New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan will be the keynote speaker at an event to be held March 26, 2012 commemorating the Centennial Jubilee of the erection of the Diocese of Corpus Christi.
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston will celebrate Mass later that evening at the American Bank Center where thousands of Catholic faithful are expected to attend.
Bishop Wm. Michael Mulvey announced the event and other Jubilee activities at a luncheon with community leaders and the news media at the Corpus Christi Town Club on Sept. 15.
“We will gather the clergy, religious and pastoral workers to reflect on the church in the Third Millennium,” Bishop Mulvey said.
Msgr. Michael Heras, recently appointed by Bishop Mulvey as the Episcopal Vicar for the Centennial Jubilee, pointed out that the March event is only the beginning of a yearlong “process” of remembrance, rejoicing and renewal.
“We will be assisting parishes with ongoing renewal in light of this profound opportunity,” Msgr. Heras said.
Earlier this year, Bishop Mulvey appointed three committees to begin planning for the Centennial Jubilee. The committees have been developing programs in the areas of remembrance, rejoicing and renewal.
“It is not enough—although extremely important—merely to remember what others did for us in the past to leave us a strong and maturing church, but we honor their memory and hard work by continuing to enrich our liturgical practices and renewing our parish communities, which form the nucleus of the church,” Bishop Mulvey said.
Bishop Mulvey also announced a new diocesan Web site that will chronicle the diocese’s past as well as the ongoing efforts at rejoicing and renewal. The Web site, acenturyoftradition.org, already features a number of historical stories and facts developed by the Remember Committee headed by Msgr. Michael Howell, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle in Robstown.
The Web site also features information of the Centennial Jubilee Mass and other upcoming events. The bishop recommended to luncheon attendees and the public to check back at the Web site often as it will be updated frequently with new information regarding the diocese’s history and liturgical events planned over the next 18 months.
The inaugural event in March 2012 will bring in a number of bishops from other Texas dioceses to lead workshops in various areas of formation, Msgr. Heras said. Archbishop Dolan, who also serves as president of the United States Conference of Bishops, will lead off the day with a 1 p.m. keynote address at the American Bank Center.
Following the archbishop’s address, participants will break out into sessions on such topics as, respect life, medical ethics, marriage and family, catechesis, evangelization of culture, parish administration, liturgy, parish renewal and options for the poor.
Cardinal DiNardo, who installed Bishop Mulvey in March 2009 at the Corpus Christi Cathedral, will return to be the main celebrant and homilist for the 6 p.m. Mass at the American Bank Center. Msgr. Heras expects upwards of 5,000 in attendance.
In preparation for the Mass, the Rejoice Committee headed by Msgr. Roger Smith, pastor at St. Patrick Parish in Corpus Christi, has been working on the liturgy and liturgical music. These preparations are not only for the Mass but have been ongoing in anticipation of the introduction of the new Roman Missal scheduled to go into use the first Sunday of Advent.
Father Pete Elizardo, rector at the Cathedral and director of the Diocesan Office of Divine Worship, has been conducting parish workshops on the new Missal for several months. Cathedral Choir director Lee Gwozdz, recently named by Bishop Mulvey as Diocesan Music Director, is providing direction to parishes throughout the diocese.
The Renewal Committee headed by Father Patrick Donohoe, pastor of Holy Family Parish in Corpus Christi, will help individual parishes and missions to build a plan of action designed to make their communities centered on the Word of God using the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the cornerstone.
Parish plans will address scripture studies, Gospel centered catechesis and outreach, lifelong faith formation, family life, community development, social justice issues and stewardship and parish administration.
“Through strengthening our personal lives, our Catholic families and our parishes in the Word of God, we will work together in helping build up our greater civic communities that we share with people of all faiths,” Bishop Mulvey said.
For a year after the March 2012, the diocese will be focused on these three areas of the Centennial Jubilee; remembering the contributions of the past, rejoicing in the celebration of the new liturgy and music and renewing parish life and individual faith formation.
The Centennial Jubilee will come to a close with a closing Mass on Monday, March 25, 2013.
The Diocese of Corpus Christi will then start its second century, prepared by the foundation laid down in its first century and the focus of the previous year.