrate the coming together of my brother and his fiancé in matrimony. I flew home last evening. Needless to say, I am a bit tired but still kickin’. So, in case you have been out of the loop in recent days or weeks with your vacation plans, here is a bit of a look at the week ahead (well, at least the first couple of days of it).

This evening, the Holy Father will celebrate vespers for tomorrow’s Feast of Ss. Peter and Paul with the newly installed Metropolitan Archbishops from throughout the world. Tomorrow, a Mass will celebrated where the palliums will be conferred on the new metropolitans, all 38 of them, by Pope Benedict XVI. The pallium is a wool band about “two inches wide, worn about the neck,

Five years ago today, Pope Benedict XVI was elected in the second day of the Papal Conclave. Let us remember the Holy Father in our prayers on this special anniversary. Most especially, let us show our support for our German Shepherd as he continues to guide the church.

Shortly after the Habemus Papam announcement, Pope Benedict XVI emerged and gave his first Urbi et Orbi address.

“Dear Brothers and Sisters,

After the great Pope John Paul II, the Cardinals have elected me, a simple and humble laborer in the vineyard of the Lord.

The fact that the Lord knows how to work and act even with inadequate instruments consoles me, so above all I entrust myself to your prayers.

In the joy of the Risen Lord, confident of his unfailing help, let us move forward. The Lord will help us and Mary, his Most Holy Mother, will be on our side. Thank you.”

VIDEO SOURCE: YouTube

SOURCE: Vatican | Holy See

A short break from my usual posts to offer congratulations to Very Reverend Gregory Parkes, Chancellor of the Diocese of Orlando and Parochial Administrator of Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Celebration, Florida, who was named the Vicar General for the Diocese of Orlando last week. Below is the announcement from the Diocese of Orlando website.

Bishop Thomas Wenski is pleased to announce the appointment of Very Reverend Gregory Parkes, J.C.L. as Vicar General of the Diocese of Orlando. Father Parkes assumed this role on November 1. He serves along with Monsignor Patrick Caverly who has served as Vicar General of the Diocese of Orlando since 1992. Father Parkes will continue to serve as Diocesan Chancellor of Canonical Affairs and Parochial Administrator of Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Celebration.

A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general has executive power over the whole Diocese regarding administrative matters, except those matters the Bishop has reserved for himself.

Father Parkes was ordained to the priesthood on June 26, 1999 by Bishop Norbert Dorsey. He attended the North American College in Rome from 1996 – 2000 where he earned a Licentiate Degree in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University. After returning to the Diocese of Orlando, Father Parkes was assigned as Parochial Vicar of Holy Family Catholic Church in Orlando where he served from 2000 – 2004. In addition, he was appointed Defender of the Bond and served in the Marriage Tribunal during this same period. In December 2004, Bishop Thomas Wenski appointed him Chancellor of the diocese. Father Parkes was appointed Parochial Administrator of the newly formed Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Celebration in March 2005.

Father Parkes serves as a member of the Diocesan Finance Committee, Priest Placement Board, Presbyteral Council, Incardination Committee, College of Consultors, and is on the Board of Trustees of St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach. He has two brothers, Very Reverend Stephen Parkes who is Parochial Administrator of Most Precious Blood Catholic Church in Oviedo, and Christopher Parkes who is married and lives in Maryland.

PHOTO SOURCE: Diocese of Orlando