Yesterday, Wednesday, March 2, I joined with about 1,000 people to witness and join in the celebration of the ordination of Bishop Christopher Coyne, the newly-appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Held at St. John the Evangelist Church in downtown Indianapolis - the church where my parents were married almost 40 years ago - it was an inspiring and moving experience, the first time a bishop has been ordained in Indianapolis since 1933!
Perhaps more than anything, for me, the most meaningful aspect of the ordination was that it was a true gathering of the Church - 16 bishops, including one cardinal; about 160 priests; numerous deacons and deacon candidates; representatives of the Knights of Columbus, the Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulcher, the Knights and Ladies of Malta, and other fraternal and charitable organizations; religious sisters and brothers from Indiana and as far away as Switzerland; lay men and women from every corner of our Archdiocese, the Archdiocese of Boston, and other places - all gathered together for the same purpose: to witness the 2,000 year-old tradition of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands to ordain a successor of the apostles, a new shepherd for the Church. In one place, at one time, the community of the Church was gathered together in prayer - representing so many more people praying from their homes or workplaces - thanking God for his presence among us and for giving us shepherds after his own heart.
In his homily at the ordination, Archbishop Daniel Buechlein, OSB, talked a lot about unity and the role of a bishop to bring about and preserve unity in God's flock. He reflected on the importance of bringing about unity in a divided world through faith and charity. There is so much that divides us - both within the Church and in the secular world - and it seems harder and harder to find any source of unity. To have the vision and leadership of shepherds whose primary task is to be humble servants of unity is a great gift. In his remarks at the end of the ordination liturgy, Bishop Coyne spoke of the importance of putting our house in order - building on the good things that are happening in the parishes and Catholic organizations - becoming truly welcoming places of prayer, formation, and service. Then, we can do the hard work of evangelizing - spreading the gospel throughout the world, especially to people for whom faith is not an important part of their lives. And through that work, we strive to bring all people together in the one family of God. This is the work God has put before us.
There was a great spirit and energy at yesterday's ordination - the Church that is the Archdiocese of Indianapolis is excited about our new auxiliary bishop, and we look forward to the gifts and blessings that will flow from his ministry among us. Bishop Coyne places great emphasis on preaching, liturgy, and teaching, and he has wide-ranging experience in communications - including blogging. We welcome him with open arms and pray for the continued guidance of the Holy Spirit as he begins his ministry as a bishop. And his episcopal motto is a good one for all of us to remember: "Trust in the Lord."
Perhaps more than anything, for me, the most meaningful aspect of the ordination was that it was a true gathering of the Church - 16 bishops, including one cardinal; about 160 priests; numerous deacons and deacon candidates; representatives of the Knights of Columbus, the Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulcher, the Knights and Ladies of Malta, and other fraternal and charitable organizations; religious sisters and brothers from Indiana and as far away as Switzerland; lay men and women from every corner of our Archdiocese, the Archdiocese of Boston, and other places - all gathered together for the same purpose: to witness the 2,000 year-old tradition of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands to ordain a successor of the apostles, a new shepherd for the Church. In one place, at one time, the community of the Church was gathered together in prayer - representing so many more people praying from their homes or workplaces - thanking God for his presence among us and for giving us shepherds after his own heart.
In his homily at the ordination, Archbishop Daniel Buechlein, OSB, talked a lot about unity and the role of a bishop to bring about and preserve unity in God's flock. He reflected on the importance of bringing about unity in a divided world through faith and charity. There is so much that divides us - both within the Church and in the secular world - and it seems harder and harder to find any source of unity. To have the vision and leadership of shepherds whose primary task is to be humble servants of unity is a great gift. In his remarks at the end of the ordination liturgy, Bishop Coyne spoke of the importance of putting our house in order - building on the good things that are happening in the parishes and Catholic organizations - becoming truly welcoming places of prayer, formation, and service. Then, we can do the hard work of evangelizing - spreading the gospel throughout the world, especially to people for whom faith is not an important part of their lives. And through that work, we strive to bring all people together in the one family of God. This is the work God has put before us.
There was a great spirit and energy at yesterday's ordination - the Church that is the Archdiocese of Indianapolis is excited about our new auxiliary bishop, and we look forward to the gifts and blessings that will flow from his ministry among us. Bishop Coyne places great emphasis on preaching, liturgy, and teaching, and he has wide-ranging experience in communications - including blogging. We welcome him with open arms and pray for the continued guidance of the Holy Spirit as he begins his ministry as a bishop. And his episcopal motto is a good one for all of us to remember: "Trust in the Lord."
Archbishop Daniel Buechlein, OSB, prays the prayer of consecration during the ordination of Bishop Christopher Coyne.
1 comment:
Thanks for sharing this Father, I hated to miss it!
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