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From Archbishop Donoghue
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Dedication of Saint Pius X
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[See Georgia Bulletin account] Dear Friends in Christ, It is told in the first chapter of the Book of Genesis, the earliest account we have of man’s awareness of God, that when He had finished the work of creation, He viewed all that He had made, saw that it was good, and appointed the seventh day as a day of rest, and contemplation - a day of quiet, to consider the majesty of His handiwork. Today, as we mark the end to a long and sometimes arduous process of conceiving, planning, and executing all the details that must go into the raising of a new church, it is not wrong that we in some way imitate the actions of our Creator - it is not wrong that we rest now, and contemplate the fruits of our labor - not only in the beautiful physical structure which now houses our worship, but also those fruits which have been borne in our souls - the feelings of accomplishment, of satisfaction, of happiness, and of hope now for our future and the future of all who will find true life here in St. Pius X Catholic Church, life in God and in His Son Jesus Christ. And to all who are here - our parish family and all our invited guests, we say welcome to our joy, come in, be seated, and take part in the great banquet of thanksgiving which we now prepare. Join us as we make conscious note of all who deserve praise and gratitude on this day - those who were here at the beginning of this parish’s life, many of whom have gone on to their just reward, but whose steadfastness came the very foundation upon which we have continued to build over these many years - those who have come later and become a vital part of this parish’s Christian dynamism, the priests, the mothers and fathers and children and grandparents and uncles and aunts, the living forces that I see before me, and the manifold talents, treasures, gifts, prayers, and al those forces which have come together and made possible the raising of this church we dedicate today - and finally let us all, living and dead, join in the praise of God, and His Holy Spirit, who is the life in us, and without whom nothing could be conceived, and made. This is our seventh day, and let us fill as much off this day as possible, with feelings of love towards one another, as we are united by this successful work, and feelings of love for our God, our Father in heaven, from whom all blessings flow, from whom all good things come. But dear friends, let us also remember that it was but a short time after he finished the work of Creation, that God began the work of salvation, and as it is for He who is perfect, so must it also be with us who are imperfect, and yet, who are saved by the very love of God which heals our imperfections. When the woman of the Gospel came that day to the well, to fetch water, it is unlikely that she knew what was to happen to her - that she was to suddenly encounter, not just Christ the glorious Son of a glorious Father, but also the truth about herself which was His to give, His to reveal, and His alone among all the sons of man. And remember, it was that truth about herself which convinced the woman that Jesus was indeed a prophet, and not His less understandable words about worship in Jerusalem and on the mountain. When she returned to her village later that same day, to her friends she said, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly be the Messiah?” God is a god of Spirit and Truth, and indeed, it was Truth that met the woman at the well that day - it is Truth when He said to her, ”I, the one who is speaking to you, am the Messiah.” And it is Truth - HE is Truth, who meets us here today, who greets us, and accepts this wonderful new gift we bring Him - who will open the eyes of our soul, by entering our bodies as the most perfect gift creatable - the gift of His Precious, of His Saving, of His own true Body and Blood. Offered and shed but once, the once being forever, and given for us, who are faithful by the divine spark given in Baptism, and who are humbled by the perfect truth that speaks to us from the pages of the Gospel. The past, which may be full of sin, as was the life of the woman at the well, is forgiven us here, if we but look at the Truth, if we confess our sins, and if we decide to answer, with a united and faithful “Yes” - the question she and her friends pondered that day, “Could he possibly be the Messiah.”. Let our prayer be this yes - yes, we are true worshippers of God in Spirit and Truth - yes, we wish to know the truth about ourselves, that we are imperfect creatures who often sin, against God, and against one another - yes, we long to lose these sins, and be remade according to the truth God wills for us instead - and yes, we believe that Jesus Christ is truly present to us in this Sacrament, body and soul, substance and accidents, in what we see, and in what we do not see - the source of all the good that has happened to us, and all the good that will happen. Yes, Jesus is Lord, and is OUR Lord. This then, be the prayer, dear friends, which we now bring before the altar of this new and yet ancient, this local and yet universal, this concrete dwelling in which resides the Spirit of God, and the Body of His Son - this church of ours, which we bless and dedicate under the patronage of St. Pius X, and before the all-seeing eye of our God. May our lives, and the lives of those who will come here, find it ever, a well-spring of truth, filled with the waters of salvation, and the life that is given and shared, the life of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In the name of the Father… + |