‘Walking on ice with confidence'

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo of Galveston-Houston celebrated the Centennial Jubilee Mass before more than 5,000 faithful at the American Bank Center on March 26. He said he would title his report to the Holy Father on the event as “Walking on ice with confidence.”

He was referencing the fact that the Mass he had celebrated was on the floor of an ice rink used by the local semi-pro hockey team; and the ice was underneath the flooring. He said in his homily that the Church does not view itself as triumphant but is always confident in its teaching and belief.

It is from the Diocese of Galveston that the Diocese of Corpus Christi sprung forth and it is today the province to which it belongs. Cardinal DiNardo is no stranger to Corpus Christi having presided over the installation Mass for Bishop Wm. Michael Mulvey two years ago.

Bishop Mulvey, Bishop Emeritus Edmond Carmody and bishops from Texas and other invited bishops and priests concelebrated the Mass with Cardinal DiNardo.

With more than 5,000 faithful in attendance, it is believed to be the largest attendance of any Mass in the history of the diocese. In 1962, four cardinals filled the now demolished Memorial Coliseum, which was a smaller venue.

In his opening remarks before the Penitential Rite Bishop Mulvey expressed his appreciation to Cardinal DiNardo and the many other clergy and religious present. San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller and bishops from throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Minnesota and Connecticut were in attendance. Benedictine Abbots from Oklahoma and Arkansas were also present.

Among the bishops present were four that were born and served as priests in the diocese of Corpus Christi, including Bishop Emeritus Raymundo Pena of Brownsville, Bishop James Tamayo of Laredo, Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville and Bishop Michael Pfeiffer of San Angelo, who was born in Alamo and ordained a priest while the Rio Grande Valley was still part of the  Diocese of Corpus Christi.

Bishop Mulvey acknowledged  “with gratitude and fraternity” the presence of Bishop Carmody, his predecessor in the See of Corpus Christi. He thanked him for his leadership and service.

In addition to the numerous bishops, priests from the Dioceses of Corpus Christi, Brownsville, Laredo, Victoria, San Antonio and Austin were also present. Many retired priests and active deacons were also on hand.

Bishop Mulvey extended a special thanks to the many women religious in attendance. He told them they “played a vital and indispensable role in the life of the Church.”  Even before the diocese was erected, women religious educated youth, comforted the sick, gave shelter to the homeless and consoled those in need, Bishop Mulvey said.

Bishop Mulvey acknowledged the presence of ecumenical, inter-faith and civic leaders. He pledged his willingness to work with them for the betterment of the community.

He thanked the faithful for their “willingness to march together into the future with hope to bring to life the Word of God...”

Bishop Mulvey also shared with attendees his meeting with the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI earlier in the month. The pope, Bishop Mulvey said, sent “not only his greetings but his blessings.”

Cardinal DiNardo read a letter from the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano on behalf of the pope. The letter said that Holy Father was confident that the people of the Diocese of Corpus Christi, inspired by their pioneering predecessors, would continue their “missionary commitment to the spread of the Gospel.”

Seminarians from the Diocese of Corpus Christi as well as altar servers representing parishes from throughout the diocese served at the Mass. Ushers from various parishes in the diocese served as ushers and hospitality ministers.

Sister Michelle Marie Kuntscher, IWBS, and seminarian Christopher Becerra proclaimed the readings. Daniel Vasquez was the cantor. Representatives from the eight deaneries in the diocese served as gift bearers.

Lee Gwozdz, assisted by Guadalupe Rivera, directed the Diocesan Chorus and Eddie Fernandez directed the Cathedral Schola Contorum. The choir was organized from members of parish choirs from throughout the diocese who tried out for a place in the special choir assembled for the Mass.

In his homily, Cardinal DiNardo offered congratulatory remarks to Bishop Mulvey and the faithful of the Diocese of Corpus Christi. The Centennial Mass fell on the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord and the Cardinal’s homily focused on the Blessed Mother’s “yes” to the Lord, which resulted in the Word made flesh and in Corpus Christi—the body of Christ, which is the Church.

Recalling the tumultuous first decade of the diocese, which faced two hurricanes, the unexpected death of clergy during the Spanish flu epidemic and the caring for clergy and religious fleeing the uprising in Mexico, Cardinal DiNardo said the people possessed a “resilience of faith in the Word made flesh.”

“What a tremendous history you have of that reality in the Diocese of Corpus Christi,” Cardinal DiNardo said.

“We need to take this 100th anniversary, stand back, thank God, praise God, ponder and then move ahead in mission, the mission is to make Jesus known,” the cardinal said.

“I ask that in the Year of Faith about to begin in October, that all the members of Corpus Christi here in Corpus Christi—your town happens to be called Corpus Christi but you are the members of the body of Christ—I beg you that you make your own yes that of the Virgin Mary,” Cardinal DiNardo said.

He closed his homily by reminding the faithful of the urgent challenge the Church faces today against incursions into its religious liberty. He said that they are called to provide witness in the public square.

This challenge, he said, “is all the more reason why we need prayer and sacramental life to flourish so we can enter into this delicate arena.”

“It’s arduous and tricky work and we are going to have to deal within the public square on behalf of human personal life and its beauty and brilliance from its moment of conception until natural death and the aligned problem of religious liberty now greatly challenged in our less than healthy culture,” Cardinal DiNardo said.

He said this challenge required of everyone to adhere to the central lesson taught to by Jesus in the beatitudes that “blessed are the pure of heart.”

“You can’t do anything unless there is purity of heart…if you don’t have that, all the battles we have to deal with, it won’t work,” he said.