A day of blessings

     Beginning at three o'clock this afternoon, Sunday, October 30th, a "Mass of Thanksgiving for the Restoration of Blessed Sacrament Cathedral with the Blessing of New Liturgical Appointments on the Occasion of the Celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Diocese of Greensburg" took place with Bishop Lawrence E. Brandt, JCD, PhD, the fourth bishop of Greensburg as presider and homilist.  Now that's quite a title page for a program.   This celebration, long in the planning, was the culmination of a lengthy process of restoration and repair of our Cathedral parish.  Since his ordination and installation as our bishop in 2004, Bishop Brandt has desired to transform our mother church into what he calls an "architectural monument and impressive community asset". 

     The restoration and development of the present cathedral church is beautiful and top notch.  They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder ... and I would add that the appreciation of beauty is also in the eye of the beholder.  While there are many beautiful things, I find much to be busy and distracting, and I miss the simple beauty of the cathedral that I knew and loved.  Obviously our personal tastes are different ... and I am not the bishop (thank God).  That said, in this second visit since completion, I was a little more comfortable.  Hopefully I will come to know and love this "new church" as the image of our mother, the Church.  I believe that Bishop Brandt was pleased with his accomplishments in this endeavor.

     Joining us today were our Bishop Emeritus, Bishop Anthony G. Bosco, as well as our neighbors, Archabbot Douglas Nowicki of Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh, Bishop Mark Bartchak of the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese as well as Bishop Joseph Adamec, Bishop Emeritus of AJ, and His Eminence Justin Cardinal Rigali, Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia.  The music was beautiful, the liturgy solemn, the blessings of new appointments unending (twelve blessings), and the liturgy long (3 till about 5:45).  But a great day - we had snow yesterday and fog all morning, but sunshine as we began.

     I have include the Remembrance Card picture and wording.  The picture is of the new "cathedra" with Bishop Brandt, one modeled after the chair from the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Rome where Bishop Brandt celebrated his first Mass as a priest in December of 1969.  It has personal sentimental value to him.

It was a day of blessings.