Cardinal Seán's Blog

Hello again welcome all to my weekly blog post!

As you will see, these past few days have included many events around the archdiocese.

Saturday morning we had an ordination of three Capuchin deacons and two priests. They are young men who are stationed in Jamaica Plain, and we went to Yonkers, N.Y. for the ordination ceremony.

Many of the people whom they have served in the local community traveled to New York for the ordination. Msgr. Charles Bourque was there with many of the parishioners from Our Lady of Lourdes in Jamaica Plain. Some of the Knights of St. Peter Claver, members of the Black Catholic Choir as well as Father Paul Soper and members of his vocation team were also part of the Boston delegation. Of course all who were there were very happy for the newly ordained, and I was honored to be able to be a part of the celebration.

It was wonderful so many made the trip for the ordination

The ordination was held on the feast of the birthday of Mary, which is such a wonderful time to have an ordination. It also happened to be the 37th anniversary of my first public Mass, held Sept. 8 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the apostle in Washington D.C. The Mass was for Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre with the Cuban community.

It was a very nice way to remember my own first Mass, and in a special way to consecrate these newly ordained men to our Blessed Mother and ask for her blessing and guidance on their ministry.

- – -

Later that day, there was a wonderful celebration of the 50th anniversary of Catholic Memorial High School in Boston. The banquet was held at the Copley Marriott. The Irish Christian Brothers, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice, started that school at the petition of Cardinal Richard Cushing. Cardinal Cushing named it the Catholic Memorial because they were celebrating the 150th anniversary of the archdiocese at the time.

I reminded those at the celebration that we are now poised to celebrate our 200th anniversary, and we are thankful for the 50 years of wonderful Catholic education that has been the history of Catholic Memorial. Many vocations have come out of that school. In fact, Father Dan Kennedy, an alumnus and newly ordained priest, gave the closing benediction.

Ray Flynn and his wife Kathy stop for quick photo
with CM president Brother James MacDonald and me

One of the interesting facets of the evening was that they recognized a number of families who they considered important supporters of the school. One family had seven sons who had all graduated from Catholic Memorial! There was also a pictorial history that showed the wonderful accomplishments of the school over its lifetime.

Another photo with seniors Tim Sullivan,
Mark Mullaney, Brian Carroll and Brendan Ahearn

The school is flourishing today with over 800 students, and the evening was a great success. I was happy to be a part of it.

On Sunday, we had 27 men in our permanent diaconate program receive the ministry of acolyte. The acolyte used to be what was called a minor order in the Church, along with lector, porter and exorcist. Major orders were sub-deacon, deacon and priest. Now that has all been changed. We still have what are called ministries, and the ministries are acolyte and lector.

Members of the permanent diaconate class and their wives

By virtue of receiving the acolyte ministry, the men become extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist and can distribute communion. It is a very simple but lovely ceremony in which they are presented with the chalice and paten, and a prayer is said over them. These ministries have been a way of building up towards ordination to the permanent diaconate. I think it calls people to a greater seriousness in their commitment and their preparation. It is a preparation for what we look forward to happening in May when we have the ordination of this class of permanent deacons at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.

I was glad to see so many people attend. We had the members of the English and Spanish programs together for the Mass. If I recall correctly, there were 10 Hispanic candidates and 17 English-speaking candidates.

Many of their pastors were present to concelebrate, which was a wonderful show of support. After all, it can be very difficult for a pastor to get away from his parish on Sunday.

- – -

Also on Sunday, I attended the wake of Dr. Robert Flynn, the founding president of our Caritas Christi Health Care System, who passed away after a long illness. He was a great leader in Catholic health care and much involved at St. Elizabeth Medical Center. He was also a father and grandfather of a beautiful family.

Dr. Flynn

His funeral was at St. Anthony Parish in Mattapoisett. I was able to attend the wake, pray for him and express the condolences of the archdiocese to the doctor’s family.

- – -

On Monday morning, I visited Trinity Catholic Academy in Brockton on their first day of school. I visited the classrooms and spoke with the students. It was a very joyful occasion to be there bright and early to meet the students, their families and teachers.

The tour started at the school’s Upper Campus which has the grade 5-8 classrooms

Trinity Catholic is the first of our schools to be revitalized through the 2010 Initiative. It is such a wonderful sign of hope. The Brockton project combined three schools — St. Casimir, St. Edward and Sacred Heart — into one school with two campuses. Both buildings have been updated inside and out, and they now feature state-of-the-art facilities.

The students were already working on their first lessons

The plan for Trinity Catholic was announced just seven months ago, and Suffolk Construction has worked hard for the past four months to ensure that the school would be ready in time for the first day of classes. The president and CEO of Suffolk Construction, John Fish, accompanied me on the tour. He has been such a wonderful support of Catholic education, especially of the 2010 Initiative.

John Fish speaks to the reporters who were on the tour with us

Brockton Mayor Jim Harrington was there, and he was very enthusiastic about the new school. Trinity Academy’s principal, Pauline Labouliere, who is doing a wonderful job, accompanied us on the tour as well.

Father Brian Smith of St. Edith Stein Parish
accompanies me on a tour of the lower campus

Brockton Mayor Jim Harrington being interviewed for CatholicTV

Trinity Catholic is the first of a number of initiatives throughout the archdiocese that are meant to strengthen Catholic schools, improve our facilities and guarantee the future of Catholic education.

At the conclusion of the tour, I blessed the school and its mission

Among the media accompanying us on the tour was our archdiocesan newspaper, The Pilot. By clicking these links you can read their story and see a slide show of photos.

- – -

On Monday, I had a meeting in Washington D.C. of the pro-life committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. It is one of the committees I am involved with, and they do wonderful work. One of our topics of discussion was the importance of ensuring that voter education literature really captures the essence of Catholic social teaching and the primacy of the life issues. It is so important that our Catholic people have a firm grasp of the Church’s teachings on these matters.

A great deal of work is being done on the documents, and we had very fruitful discussions on this as well as a number of other topics related to pro-life issues.

- – -

This past Wednesday, I attended the funeral of Msgr. John Dillon Day, a priest for 68 years.

Msgr. Day

He was an extraordinary human being, a man of great passion and zeal for his faith. He was also so enthusiastic about the priesthood that when I first came to Boston, even though he was over 90 years old, he came to see me to offer to help with vocation recruitment. We took him up on that offer, and he spoke at some of the St. Andrew’s Dinners for young men considering the priesthood. He was as much in love with the priesthood and the Church after almost 70 years as he was the day of his first Mass.

At the funeral, held at Most Precious Blood Parish in Hyde Park, many wonderful stories were told about Msgr. Day. Bishop Joe Maguire, the Bishop Emeritus of Springfield, preached a very moving ceremony that was a reflection on his life and the priesthood. Also concelebrating the Mass were Bishop Robert Hennessey, Vicar General Father Richard Erikson and Father Peter Nolan, CSSp, pastor of Most Precious Blood. The Mass was very well-attended by priests and the laity, so many people who have a great affection for this man.

- – -

On Wednesday evening, I attended a annual Lawn Party for Blessed John XXIII National Seminary in Weston. It is the 26th year that the seminary has held the fundraiser that allows benefactors to enjoy time with the seminarians who are aided by their contributions.

The school is a unique national seminary that is dedicated to preparing men who are at least 30 years old-. It is very impressive that this school has produced 500 priests for the archdiocese and for other dioceses throughout the world. Currently, they have 60 seminarians from 31 dioceses and three religious orders enrolled. Five of those men will be ordained for Boston this spring.

Springfield Bishop Timothy McDonnell speaks
with my secretary Father Brian Bachand

The two seminarians who spoke at the event, Paul Sullivan and Keith Cummings, moved us all and made us very proud. When older men become priests, they witness to a different measure of success.

That’s Paul Sullivan on the left and Keith Cummings on the right. Standing with me is Father Peter Uglietto, the rector Blessed John Seminary

- – -

Yesterday, we had the annual employee appreciation cookout for the chancery staff. We always hold it around 12:30 in the afternoon so that employees will still have the opportunity to go attend the daily mid-day Mass offered here in the chancery. Last year the weather was quite bad, and the event was held indoors to Bishop Peterson Hall. Thankfully, we had beautiful weather yesterday, and the cookout was held outside. The tables were set under a large tent in a large tent erected adjacent to the chancery.

The meal is always traditional cookout food with hamburgers, hotdogs, barbeque chicken and, of course, clam chowder.

I led the prayer before the meal and spoke to the employees about how thankful we are for their service here in the archdiocese. It is very good for me to have the opportunity to talk with them and express my appreciation for all they do. I very much enjoyed the event.

Finally for my photo of the week I have selected this photo from my visit to Trinity Catholic Academy. Her smiling face, and the many others I saw in my visits this week, serves as a reminder of the great importance of our Catholic schools and all those who work so hard to give our children the best possible formation of body, mind and spirit.

Until next week, blessings to you all.

— Cardinal Seán

Welcome back to my blog.

On Aug. 30, I bestowed the Knighthood of St. Gregory on Tom Flatley at a Mass held at the oblates near his home. The Archdiocese of Boston is very indebted to so many very generous benefactors. Obviously, some of the people that give to us are like the widow in the Gospel, who having very little, still gives very, very much. Tom Flatley is an Irish immigrant who came here with practically nothing and has been tremendously successful in his business ventures. He is a man who has used his wealth to help so many. Our recognizing him is not something that he was looking for but something that we need to do as a Catholic community. We need to be able to say thank you, to thank God for his generosity and to offer prayers for Tom and his beautiful family.

- – -

Wednesday was the 10th anniversary of the death of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. We had Mass at St. Peter Parish in Dorchester. There was a very nice response of priests, religious and lay people from throughout the diocese. Many of them are associated with the Missionaries of Charity.

St. Peter’s is a very beautiful old church constructed in the 1870’s

This image of Mother Teresa hung to the left of the altar

We celebrated the Mass for the feast day itself because the anniversary of her death is her liturgical feast day. The readings were very beautiful and very meaningful; St. Paul’s reflection on charity and the Gospel of the Beatitudes were so appropriate for Mother Teresa.

We had a very large turn out

The music was wonderful

I asked the people in the church how many of them had actually met Mother Teresa, and many raised their hands. Then I said that when I was a child, I always thought it was so wonderful when I would see photographs of St. Therese the Little Flower because it was a sign that she had been a modern figure and lived in times when they had cameras to take her picture.

St. Therese

I said that with Mother Teresa it is even better because she was so close to us and lived in our times.

A young Mother Teresa is pictured in a signed photo from 1948,
the year she began her work in the slums of Calcutta in India.

I also explained my first encounter with Mother Teresa. I was teaching at Catholic University, and the college decided to honor her. At the time she was not very well-known, so there were only about 30 people who went to the ceremony. Eileen Egan from Catholic Relief Services introduced Mother and described how she had met Mother Teresa on the streets of Calcutta. At her first encounter she saw this wheelbarrow with a dying man covered with maggots and filth coming down the street. It looked like the wheelbarrow was moving under its own power because she could not see that there was a little nun, Mother Teresa, on the other side pushing it.

Mother Teresa caring for the dying in Calcutta

After Eileen’s very moving introduction, Mother Teresa addressed us, and I must say that everyone was so moved. We realized immediately that we were in the presence of a very holy and exceptional person. So much so, that afterwards I very boldly went up to Cardinal Patrick O’Boyle and I said, “Your Eminence, this has been a great blunder.” He said, “What do you mean, father?” I said, “We should have had this celebration, not at this little auditorium in Caldwell Hall, but in the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, and we should have had all the students and teachers from Catholic University present to see this woman and to hear about her ministry.” And he said, “You’re right.”

It was a year or so later that Malcolm Muggeridge, then head of the BBC, made his television program “Something Beautiful for God.” His encounter with Mother Teresa eventually lead to his own conversion to Catholicism, but I credit him with making her known to the world with that television story that later became a book. About 10 years later Mother was already so well-known that she was given the Nobel Peace Prize, which everyone remembers the very moving speech she gave on that day and how the money that they usually have to celebrate the banquet was given to feed the poor. That was so typical of her.

I was very grateful to Mother. She sent me sisters when I was a bishop in the West Indies, and when I went to Fall River, I called her and asked her to send sisters there. She sent them right away. Eventually, she came to visit them there, and that was a very historic trip. She visited a number of spots in Boston at the same time and came to New Bedford. While she was in Boston she was at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Brighton and visited some of the prisons. So, many people had the opportunity to see her. Her presence was always a great consolation to all the people.

Some photos of Mother Teresa’s visit when I was in Fall River

Time Magazine recently had a cover story about Mother Teresa, due to a book that was published recently of her letters and personal papers.

In those papers, she talks about her spiritual struggles. Really, what she is describing for us is what the mystics call the dark night of the soul, the purification when all of the consolations and the sense of God’s presence is removed. One of her favorite phrases that she has in all of her chapels is, “I thirst” as Jesus cried on the cross. Jesus on the cross also cries out, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned Me?” He also experienced that abandonment on the cross, and that is the experience of Mother Teresa in her spiritual life. It was her spiritual crucifixion. It is certainly no indication of a lack of faith on her part, rather it shows how focused she was on her mission and on fulfilling God’s will even when she did not have any spiritual high to sustain her. It was just pure faith, the desire to embrace the cross and to serve Christ in the poor and forgotten. For all of us she is an example of holiness, how to live the Beatitudes and to serve the Lord in the distressing disguise of poverty, disease and hunger.

After the Mass the Missionaries of Charity gave everyone a holy card, booklet and medal of Blessed Mother Teresa

I had a nice chance to speak to many people after the Mass

The sisters were even pressed into service to help take photos!

- – -

Earlier in the week, priests around the archdiocese gathered at St. Brigid in South Boston for a picnic to mark Labor Day. It is the third year that the gathering is organized. This past Monday we had probably 100 priests. It was quite a cross-section from young priests to retired priests as well as priests from all the different regions of the archdiocese. Events like this promote a spirit of priestly fraternity.

Fr. Casey, Fr. Ben and Fr. Flynn with chef Richie Baressi and parish helpers.

Each year, Father Casey is always very gracious in making the arrangements, and the weather for Labor Day this year was ideal for a picnic! Many families have picnics on this holiday that marks the end of the summer. It was wonderful to bring together our priestly family to mark the end of the summer with the Labor Day picnic.

- – -

Last week, we had a very tragic incident in West Roxbury where a group of firefighters from Engine 30, Ladder 25 rushed into a building and the roof collapsed on them. Several firefighters were injured and two lost their lives. I visited the fire station last week because I had Mass nearby and made a point of stopping to see the firefighters.

Then yesterday was the funeral for the first of the two firemen. He was a Catholic and the Mass was at Holy Name Parish in West Roxbury. I am told that 20,000 firemen came from all over the United States and Canada to be a part of the ceremony. They carried the body in on a fire truck, hung a big flag from the ladders and there were many bagpipers there.

Senator Kerry, Governor Patrick and Mayor Menino were among the many who came to pay their respects

The church, which holds about 1,500 was filled with mourners

Throughout the Mass, Paul’s, helmet and hat sat on a small table at the foot of his casket

Father Dan Mahoney, who is very involved as the chaplain of the Fire Department, preached at the Mass, and there were many priests present who are also involved as chaplains of different fire departments. Father George Carlson, the parish’s pastor, did a very wonderful job orchestrating all of this. I was happy to be a part of the ceremony. I did the final commendation and made a few remarks of condolences.

Father Dan Mahoney delivered the homily

The pastor of Holy Name, Father George Carlson

Incensing the casket at the end of the Mass

It was a very moving celebration, and I am sure very reassuring for the family left behind. Firemen have such a dangerous job, and I am sure that every fireman’s family worries about their parent, spouse, sibling or other firefighter in their family who has to risk his or her life so frequently. I have heard that we have more fires than many parts of the country because of so many wooden structures and older buildings.

One of the firemen said, “We show up on the worst day in a person’s life and try to make it a little bit better by saving their home, saving their lives.” Jesus says in the Gospel, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” That is the kind of love that motivates firefighters to risk their lives to be able to help their neighbors, and we owe them a great debt of gratitude. These ceremonies that surround the death of a firefighter who dies in action are an indication of the community’s awareness of what an important role they play. Certainly we are very, very grateful for the courage and generosity of the men and women of the Fire Department.

- – -

Later that day, there was a meeting of the Catholic and Orthodox pilgrims at the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston. In a week, Metropolitan Methodios and I will be leading a pilgrimage to Rome, Constantinople and St. Petersburg.

We had a prayer service. There was a scripture reading, and we reflected a little on the meaning of pilgrimage and the importance of this experience in our quest for unity between our two faith communities.

Celebrating the prayer service

Afterward the Metropolitan and I greeted many of those who will be joining us on the pilgrimage

- – -

Finally for my photo of the week I have chosen this photo of Metropolitan Methodios jointly lighting a candle at Thursday’s prayer service as a sign of Christian unity.