Today is also the anniversary of the dedication of the Cathedral Church of the Diocese of Greensburg. Greensburg was established in March of 1951 - 60 years ago. The beautiful Most Blessed Sacrament Church in downtown Greensburg was chosen as the Cathedral Church, now known as Blessed Sacrament Cathedral. This Benedictine run church became our mother church.
In the early 1970's, our second bishop, William G. Connare, renovated the Cathedral Church to adapt to the liturgical changes of the Second Vatican Council. The Altar of our Cathedral was brought into our midst, and a great simplicity became the hallmark of the building and of the worship there. I seem to remember a book on Cathedrals at the time that highlighted our structure and worship space. This is the Cathedral in which I was ordained and in which I have celebrated these thirty-eight years of priesthood.
At the end of this month our present bishop, Lawrence Brandt, will celebrate the complete refurbishing of Blessed Sacrament Cathedral. It has been his dream and goal to create what I call a beautiful European style church. Infrastructure was strengthened, and the adornment is extensive. The present beauty is much different from the former beauty. I must confess that, in matters of taste, I truly miss the "mother" that I knew and loved.
On this anniversary, I would like to share with you the Preface for the anniversary outside the church that was dedicated, taken from the new Roman Missal.
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.
For in your benevolence you are pleased
to dwell in this house of prayer
in order to perfect us as the temple of the Holy Spirit,
supported by the perpetual help of your grace
and resplendent with the glory of a life acceptable to you.
Year by year you sanctify the Church, the Bride of Christ,
foreshadowed in visible buildings,
so that, rejoicing as the mother of countless children,
she may be given her place in your heavenly glory.
And so, with all the Angels and Saints,
we praise you, as without end we acclaim ...
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On Tuesday of this week I presided over the memorial service for one of our newer parishioners who died at the age of 90. His name was Dr. Dan Bolef, a retired nuclear physicist, a convert to the Church, an activist and a man of conviction. Quiet and unassuming, you would never imagine Dan to be the brilliant scientist and academic that he was. As many said at the service, though, Dan's greatest contribution in life was his activism in areas of justice and peace, and the causes of the underdog. His wife, Regina, carries on the tradition. I was honored to lead this tribute to Dan.
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