On Friday, May 5, 2023, the people of the Diocese of Jefferson City reached a major milestone on our journey together in faith. Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States celebrated with us the Mass of Rededication of our Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Jefferson City. If you haven’t done so already, I encourage you to visit the diocesan web site’s page regarding the renewal project of our cathedral and watch the Mass of Rededication that is hosted on the diocesan’s Vimeo repository. (https://vimeo.com/824285455). The page about the renovation of our cathedral is (https://diojeffcity.org/cathedral-renovation/) and there you can find an extensive discussion of the project, along with the complete program that accompanied the Mass of Rededication with details about the liturgy, the art and architecture of the cathedral, the concelebrating prelates and clergy, and in particular explanations of the rites that constitute a Mass for the rededication of a church.
I had a very small role to play as the Dean of the North Deanery. First by walking in the procession with the priests who serve in the North Deanery as we followed the banner representing our deanery, a five pointed star on a gray background which is one part of the complete diocesan coat of arms. Two members of our deanery who serve on the Diocesan Pastoral Council led our contingent in the procession.
As dean I had the honor of taking part in the solemn incensing of the people and the church after the Prayer of Dedication, the Consecrating of the altar and its anointing, and the anointing of the walls of the church. After the altar was anointed, a large brazier filled with charcoal was placed on the altar and Archbishop Pierre loaded it up with incense. It was a cloud of incense of biblical proportions indeed rising up to heaven. The deans then took censers and proceeded down the aisles of the church, extending the fragrant smoke throughout to envelope us all and then to carry our praise and gratitude toward God whose countless blessings make all things possible.
The celebration in Jefferson City was one of renewal, restoration, and healing for me on a very personal level. The Cathedral of Saint Joseph is the mother church of our local Catholic Church, the Diocese of Jefferson City. As such it assumes a powerful and essential role in the life of the Church. I have experienced so many joy-filled occasions through the years. I remember so fondly the celebrations led by Bishop McAuliffe and Bishop Gaydos. Our cathedral represented to me a place where the Catholic Church gathered in mid-Missouri and I encountered my brothers and sisters in the faith, clergy and laity, who were gathered from throughout the diocese in many different towns and parishes, but all members of the one Church. The cathedral truly has been a home for the faithful.
Two particular recurring celebrations at the cathedral were especially sources of consolation and strength. The first is the Chrism Mass celebrated each year shortly before Easter. I remember as a high school seminarian traveling to Jefferson City for the celebration. Some years the seminarians led the music, a blessed opportunity that continued through the years, even up to when I was teaching at the high school seminary. Being in such a large church filled with so many people gave me hope and inspired me to continue to give my heart to the priestly ministry that is renewed formally at the Chrism Mass.
The other grand occasion for me was the yearly 6th Grade Vocations Day on the first Wednesday of May. Over 700 sixth graders would gather from all over the diocese to participate in a day-long conference on vocations. The day ended with Mass presided over by the bishop. For the first twelve years of the conference, while I was working in vocations for the diocese, I worked with others on the registration and scheduling process for the teachers, administrators, volunteers, and students. It was always fun to see the name tags we prepared displayed prominently on the lanyards of the attendees, finally seeing the faces behind the names we had been working with for many months.
Oddly enough, I wasn’t ordained in the cathedral. Bishop McAuliffe’s custom was to ordain a priest in his own home parish. That was a great experience for me and the people of Saint Patrick in Sedalia, now St. Patrick Chapel for the Parish of Saint Vincent de Paul. Bishop McAuliffe’s custom perhaps was appropriate for a time when the Church was seeking new ways to encounter people and celebrate our faith. When we switched to having priestly ordinations in the Cathedral of Saint Joseph, I certainly understood the importance of the ordination of a priest for service in the entire local Church, that is, the entire Diocese of Jefferson City.
I look forward to leading a pilgrimage of our parishioners to visit our cathedral some time this summer. The majority of the renovations are complete. Some of the planned art and decorative features have yet to be installed, but the stained glass, the mosaics, the furnishings, and elements of the baptistry, especially the beautiful mural there, and the large welcoming portico reminiscent of the Pantheon in Rome, and many other elements indicate that the cathedral is ready for worship and celebration.
I’ll end on a personal note, something that I imagine I share with many of the faithful of the Diocese of Jefferson City. There should be no denial that the last twenty five years of the Church has been a period of distress and trial. Where the ministers of the Church should have been vessels of Christ’s grace and strength, they have wounded so many. There is still much healing to be done. Rebuilding trust and confidence is still a work in progress. As much as new policies and procedures have been put in place to protect young people and vulnerable adults, restorative justice and healing, outreach and support still needs to continue.
I have been inspired by the renovations of the cathedral with new hope and purpose to continue the journey of reconciliation that has always been the mission of the Church. I pray that all of us can see the renewal of the Cathedral as an outward sign of the interior renewal that conversion requires of us. By the renewal of the physical structure of our mother church, may we all be inspired to work together to restore that missionary vitality that the Gospel requires of us.