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Bishop Burbidge's Homily: 2nd Anniversary of Installation as Bishop of Raleigh
Mass - Sacred Heart Cathedral
Saint John Vianney
August 4, 2008 (Second Anniversary of Installation)
An anniversary is an occasion to express renewed thanks. On the second anniversary of my installation as the Bishop of the Diocese of Raleigh, I offer gratitude to Almighty God for having called and sent me to this great Diocese. I am especially thankful to my predecessor Bishop Gossman for his example and support, to our dedicated priests for their fraternal support, to the Consecrated Religious, deacons, pastoral administrators and seminarians for their generous service and to all the faithful of this Diocese for your constant prayers and for the countless ways you do God’s work in your home, parishes and community. I thank God daily for the gift you are to me and our entire Diocese.
An anniversary is an occasion for renewal. Today, I renew my promise to serve Our Lord and His Church in imitation of Saint John Vianney, whose feast we celebrate today. He is the patron of parish priests because his life was devoted to responding generously to the spiritual needs of those entrusted to his care. He knew his priorities: preaching and teaching the Gospel, remaining constantly available as a confessor so that others could experience the forgiveness of the Lord, celebrating Mass daily, reverently and joyfully and bringing the Eucharistic to the sick and those in most need. Sometimes as we seek to carry out our vocation we can get lost in the details and programs. On this day, may we all be renewed in the essentials and what is at the heart of that which the Lord asks of us.
Today’s Gospel story of Jesus coming to the aid and rescue of his disciples on the lake is found in Mt., Mk. and Jn. In each case the multiplication of the loaves and the feeding of the 5,000 (which we heard yesterday) precede it. The linkage is obvious: The Eucharist is where we are fed, nourished and sustained. Those who celebrate and receive this precious gift understand clearly the Lord’s assurance in today’s Gospel, “I will always be with you.”
Throughout our Diocese, Eucharistic Liturgies are joyfully celebrated. It is edifying to see such deep faith and great participation. Since the Eucharist is the “source and summit of our lives,” the Church is constantly instructing us so that in the words of our Holy Father it may be “firmly believed, devoutly celebrated and intensely lived.” In an attempt to highlight the rich guidance of the Church including some recent documents, I announce today the promulgation of “The General Diocesan Norms for Celebration of the Sacred Liturgy of the Mass in the Forma Ordinaria to be effective in the Diocese of Raleigh on October 19. The document is found on our website and I ask individuals and parishes to study it with the assurance that the Diocese will assist in this process. The document is meant as a helpful guide and tool to reflect the unity that is ours in Christ Jesus as members of the universal Church.
Through the intercession of Saint John Vianney and through our faithful participation in the Eucharistic celebration, may we be able to echo with renewed faith the words of the disciples in today’s Gospel, “Jesus, truly you are the Son of God!”