Archbishop's column

Introduction

My second reflection upon the Church’s teaching on the Holy Eucharist centers on the first chapter of Pope John Paul II encyclical letter "Ecclesia de Eucharistia (On the Eucharist in Its Relationship with the Church)," which is titled "The Mystery of Faith."It is a particularly fitting reflection during the holiest days of the Church year, in which the Holy Eucharist was instituted and Christ’s Sacrifice on Calvary, which it makes present, was accomplished.Before I enter into a reflection on the Holy Eucharist as the Mystery of Faith, however, I draw your attention to a most important event in the archdiocese, which is directed toward the richer participation in the Sacred Liturgy, especially the Holy Mass, by all the faithful.

Gateway Liturgical Conference

The Gateway Liturgical Conference will be held at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in Downtown St. Louis from the afternoon of Thursday, April 7, to the afternoon of Friday, April 8.The conference is geared toward priests, deacons, consecrated persons and lay faithful who have responsibility for the Sacred Liturgy in their parishes or who simply desire to deepen their knowledge and love of the Church’s public worship.A number of excellent presenters from the archdiocese and from other parts of our nation will offer sessions, treating a great variety of liturgical matters.

The opening address on Thursday afternoon will be given by Msgr. James P. Moroney, a priest of the Diocese of Worcester and currently executive director of the Secretariat for the Liturgy of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.He will speak on the development and completion of the vernacular edition of the Roman Missal for the United States.Msgr. Moroney serves not only the Conference of Bishops in our nation but also the Holy Father’s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, to which the Holy Father has named him a consultor.

The archdiocese is most deeply honored by the participation of Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, in the Gateway Liturgical Conference.Cardinal Arinze will give the keynote address on Friday morning, speaking on the topic, "Liturgical Norms and Liturgical Piety."He will follow his address to all of the participants with a workshop on liturgical reform for priests, seminarians, deacons and liturgists. Cardinal Arinze will help participants in the conference to gain a firmer grasp of the liturgical norms in the "General Instruction of the Roman Missal" and in the "Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum (On Certain Matters To Be Observed or To Be Avoided Regarding the Most Holy Eucharist)."The cardinal is a most engaging presenter who will draw upon his rich knowledge and love of the Sacred Liturgy.

Please consider taking part in all, or at least some, of the Gateway Liturgical Conference.Because of the fundamental importance of the subject matter, I am asking all of the priests of the archdiocese to participate in, at least, the Friday morning sessions with Cardinal Arinze.The seminarians at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary will take part in these sessions.If you wish more information about the conference or need assistance in registering for it, please contact the Office of Worship of the Archdiocese at (314) 792-7230 or worship@archstl.org.I hope that you will be able to join me, together with other faithful of the archdiocese, at the Gateway Liturgical Conference.

Eucharistic Sacrifice

After the consecration of the bread and wine at Holy Mass, that is after the bread and wine have become truly and completely the Body and Blood of Christ, and after the priest has shown the sacred species, the Body and Blood of Christ, to the congregation and has adored Christ by genuflecting before the Sacred Host and the Precious Blood, he immediately invites the congregation to proclaim the mystery of faith.The congregation then sings or says: "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again" or one of the other memorial acclamations which all have the same content: Christ’s Passion and Death, His Resurrection and His return in glory at the end of time.The memorial acclamation reflects the deepest truth about the Holy Eucharist, the inseparability of the Holy Eucharist from the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ.

Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist on the night He was betrayed, the night before His cruel Passion and Death.He instituted the Holy Eucharist so that the fruits of His Suffering and Dying on the Cross on the next day would be constantly offered in the Church, to all peoples of every time and place.The Mass, as the Holy Father declares, "is indelibly marked by the event of the Lord’s Passion and Death, of which it is not only a reminder but the sacramental re-presentation" (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, no. 11a).

Christ desired that the sacrifice which He was going to offer on Calvary on Good Friday continue always in the Church, and He fulfills His desire by the most wondrous sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, in which He, acting through His minister, the ordained priest, offers ever anew, now in an unbloody manner, the one sacrifice of His life on the Cross.In a concise and striking manner, our Holy Father describes the inseparability of the Sacrifice of Calvary and the Sacrifice of the Mass:

"This sacrifice (of Calvary) is so decisive for the salvation of the human race that Jesus Christ offered it and returned to the Father only after He had left us a means of sharing in it as if we had been present there. Each member of the faithful can thus take part in it and inexhaustibly gain its fruits" (no. 11c).

The Holy Eucharist is indeed the "inestimable gift" of Christ to us, before which the only fitting response is adoration.The Sacrifice of the Holy Mass truly makes us present at the Sacrifice on Calvary.

The Holy Eucharist is not just one of the many gifts which Christ has left to us in the Church. It is the gift of Christ’s true Body and Blood, the gift of the whole fruit of His saving Passion and Death (no. 11b).All the other gifts of Christ to us are only fully understood in relationship to the gift of the Eucharistic Sacrifice and Banquet.That is why the Holy Father rightly first turns to the teaching on the Holy Eucharist in assisting us to carry out the new evangelization.

Christ’s universal charity

Contemplating the face of Christ at the Lord’s Supper and at every celebration of the Holy Mass, we contemplate His love, the incarnation of Divine Mercy which "knows no measure" (no. 11c).When Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist, He declared the bread to be His Body given for us and the wine to be His Blood poured out for us.The Holy Eucharist is not simply a partaking in the Body and Blood of Christ, not simply a banquet, but is always, at the same time, a sharing in Christ’s sacrifice.The heavenly Bread, which is the Holy Eucharist, is essentially sacrificial, it is the Body and Blood of Christ, offered and poured out for us as He gave up His life for us on the Cross.The sacrifice of the Cross is perpetuated at every celebration of the Mass.Communion with the Body and Blood of Christ is always participation in Christ’s Suffering and Dying.

It is important to understand that the sacrifice of Christ is one."The Eucharist thus applies to men and women today the reconciliation won once for all by Christ for mankind in every age" (no. 12b).This is the great wonder and treasure of the Holy Mass.The Mass is not an additional sacrifice to Calvary.It is not a constant multiplication of the one sacrifice of Calvary.It is the sacrifice of Calvary, it is Calvary’s "commemorative representation," which, by the universal charity of Christ, makes his "one, definitive redemptive sacrifice always present in time" (no. 12c).

In the Sacrifice of the Mass, Christ offers Himself completely to God the Father.God the Father, in response to the total obedience of His Son, gives Christ eternal life by raising Him from the dead.We, the Church, sharing in Christ’s sacrifice — in the love which God the Father and God the Son have shared, in the Holy Spirit, from all eternity — are called to offer ourselves in union with Christ.We are called to share in His universal charity, which "knows no measure."Through the Holy Eucharist, God the Father responds to our sacrifice with the gift of eternal life.

The Real Presence

Pope John Paul II reminds us: "The Eucharistic Sacrifice makes present not only the mystery of the Savior’s Passion and Death, but also the mystery of the Resurrection which crowned his sacrifice" (no. 14). Christ can only become the Bread of Life for us because He is risen from the dead and is alive for us in the Church.We refer to the living presence of Christ with us in the Holy Eucharist as the Real Presence.In order to help us understand more fully the meaning of the Real Presence, our Holy Father recalls for us a text of Pope Paul VI, who explained that the term does not imply that the other presences of Christ in the Church are "not real" but underlines that the eucharistic presence "is a presence in the fullest sense: a substantial presence whereby Christ, the God-Man, is wholly and entirely present" (no. 15a).

The proper term for the change of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, which takes place during the Holy Mass, at the consecration, is transubstantiation.No other term has been found to be as adequate in pointing to the Eucharistic mystery.Theologians and saints, down the Christian centuries, have desired to plumb more and more the depth of the mystery of the Eucharist, of the profound reality which transubstantiation expresses.Often, too, their love of the Holy Eucharist and desire to express their love has taken poetic form, for example, the hymn of St. Thomas Aquinas, "Adoro Te devote (Devoutly I adore You)," to which our Holy Father refers. Once again, Pope Paul VI underlined the truth which must be reflected in our thinking, speaking and writing about the Holy Eucharist:

"Every theological explanation which seeks some understanding of this mystery, in order to be in accord with Catholic faith, must firmly maintain that in objective reality, independently of our mind, the bread and wine have ceased to exist after the consecration, so that the adorable Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus from that moment on are really before us under the sacramental species of bread and wine" (no. 15c).

Eucharistic banquet

Christ makes Himself substantially present to us through the Holy Eucharist with one only end in view, namely that we may receive Him in Holy Communion."The Eucharistic Sacrifice is intrinsically directed to the inward union of the faithful with Christ through communion ..." (no. 16).The Holy Eucharist is true spiritual food, Christ nourishing the life of the Holy Spirit within us through the reception of His glorious Body and Blood.The sixth chapter of the Gospel of St. John helps us very much to understand the Eucharistic Banquet.Christ made it clear that only by eating His Body and drinking His Blood can we have life within us.The disciples understood the true import of His teaching, for, from that day, some refused to believe in Him and left His company.

Holy Communion, participation in the Eucharistic Banquet, is Christ’s way of sustaining His life within us, poured out in us at the moment of our baptism, and strengthened and increased within us from the moment of our confirmation.The Sacraments of Initiation —Baptism, Confirmation and the Holy Eucharist — are essentially related to one another. "Thus by the gift of His Body and Blood Christ increases within us the gift of His Spirit, already poured out in Baptism and bestowed as a ‘seal’ in the sacrament of Confirmation" (no. 17).

Conclusion

Communion in the Body and Blood of Christ is already now a participation in the fullness of communion with God, which will be ours, God willing, in the Kingdom of Heaven.The Holy Eucharist is likewise the spiritual Food to sustain us along life’s pilgrimage home to God the Father.In the wonderful words of St. Ignatius of Antioch, Holy Communion is "a medicine of immortality, an antidote to death" (quoted in no. 18).That is why the Church so much desires that the dying receive Holy Communion and calls the Holy Communion of the dying by a special name, Viaticum, "food for the journey" from this life to the life which is to come.

The fact that Holy Communion is an anticipation of the life to come also means that it commits us to preparing the day of Christ’s final coming during each moment of our lives.The account of the institution of the Holy Eucharist in the Gospel according to St. John underlines the mandate which the Holy Eucharist is for us.It is a sharing in the outpouring of Christ’s life for the love of all; it contains the command to wash the feet of our brothers and sisters, without distinction or exception.I conclude my reflection with the inspiring words of our Holy Father:

"Proclaiming the death of the Lord ‘until He comes’ (1 Cor 11:26) entails that all who take part in the Eucharist be committed to changing their lives and making them in a certain way completely ‘Eucharistic’" (no. 20c).

May you have a blessed celebration of the Sacred Triduum and of the Easter Octave. During these holiest of days, may you receive strong grace to make your life "completely Eucharistic."

Introduction

This year, the date of the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord coincides with Good Friday (March 25). In the Latin Rite, when the Annunciation falls within the Sacred Triduum, it is transferred to the first available date, when it can be celebrated as its own solemnity.In the Byzantine Rite, when this happens, the celebration of the Annunciation and of Good Friday or Holy Saturday are held on the same day.While it is easy enough to understand why the Solemnity of the Annunciation is transferred in the Latin Rite to a day on which it can be celebrated alone, we may wonder why the Byzantine Rite does not transfer the Solemnity, especially when it falls on Good Friday or Holy Saturday.The answer to the question uncovers the profound truth about the Paschal Mystery which we will be celebrating during the Sacred Triduum and throughout the Easter Octave.

An ancient tradition in the Church holds that Christ died on the cross on the same date as He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, that is, March 25.The liturgical practice of the Byzantine Rite respects the inseparable connection of the Incarnation and the Crucifixion.To quote a great theologian of our time, the late Hans Urs von Balthasar: "To say Incarnation is to say Cross" (quoted in John Saward, The Mysteries of March, Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 1990, page 3). The whole reason of the Incarnation is the Redemption of man on the Cross.God the Son’s total outpouring of self by taking our human nature in the womb of the Virgin Mary reached its fullest expression when He died on the cross for us.

When Christ expired on the Cross, His human heart, the Most Sacred Heart, which He took under the Immaculate Heart of Mary, was pierced by the Roman centurion.The blood and water which flowed from His pierced Heart are signs of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church, into our hearts.From His glorious Sacred Heart, there never ceases to flow the grace of our Redemption, the gift of His own life given up for us, so that we might always share in the life which He has shared with God the Father, in the Holy Spirit, from all eternity.The two mysteries of the Incarnation and Redemption are inseparably united.

Our Holy Father is fond of referring to them as one great mystery which he calls the Redemptive Incarnation.For that reason, when the Solemnity of the Incarnation and Good Friday or Holy Saturday fall on the same day, the Byzantine Rite keeps the two celebrations on the same day, even if it makes the liturgical rites a bit more complicated.

Holy Week and the Sacred Triduum

There is one week of the whole Church year which we call "holy" by a special title, for during Holy Week we commemorate the events by which Christ saved us from sin and everlasting death, and won for us eternal life.The Mass prayers during Lent frequently remind us that our Lenten observance is to prepare us for Holy Week, so that we can celebrate the mystery of the Redemptive Incarnation with full mind and heart.

Within Holy Week, there are three days which are the holiest of all days: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.These days are known as the Sacred Triduum.The Sacred Triduum begins with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday and concludes with the First Mass of Easter during the Easter Vigil.As devout Catholics, we should observe these days with the greatest possible attention, making every necessary sacrifice in order to participate in the Sacred Liturgy on each of these three holiest days.

Accompanying Christ, through prayer and worship, during the days of His Passion and Death, we come to understand more fully the mystery of His Life within us.During the days of Holy Week, and especially of the Sacred Triduum, Christ reveals to us the deepest truth about our life in Him.Through our Lenten penance of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, we have come to recognize more fully that our life is a pilgrimage with Christ, which leads us home to God the Father.The Sacred Liturgy during Holy Week, especially the Sacred Triduum, draws us to the source of our life in Christ, in His Suffering, Dying and Rising from the Dead.Through the Sacred Liturgy of Holy Week and the Sacred Triduum, we become more deeply conscious of Christ’s life within us through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.During the Sacred Triduum, we receive especially strong grace to place our poor and sinful hearts into the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the fountain of our salvation.

Passion or Palm Sunday

We begin Holy Week by participating in the Mass on Passion or Palm Sunday.The Mass begins with the blessing and distribution of palms, and the procession which recalls Christ’s final entry into Jerusalem, in obedience to the will of the Father, to suffer the cruelest form of passion and death known at the time.Mel Gibson’s film, "The Passion of the Christ," is a wonderful help to us in understanding better how much Christ suffered for love of us, in His thirst for our souls.At the Gospel, the account of the Passion and Death of our Lord is proclaimed to us in its fullness, so that we may understand the significance of the holy time into which we are entering.

In truth, we will never understand fully the depth of Christ’s love, what His suffering and dying meant for Him.As we recall Christ’s triumphal entrance into Jerusalem, with the crowds hailing Him as King, we also the repeated cry of the people: "Let Him be crucified" (Matthew 27:22-23).We meditate upon the obedience of Christ in carrying out the mission which the Father had entrusted to Him from the moment of His Incarnation in the womb of the Virgin Mary.Christ prays in the Garden of Gethsemane: "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, Thy will be done"
(Matthew 26:42).In the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, we participate in the fruit of Christ’s perfect obedience, His perfect union with the Father.In the Holy Eucharist, Christ pours out anew, now in an unbloody manner, His life for us.

Once we have begun Holy Week with the celebration of Palm Sunday, we make every effort to accompany our Lord during the days which led up to His Passion and Death.Participation in Holy Mass on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week would be a wonderful way of accompanying Christ during these days.If participation in Mass is not possible, it would be good to make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament each day.For all, some time in quiet prayer each day will keep us united to Christ during these holiest of days. Praying the rosary is especially helpful for our meditation upon the mystery of the Redemptive Incarnation.

Chrism Mass

On Holy Thursday at 10 a.m. in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, I, together with the priests of the archdiocese, will offer the Chrism Mass, during which the Sacred Chrism will be consecrated and the holy oils will be blessed for use in the celebration of the sacraments and other sacred rites during the coming year.The word chrism comes from the same root as Christ, the word for the anointed.Throughout the Chrism Mass, we recall how Christ was anointed by God the Father with the fullness of the Holy Spirit, so that He might win for us the gift of the Holy Spirit by His Suffering, Dying and Rising from the Dead.

Holy Thursday is a most special day for priests, for Christ instituted the ordained priesthood on Holy Thursday at the Last Supper.Also, the priests, united around the bishop at the Chrism Mass, are reminded that they, by their ordination, have been constituted the ministers of the sanctifying and healing Sacred Chrism, oil of the catechumens and oil of the sick.Before the consecration of the Sacred Chrism and the blessing of the holy oils, the priests of the archdiocese renew their commitment to priestly service.After the priests have renewed their commitment, all of the faithful present pray for the priests and archbishop.

The Chrism Mass is one of the most beautiful liturgical celebrations.All of the faithful of the archdiocese are most welcome to take part in the celebration of the Chrism Mass.

Mass of the Lord’s Supper

The Sacred Triduum begins with the celebration of the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper. During the Eucharistic Sacrifice, we recall how Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist on the night before He died, in order that the fruits of His suffering and dying might be available to us always in the Church.At the Last Supper, on the night before He died, Christ anticipated the outpouring of His life on the Cross, giving to the Apostles the Sacrament of His true Body and Blood.For that reason, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper is central to the celebration of the mysteries of our Redemption.At the Gloria, all of the bells of the church are rung with exultant joy and then remain silent until they are even more exultantly rung at the Gloria of the First Mass of Easter during the Easter Vigil.

After the Gospel and homily, the priest carries out the Washing of the Feet.This rite recalls what our Lord Himself did during the Last Supper, and His command that His disciples do likewise.The love of Christ which we receive in the Holy Eucharist is expressed in our humble service of our brothers and sisters, especially those in most need.

At the conclusion of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, the Blessed Sacrament is carried in solemn procession throughout the church and is then reposed in a fittingly decorated chapel.The faithful are invited to make a holy hour in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament during this holy night of its institution.After the Mass, the altar is stripped.Mass will not be celebrated at the altar again until the Easter Vigil.

Celebration of the Lord’s Passion

Around three p.m. on Good Friday, we solemnly celebrate our Lord’s Passion and Death.We call this Friday good because it is the day on which Christ won for us our salvation.

The celebration begins with the Liturgy of the Word, the heart of which is the proclamation of the Passion from the Gospels. After the homily, the Liturgy of the Word concludes with the general intercessions for the needs of the universal Church and of the world.

The second part of the celebration is the Veneration of the Cross.A large crucifix is carried in procession to honor the Cross on which Christ won for us our salvation.We, then, venerate the crucifix, recognizing the Cross of Christ as our only hope of salvation.Looking upon the Cross, we cannot fail to deepen our knowledge of God’s love for us and to respond with love, in return.

The celebration concludes with Holy Communion.The hosts consecrated at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper are brought to the altar and distributed to the faithful.Any hosts remaining are reposed in a place outside the main body of the church, so that the church building remains without the Real Presence as the Church waits at the tomb of Christ for the celebration of His glorious Resurrection at the Easter Vigil.

I remind you that Good Friday is a day of abstinence and fasting.In our homes, we should make a special effort to foster silence on Good Friday to honor our Lord in His Suffering and Dying.

The Easter Vigil

The Sacred Triduum concludes and the Easter Season begins with the celebration of the Easter Vigil.The Easter Vigil marks the holiest night of the year.The liturgical rites of the Easter Vigil are rightly the most ample and rich of all the liturgical rites.

The Easter Vigil begins with the Blessing of the Fire and the Lighting of the Easter Candle, signifying Christ the Light, dispelling the darkness of our sins and restoring life in us by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.The Easter Proclamation (Exsultet) sung before the Easter Candle is a hymn of praise of the great mystery of the Redemptive Incarnation.

The Liturgy of the Word is very ample.Nine readings, seven from the Old Testament and two from the New Testament, are provided, in order that we may have the fullest instruction from the Word of God regarding the events of the Redemptive Incarnation.After the last reading from the Old Testament has been proclaimed, the candles on the altar are lighted and the Gloria is sung with the joy-filled ringing of all the church bells which have been silent since the celebration of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday.

The third part of the Easter Vigil is the Liturgy of Baptism, during which we witness the lasting fruit of Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection in the baptism of catechumens, and in the conferral of Confirmation and the reception of First Holy Communion for the newly baptized.In many churches, this is also the time for the conferral of Confirmation and the reception of First Holy Communion for those being received into the full communion of the Catholic Church or for those who were baptized Catholic but not catechized.During the Liturgy of Baptism, we return mystically to our own baptism and confirmation, and give praise to God for Christ’s life within us through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

The final part of the Easter Vigil is the Liturgy of the Eucharist.Christ renews His paschal sacrifice, so that we may be healed and nourished with His true Body and Blood. Every aspect of the liturgical observance of the Sacred Triduum finds its fullest expression in the celebration of the First Mass of our Lord’s Resurrection.

Conclusion

As archbishop, as your shepherd, I urge you to plan now your full participation in the sacred liturgies of Holy Week and, especially, of the Sacred Triduum.If you have not yet confessed your sins and received our Lord’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance in preparation for your participation, please do so in these days.

Be assured that you and your intentions will be constantly in my prayers during the coming holiest of days.May our celebration of Holy Week lead us into a fuller knowledge of the mystery of God’s love for us in Jesus Christ, to a fuller knowledge of the mystery of the Redemptive Incarnation, and to a more ardent love of our Divine Savior.

Introduction

In presenting the Church’s pastoral plan at the beginning of the Third Christian Millennium, our Holy Father Pope John Paul II reminded us strongly that it is not a question of some "new program," which we must invent, but rather "the plan found in the Gospel and in the living Tradition" of the Church.In short, the Church’s pastoral plan is Christ Himself dwelling with us through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit into our souls.The plan is our life in Christ or holiness of life through daily conversion.It is the "larger and more demanding normal pastoral activity," which helps each of us and the whole Church to meet the "high standard of ordinary Christian living" (Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio ineunte, "At the Close of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000," Jan. 6, 2001, nos. 29-31).

Clearly, life in Christ or holiness of life is sought and attained, most perfectly, through prayer and, above all, the public prayer of the Church or Sacred Liturgy.Our Holy Father reminds us that it is only by opening our hearts completely to Christ through prayer that we are able to open our hearts in love to our brothers and sisters, and to shape "history according to God’s plan."The highest expression of our life of prayer, devotion and worship is participation in the Holy Mass, especially Sunday Mass.Sunday of each week is set aside as the Day of the Lord, the day on which Christ rose from the dead, conquering sin and everlasting death in our human nature, and anticipating the day of His Final Coming.Through participation in the Holy Eucharist, we stand at the very center of our life in Christ, the very center of all human lives, of all history.Faithful participation in the Holy Eucharist inspires and strengthens us for a holier life, a life given more completely in love to Christ and, therefore, to our neighbor.Our Holy Father observes that it is obvious "that our principal attention must be given to liturgy, ‘the summit toward which the Church’s action tends and at the same time the source from which comes all her strength’" (Novo millennio ineunte, nos. 32-36).

Recent papal eucharistic initiatives

It, therefore, comes as no surprise to us that the subject of our Holy Father’s first encyclical at the beginning of the Third Christian Millennium is devoted to the Holy Eucharist.On Holy Thursday in 2003, our Holy Father published the Encyclical Letter "Ecclesia de Eucharistia (On the Eucharist in Its Relationship to the Church)" (April, 17, 2003) to underline the principal source of the new evangelization and to express gratitude to almighty God for 25 years of service as successor of St. Peter. In the "Ecclesia de Eucharistia," our Holy Father called for "a more specific document," to be prepared by his offices, on the norms for the worthy celebration of the Sacred Liturgy (n. 52b).That document, titled "Redemptionis Sacramentum (Instruction on Certain Matters To Be Observed or To Be Avoided Regarding the Most Holy Eucharist)," was issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on March 25, 2004.

On Oct. 7, 2004, our Holy Father issued his Apostolic Letter"Mane nobiscum Domine (For the Year of the Eucharist)," declaring a Year of the Eucharist from October 2004 to October of this year, a time of special grace for the universal Church, so that her members may grow in knowledge and love of the Eucharistic mystery.The Year of the Eucharist is framed by two great events, the International Eucharistic Congress held in Guadalajara, Mexico, from Oct. 10-17 of last year, and the Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, to be held at the Vatican from Oct. 2-29 of this year, with the theme: "The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church" (Mane nobiscum Domine, no. 4).Also, the Holy Father has expressed his desire that the Catholic youth from around the world, who will participate in World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany, from Aug. 16-21 of this year, direct their attention and activities to the Eucharist "which nourishes their faith and enthusiasm" (Mane nobiscum Domine, no. 4).

In order to foster as much as possible our growth in the knowledge and love of the Holy Eucharist during the Year of the Eucharist, our Holy Father has established the plenary indulgence to be gained through "certain specific acts of worship and devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament."The decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary, "On the Gift of an Indulgence during the ‘Year of the Eucharist,’" sets forth, in accord with our Holy Father’s wishes, very generous conditions for gaining the plenary indulgence.The conditions make it possible for the infirm and the homebound to obtain the plenary indulgence frequently on their own behalf and on behalf of the souls in purgatory.

In order to contribute my part to the realization of the most noble goals of the Year of the Eucharist, I offer a series of reflections on the Encyclical Letter "Ecclesia de Eucharistia."By opening up the richness of the Holy Father’s teaching on the Holy Eucharist, I hope to increase both our knowledge of the Holy Eucharist and our fervent love of the Holy Eucharist, expressed through our participation in the Holy Mass and our eucharistic devotions, especially prayer before the Blessed Sacrament exposed in the monstrance.

Context of the encyclical letter

The Holy Father places "Ecclesia de Eucharistia" within the context of the new evangelization to be carried out at the beginning of the new Christian millennium and, more specifically, within the context of the Year of the Rosary, observed from October 2002 to October 2003 to promote the praying of the Holy Rosary as a privileged means of the new evangelization.Announcing the Year of the Rosary in his Apostolic Letter "Rosarium Virginis Mariae (On the Most Holy Rosary)," the Holy Father urged us to take up anew the ancient devotion of praying the rosary, that is, of contemplating the face of Christ through the eyes of His Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, so that we may live more closely united to Christ.By means of "Ecclesia de Eucharistia," which rightly may be called the crown of all of the Holy Father’s rich teaching, Pope John Paul II helps us to bring to fullness our contemplation of the face of Christ by meeting Christ in the Holy Eucharist.In a true sense, praying the rosary deepens in us the desire to meet Christ in the Holy Eucharist and keeps before our eyes always that most privileged meeting in the Blessed Sacrament.

Our Holy Father makes clear the intimate connection of the observance of the Year of the Rosary and the teaching on the Holy Eucharist:

"From the time I began my ministry as the successor of Peter, I have always marked Holy Thursday, the day of the Eucharist and of the priesthood, by sending a letter to all the priests of the world.This year, the 25th of my pontificate, I wish to involve the whole Church more fully in this eucharistic reflection, also as a way of thanking the Lord for the gift of the Eucharist and the priesthood:

‘Gift and Mystery.’ By proclaiming the Year of the Rosary, I wish to put this, my 25th anniversary, under the aegis of the contemplation of Christ at the school of Mary.Consequently, I cannot let his Holy Thursday 2003 pass without halting before the ‘Eucharistic face’ of Christ and pointing out with new force to the Church the centrality of the Eucharist" (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, no. 7a).

The Holy Father expresses the desire to enkindle anew our wonder before the Most Blessed Sacrament, in which we most perfectly contemplate the face of Christ and from which we draw our life in Him.
His Holiness clearly relates the Encyclical Letter to the pastoral plan of the Church, relating the praying of rosary to the Holy Eucharist in the work of the new evangelization.He teaches us:

"To contemplate the face of Christ, and to contemplate it with Mary, is the ‘program’ which I have set before the Church at the dawn of the third millennium, summoning her to put out into the deep on the sea of history with the enthusiasm of the new evangelization.To contemplate Christ involves being able to recognize Him wherever He manifests Himself, in His many forms of presence, but above all in the living sacrament of His Body and His Body" (no. 6).
Contemplation of Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament is the unfailing source of the enthusiasm and energy needed to carry out Christ’s work of evangelization in our time.

The Holy Father reflects upon the natural and "lively concern" which the Church always has for the eucharistic mystery, because "in the most blessed Eucharist is contained whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ Himself our Pasch and the living bread which gives life to men through His flesh — that flesh which is given life and gives life through the Holy Spirit" (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, "Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests" Presbyterorum ordinis, no. 5b). The encyclical letter is a wonderful expression of his concern, as shepherd of the Universal Church, for our eucharistic faith and practice.

Eucharist and the Paschal Mystery

By way of introduction to the contents of "Ecclesia de Eucharistia," our Holy Father underlines the truth that the Holy Eucharist is "in an outstanding way the sacrament of the paschal mystery" (no. 3a).He reminds us that participation in the Holy Mass really unites us to the beginning of our salvation in the Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.At the Last Supper, Christ carried out sacramentally what He was to accomplish on the following day on Calvary: He gave up His life for our salvation.Referring to Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, after the Last Supper and at the beginning of His Passion, our Holy Father writes:

"The blood which shortly before He had given to the Church as the drink of salvation in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, began to be shed; its outpouring would then be completed on Golgotha to become the means of our redemption... " (no. 3).

In the Holy Eucharist, the Sacrifice of Calvary is made new in an unbloody manner, the hour of our salvation is made present.Our Holy Father writes: "Every priest who celebrates Holy Mass, together with the Christian community which takes part in it, is led back in spirit to that place and that hour" (no. 4a).

Reflecting upon the reality of the Holy Eucharist, the oneness of the Eucharistic Sacrifice with the Sacrifice of Calvary, we are filled with wonder at the great mystery of God’s love for us in Jesus Christ.Our Holy Father reminds us of the unfathomable greatness of the Holy Eucharist, its "capacity" which "embraces all of history as the recipient of the grace of the redemption" (no. 5b).Each time we are privileged to participate in the Holy Eucharist or to pray in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, the reality of the Holy Mass should fill us with Eucharistic wonder or, to use the Holy Father’s phrase, Eucharistic "amazement."The wonder is, at the same time, deepest gratitude.In a striking description of the ministry of the priest at the Holy Mass, our Holy Father captures the reason for our "profound amazement and gratitude":

"‘This is My Body which will be given up for you.This is the cup of My Blood, poured out for you....’The priest says these words, or rather he puts his voice at the disposal of the One who spoke these words in the Upper Room and who desires that they should be repeated in every generation by all those who in the Church ministerially share in His priesthood" (no. 5c).

By the great mystery of God’s love for us, Christ, God the Son made man, gives up His Body and pours out His Blood for us in the Eucharistic Sacrifice.One readily understands, therefore, the great care of the Church for the celebration of the Holy Mass, the worship of the Most Blessed Sacrament, eucharistic prayer and devotion, and the worthy custody of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

Lights and Ssadows of eucharistic practice

The Holy Father points out a contrasting situation regarding the care of the Blessed Sacrament in our day.On the one hand, the form of the Sacred Liturgy today, in accord with the teaching of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, "has greatly contributed to a more conscious, active and fruitful participation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar on the part of the faithful" (no. 10a).The new Order of the Mass, which may be celebrated in the vernacular, makes it possible for us to enter ever more consciously into the Eucharistic Sacrifice.To the degree that we prepare ourselves well for participation in the Holy Mass and, then, give our full attention to the words and actions of the Mass, the conciliar reform of the Sacred Liturgy achieves its most noble end.

Among what the Holy Father calls the "lights" of the liturgical reform are the increase in eucharistic devotion and of worship of the Most Blessed Sacrament outside of the Mass.He mentions, in particular, the "devout participation of the faithful in the eucharistic procession on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ" (no. 10a).We cannot count the blessings which come to the Church and to the world by way of the never-ceasing prayer offered by so many of the faithful in the presence of our eucharistic Lord.

On the other hand, the Holy Father points out "shadows" in our eucharistic faith and practice.He points out the abandonment of eucharistic devotion and adoration in some places of the Church.He also notes the liturgical abuses which have occurred through a mistaken or incomplete understanding of the reforms mandated by the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council.Liturgical abuses have caused and cause confusion about the Church’s faith in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

The Holy Father notes "an extremely reductive understanding of the Eucharistic mystery," which is expressed in an exaggerated emphasis upon the Holy Eucharist as banquet, without a proper understanding of the Eucharist’s "sacrificial meaning" (no. 10c).The Holy Eucharist is indeed a banquet, but the heavenly Food of the banquet is the Body and Blood of Christ offered and poured out for us on the altar which is one with the Cross of Calvary.

The Holy Father also mentions a tendency to obscure the necessity of the ordained priesthood, which comes through apostolic succession from Christ Himself, for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.Such a tendency indicates a failure to understand the institution of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper, at which our Lord also instituted the ordained priesthood, so that He Himself might renew His Sacrifice on Calvary in every time and place (no. 10c).

Conclusion

The "lights" and the "shadows" in our eucharistic faith and practice indicate the need to treasure anew the greatest gift which Christ gives to us in the Church, the Holy Eucharist.New enthusiasm and new energy in studying and living our Catholic faith leads, first of all, to new enthusiasm and energy in contemplating the "eucharistic face" of Christ.Through the new evangelization, the "lights" of our eucharistic faith and practice will be enhanced and the "shadows" will be eliminated.May reflection upon the mystery of Christ’s abiding presence with us in the Eucharistic Sacrifice and banquet be at the heart of our work to carry out the new evangelization of our world.

Introduction

During the remainder of the Lenten season and into the Easter season, I wish to reflect on the Holy Eucharist as a help to all the faithful in the archdiocese in observing the Year of the Eucharist, which Pope John Paul II has established from October of last year to October of this year.Our Holy Father, in calling us to carry out the mission of the Church at the beginning of the Third Christian Millennium, has rightly directed our attention to the Mystery of Faith, the Holy Eucharist, from which the Church draws her very life (Pope John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia, "On the Eucharist in Its Relationship to the Church," April 17 [Holy Thursday], 2003, no. 1a).Christ has promised to accompany us always in the Church.He is with us most fully and most perfectly in the Eucharistic Sacrifice and in the Sacred Host reposed in the tabernacle.If we are to be strong witnesses of Christ at the beginning of a new Christian millennium, it is important that we all take some time during the coming weeks to study the truth about the Holy Eucharist and to grow in love of the Holy Eucharist.

The main sources of our reflection will be the recent documents on the Holy Eucharist, issued by our Holy Father or his closest co-workers: the Holy Father’s Encyclical Letter "Ecclesia de Eucharistia (On the Eucharist in Its Relationship to the Church)," (April 17, 2003); the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, "Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum (On Certain Matters To Be Observed or To Be Avoided Regarding the Most Holy Eucharist)," (March 25, 2004); and our Holy Father’s Apostolic Letter "Mane Nobiscum Domine (For the Year of the Eucharist)," (Oct. 7, 2004).By reading carefully our Holy Father’s teaching, we will receive, through the ministry of the successor of St. Peter, a much deeper knowledge of the Holy Eucharist and be inspired to a much deeper love of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Indulgence during the Year of the Eucharist.

Before beginning the reflection upon our Holy Father’s teaching, I bring to your attention a wonderful gift to us from our Holy Father on the occasion of the observance of the Year of the Eucharist.I refer to the gift of the plenary indulgence.The Holy Father formally granted the indulgence on Dec. 17, 2004, and the gift was made public on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 2004.

What is the indulgence?Connected with every sin which we have committed is temporal punishment which, in the justice of God, must be remitted by us.At the same time, the Church is rich in the satisfactions of Christ and the saints for our sins. "The treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints" is entrusted into the Church’s hands (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1471).In order that the riches of God’s mercy reach as many faithful as possible, the Church grants the indulgence to properly disposed members of the faithful.By the indulgence, the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven is remitted in part or in whole.

The indulgence is partial if it remits a part of the temporal punishment due to our sins.It is plenary if it remits all temporal punishment due to sin.An indulgence can be gained for one’s self or it can be applied to a deceased person.

In his strong efforts to promote knowledge and love of the Holy Eucharist at the beginning of the Third Christian Millennium and to assist the faithful to obtain an abundance of spiritual gifts through the observance of the Year of the Eucharist, our Holy Father has established the plenary indulgence to be gained through "certain specific acts of worship and devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament" (Apostolic Penitentiary, "On the Gift of an Indulgence During the ‘Year of the Eucharist,’" Dec. 25, 2004).

Conditions for gaining the plenary indulgence

In order that the satisfactions of Christ and the saints may be applied to the temporal punishment due to our sins, we must be properly disposed.The required disposition is expressed in three conditions for obtaining the indulgence.They are: 1) a good Confession; 2) reception of Holy Communion; and 3) prayers offered for the intentions of the Holy Father.These conditions must necessarily express a total detachment from any inclination to sin.

Our Holy Father, in his desire that as many as possible avail themselves of the strong graces of the Year of the Eucharist, has been very generous in determining the conditions by which the plenary indulgence can be obtained.He has especially desired that those who suffer from any infirmity or are confined to their homes or to an institution be able to obtain the plenary indulgence.

During the Year of the Eucharist, the plenary indulgence can be gained by any member of the faithful each time he or she takes part, with fitting piety, in the Sacred Liturgy or eucharistic devotion, before the Most Blessed Sacrament solemnly exposed or reserved in the tabernacle.

For those who are bound to pray daily the Liturgy of the Hours — clergy, members of Institutes of the Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, and laity who are so bound — and for those who pray the Divine Office as a devotion, the plenary indulgence may be obtained by praying Vespers and Compline, at the end of the day, before our Lord present in the tabernacle.This applies both to communal and private recitation of Vespers and Compline.

Those who cannot visit the Blessed Sacrament in a church or chapel because of illness or some other serious reason may obtain the plenary indulgence in their own home or other place of residence, as long as they have detached themselves completely from any inclination to sin and have the intention to fulfill the three conditions as soon as they are able.They will make a spiritual visit to the Blessed Sacrament, renewing their faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the consecrated bread and wine.They are also to pray the Our Father and the Creed, and invoke the Lord with a eucharistic acclamation, for example, "O Sacrament most holy, O Sacrament divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine."

Those who cannot fulfill even the above conditions may still obtain the plenary indulgence by joining their hearts to those who are able to fulfill them and, at the same time, by offering their sufferings to the Divine Mercy, with the intention of fulfilling the three usual conditions at the earliest possible time.

Help of priests

Our Holy Father asks priests to be especially attentive to informing the faithful about the plenary indulgence granted during the Year of the Eucharist.Also, he asks priests to be generous in helping the faithful to meet the conditions, especially by scheduling times for the hearing of confessions and by leading public prayers of praise to our eucharistic Lord.

He also asks the priests to urge "the faithful to give frequent open testimonies of faith and veneration of the Most Blessed Sacrament."The "Enchiridion of Indulgences," the collection of all of the grants of indulgences by the Church, indicates: "A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who freely give open testimony of faith before others, in the peculiar circumstances of everyday living" (Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, no. IV).

The Holy Father also notes grants of plenary and partial indulgences, which are listed in the "Enchiridion Indulgentiarum," about which priests should remind the faithful.For example, a plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, meditating for a half hour, at least.There are a number of other occasions for obtaining a plenary indulgence, for example, the first solemn Mass of thanksgiving of a newly ordained priest and the occasion of the celebration of the anniversary of ordination of a priest or bishop.

Conclusion

Truly, our Holy Father has offered us a wonderful spiritual treasure for the observance of the Year of the Eucharist.The obtaining of the plenary indulgence is a most efficacious way of drawing closer to our eucharistic Lord, setting aside fear and placing all our trust in God and the help of His grace.

I close with the opening words of the Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary, "On the Gift of an Indulgence During the ‘Year of the Eucharist’":

"The greatest of the miracles (Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, Office of Readings, second reading) and supreme memorial of the redemption which Our Lord Jesus Christ brought about through His Blood, the Eucharist, as sacrifice and sacrament, faultlessly produces the unity of the Church, sustains her with the power of supernatural grace, bathes her in ineffable joy and provides supernatural assistance to nourish the piety of the faithful and impel them to intensify and indeed to perfect their Christian life."

May our observance of the Year of the Eucharist be filled with many graces for us all. May the great gift of the plenary indulgence during the Year of the Eucharist lead us to the purification of our sins and inspire in us an ever more fervent love of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

Near Southside parishes

36.St. Agatha Parish, which has been serving as a personal parish for the faithful attached to the celebration of the Mass and other sacred rites, according to the liturgical books in force in 1962, is to become the personal parish of the faithful of Polish language and heritage.

37. St. Francis de Sales Parish is to be suppressed, and its territory and faithful are to be united to St. Pius V Parish.The Archdiocesan Hispanic Ministry, presently located at St. Francis de Sales Parish, is to be transferred to St. Cecilia Parish.St. Francis de Sales Church is to be an oratory for the faithful attached to the celebration of the Mass and other sacred rites, according to the liturgical books in force in 1962.St. Francis de Sales Oratory is to be under the pastoral care and direction of the Institute of Christ the King, Sovereign Priest, a society of apostolic life.

38. St. Joseph Parish is to continue as the personal parish for the faithful of Croatian language and heritage.It is to devote special attention to the new immigration from Bosnia.It is to remain under the care of the Franciscan Friars.

39. Sts. Peter and Paul Parish is to be a personal parish dedicated to the apostolate on behalf of the homeless and to the promotion of sacred music through the Young Catholic Musicians.The territory of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish is to be united to St. Vincent de Paul Parish

40.St. Thomas of Aquin Parish is to be a personal parish for the faithful of Vietnamese language and heritage.The territory of St. Thomas of Aquin Parish is to be united to St. Anthony of Padua Parish.Given that the families of St. Thomas of Aquin Parish choose a variety of local Catholic schools for their children, the parish is to provide financial support to the Catholic elementary schools chosen.

41.St. Vincent de Paul Parish is to continue as a territorial parish and is now to include also the territory of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish which has become a personal parish.It is to remain under the care of the Congregation of the Mission or Vincentians.

42. St. Wenceslaus Parish is to be a personal parish for the faithful attached to the spirituality of the Missionaries of the Holy Family, whose provincialate is located in the rectory of the parish.The pastoral care of the parish is to continue to be entrusted to the Missionaries of the Holy Family, who will also serve as chaplains to St. Francis Cabrini Academy.

43. St. Agatha Parish, St. Francis de Sales Oratory, St. Joseph Parish, Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, St. Vincent de Paul Parish and St. Wenceslaus Parish are to be sponsors of St. Frances Cabrini Academy.

Tower Grove South parishes

44.Holy Family Parish and School are to be suppressed.The territory and parishioners of Holy Family Parish are to be united to St. John the Baptist Parish.Holy Family School is to be united to St. John the Baptist School.

45. St. Pius V Parish is now to include the territory of St. Agatha Parish, St. Francis de Sales Parish and St. Wenceslaus Parish.

46.St. Pius V Parish is to support St. Frances Cabrini Academy.

Dutch Town, Carondelet and Bevo parishes

47.Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish and School are to continue at their present site.

48. Resurrection of Our Lord Parish and School are to be suppressed.The territory and parishioners of Resurrection of Our Lord Parish are to be united to St. John the Baptist Parish.Resurrection of Our Lord school is to be united to St. John the Baptist School.

49. St. Anthony of Padua Parish is now to include also the territory of St. Cecilia Parish, St. Hedwig Parish and St. Thomas of Aquin Parish.St. Anthony of Padua Parish is to remain under the care of the Franciscan Friars.

50.St. Boniface Parish is to be suppressed.The territory and parishioners of St. Boniface Parish are to be united to St. Stephen Protomartyr Parish.

51.St. Cecilia Parish is to become a personal parish for the faithful of Hispanic language and heritage.The territory of St. Cecilia Parish is to be united to St. Anthony of Padua Parish.Other faithful in the area may also be members of the parish, engaging fully in the life of the parish and giving particular support to the service of our Hispanic brothers and sisters in the deanery and the archdiocese.St. Cecilia Parish is, moreover, to become the center for the Church’s Hispanic Ministry in the city of St. Louis.St. Cecilia School is to continue.The Nativity Model, employed in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades of St. Cecilia School, is to continue.The parish, with the assistance of the Archdiocesan Curia, is to develop a plan for the financial support of the Hispanic Ministry at St. Cecilia Parish, for the financial support of St. Cecilia School and for the reception of additional students at St. Cecilia School.The students from St. Anthony of Padua School should be directed to St. Cecilia School, except in those instances where parents desire a traditional sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade model and whose children should be directed to St. Frances Cabrini Academy. St. Anthony of Padua Parish should provide financial support to the Catholic elementary schools chosen.

52.St. Hedwig Parish is to be suppressed.The territory and parishioners of St. Hedwig Parish are to be united to St. Anthony of Padua Parish.

53.St. John the Baptist Parish is now to include the territory of Resurrection of Our Lord Parish and Holy Family Parish.

54.Sts. Mary and Joseph Parish, founded in 1821, is to be suppressed.The territory and parishioners of St. Mary and Joseph Parish are to be united to St. Stephen Protomartyr Parish.Because of the historic nature of the parish, the parish church is to be maintained as a chapel for the occasional celebration of the Mass and devotions.St. Stephen Protomartyr Parish is to assume responsibility for the care of Sts. Mary and Joseph Chapel, and for the services to the poor, to which the parishioners of Sts. Mary and Joseph Parish have dedicated themselves.

55.St. Stephen Protomartyr Parish is now to include the territory of St. Boniface Parish and Sts. Mary and Joseph Parish.It will now also have the care of Sts. Mary and Joseph Chapel.

Tower Grove North parishes

56. Immaculate Conception/St. Henry Parish is to be suppressed.The territory and parishioners of Immaculate Conception/St. Henry Parish are to be united to St. Margaret of Scotland Parish.

57.St. Cronan Parish is to be established as a personal parish dedicated to the apostolate of social justice.The territory of St. Cronan Parish is to be united to St. Margaret of Scotland Parish. St. Cronan Parish is to be a sponsoring parish of St. Margaret of Scotland School.

58. St. Margaret of Scotland Parish is now to include also the territory of Immaculate Conception/St. Henry Parish and St. Cronan Parish.

The Hill and Tower Grove West parishes

59. Holy Innocents Parish is to be suppressed.The territory of the parish, which is south of Arsenal Street, is to be united to St. Mary Magdalen Parish.The territory of the parish, which is north of Arsenal Street, is to be united to St. Ambrose Parish.The parishioners are to be united accordingly to St. Mary Magdalen Parish and St. Ambrose Parish.

60.St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parish is to be suppressed.The territory and parishioners of St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parish are to be united to St. Ambrose Parish.

61.St. Ambrose Parish and School are to continue at their present site.St. Ambrose Parish is now to include the territory of Holy Innocents Parish, which is north of Arsenal Street, and of St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parish.
Parishes west of Kingshighway

62.Epiphany of Our Lord Parish and School are to continue at their present site.

63.Our Lady of Sorrows Parish will continue at its present site.Our Lady of Sorrows School will close and form a new school, uniting Our Lady of Sorrows School and St. Mary Magdalen School.The site of the new unified school will be the present Our Lady of Sorrows School.

64.St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish and School are to continue at their present site.

65.St. James the Greater Parish and School are to continue at their present site.St. James the Greater Parish and School are to be part of a strategic planning process which will also involve Little Flower Parish and School, St. Luke the Evangelist Parish and School, and Immaculate Conception Parish.

66.St. Joan of Arc Parish and School are to continue at their present site.

67. St. Mary Magdalen Parish is now to include the territory of Holy Innocents Parish, which is south of Arsenal Street.St. Mary Magdalen School is to close and form a new unified school with Our Lady of Sorrows School, which is to be located at the present Our Lady of Sorrows School.

68. St. Raphael Parish and School are to continue at their present site.

Conclusion

69.As we implement the necessary changes for the pastoral reorganization of the South City Deanery, we follow in a long line of our ancestors in the faith, who, in their place and at their time, accepted difficult changes, in order that the life of the whole Church be strengthened.We pray that we may imitate their faith and sacrifice in doing what is best for the Church in the South City Deanery.

70.I urge all of the faithful of the South City Deanery to accept the decisions with the generous obedience of Christ who does the Father’s will in all things.Our obedient response to the needs of the Church in our time and place, notwithstanding the sometimes painful personal sacrifice which it entails, will bring new life and growth to the Church.As your archbishop, I thank you, in advance, for all that you will do to implement the new organization of the pastoral life in the South City Deanery for the good of all.

71.I urge all of the faithful of the archdiocese to keep in your thoughts and prayers your brothers and sisters in the South City Deanery, especially during the coming time of transition.By your prayers and sacrifices, you will be one with them in carrying out the mission of Christ in our Archdiocese.

72.Before the challenge of carrying out faithfully and generously the mission of Christ, we are all deeply conscious that the mission is His.By ourselves alone, we will accomplish nothing.With Christ, we can do all that God the Father asks of us.Most of all, through our union with Christ in the Eucharistic Sacrifice, we receive the wisdom and the strength to do the Father’s will, especially when it is difficult for us.May our observance of the Year of the Eucharist bring us all closer to Christ and be a source of particular strength for the faithful of the South City Deanery.

73.We carry out Christ’s mission with the help of the love and prayers of all the saint.I confide the pastoral reorganization of the South City Deanery to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Mother of the Church; St. Joseph, patron of the Universal Church; and our archdiocesan patrons, St. Louis of France, St. Vincent de Paul and St. Rose Philippine Duchesne.

Given at St. Louis on the twenty-fifth day of February, Friday of the Second Week of Lent, in the Year of the Lord 2005.

(Most Rev.) Raymond L. Burke

Archbishop of St. Louis

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ

Introduction

1.The last words of Our Lord Jesus Christ on this earth, that is, before His Ascension, were the promise to remain with us always in the Church, until the day of His Final Coming.Before ascending to the Father, He commissioned the Apostles to establish His Church in every part of the world by teaching, sanctifying and governing, while assuring them that He Himself would be acting in them and through them:

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20).

The history of the Church is, in fact, the story of Christ's abiding presence with us, most of all in the Holy Eucharist, bringing the grace of salvation to all men and women of every time and place.The Apostles and their successors, the bishops of the Church, have acted in the person of Christ Himself, teaching the faith, leading the faithful in prayer and celebrating the sacraments, and directing them to place themselves and their goods at the service of the Gospel.

2.In every time and in every place, the disciples of Christ are called, with the care and under the direction of their bishop and his co-workers, the priests, to continue the mission of Christ by handing on the doctrine of the faith, by prayer and sacred worship, and by building up the Body of Christ in unity and love.One thinks, for instance, of the local missionary labors of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, Father Pierre Jean De Smet, Bishop Joseph Rosati of the Congregation of the Mission and the Sisters of St. Joseph whom Mother St. John Fontbonne missioned to America at the request of Bishop Rosati. Down the more than two centuries of Catholicism in the territory which is now the Archdiocese of St. Louis, the faithful, with their pastors, have faced the challenge of providing for the life of the Church in new and often changing situations.Thanks to the good stewardship of God’s manifold gifts by those who have gone before us in the archdiocese, we enjoy a strong life of faith in our parishes and other Catholic institutions.While rejoicing in the great heritage of Catholic faith and practice in the archdiocese, we also recognize the challenge to meet the particular needs of the Church in our day.

Archdiocesan Strategic Pastoral Plan

3.Cardinal Justin Rigali, my predecessor, recognized the challenge of planning appropriately the pastoral activity of the archdiocese and carried out his responsibility of directing pastoral planning in an outstanding manner.In 1997, he published the original Archdiocesan Strategic Pastoral Plan which was revised in 1999 and is presently in the process of a further revision.The Strategic Pastoral Plan is intended to inspire and guide the work of organizing the mission of the Church in the archdiocese for a period of approximately 10 years.

4.Goal Five of the Strategic Pastoral Plan reads: "To be responsible stewards of God’s gifts to us."It poses a serious and perennial question for the whole archdiocese and for each part of the archdiocese: How can the human and material resources of the archdiocese best serve all of the faithful in the archdiocese, in order to make Christ better known and more fervently loved?The question has already been addressed in the St. Charles Deanery, which completed its pastoral planning study in May 2003.In June 2003, the South City Deanery and the Northeast County Deanery began a carefully articulated study, in order to answer the question for those portions of the archdiocese.A task force, under the direction of the local dean, was established in each of the deaneries in order to develop the most complete and best possible recommendations for the pastoral reorganization of the deanery. From the time of my arrival as archbishop, I have been fully engaged in the work of the Task Force for the South City Deanery, which, by that time, was already quite advanced.I have received regular and ample communication from the task force and, together with those who assist me in the Archdiocesan Curia, have met formally with the members of the task force to discuss particular and sometimes thorny questions.With regard to the ongoing archdiocesan work of pastoral planning, I further note that study and consultation on the organization of the pastoral life in the North City Deanery is in progress.Similar study and consultation will continue, as needed, in every portion of the archdiocese, in order that the Church may serve more faithfully and completely our Lord Jesus Christ.

5. Given the distinct characteristics of the South City Deanery, the Pastoral Planning Task Force for the deanery faced special challenges.Like the task force for the Northeast County Deanery, it faced a situation of a significant shift of population, resulting in many fewer Catholic living in the area.The aging population of many parishes was a principal concern, centered around the question of how best to care for senior parishioners who have given themselves so generously in love of the Church over the decades and now contribute so much to the life of the Church through their wisdom, love, and their prayers and sacrifices.At the same time, there was the serious concern for the Catholic schools in the deanery, some of which are "at risk" because of ever greater financial shortfalls which the archdiocese does not have the means to cover. Another particular concern of the South City Deanery are the number of churches which are treasures either by reason of their architectural and decorative beauty or their history.A further consideration has been the importance and future of certain parishes which now serve the faithful of a particular national or cultural background or are devoted to the fostering of particular apostolate or apostolates in the Church.

6.The task force for the South City Deanery, under the leadership of Msgr. Dennis E. Doerhoff, completed its work on Dec. 9, 2004, and submitted to me the final recommendations for the pastoral reorganization of the deanery.The final recommendations are the fruit of 18 months of study, including a wide consultation of pastors, parishioners and others actively engaged in the mission of the Church in the South City Deanery.

7.As your archbishop, I write to you now regarding the reorganization of the pastoral care of the South City Deanery.I write to all the faithful of the archdiocese, because, we are all one in Christ. What affects one part of the archdiocese is the concern of us all (1 Corinthians 12:26).The faithful of the South City Deanery are very much in the thoughts and prayers of us all, as they take up the challenge of a new organization of the pastoral life in the deanery.

8.In announcing the final decisions regarding the pastoral reorganization of the South City Deanery, I am deeply conscious of the pain which changes in parish and Catholic school life cause.I have the deepest compassion for the faithful of the South City Deanery and regret sincerely the pain which you are enduring.I assure you that the changes which I announce today are made to further the mission of the Church in the archdiocese. They represent prudential decisions, but they are made on the basis of the thorough work of the task force for the South City Deanery Pastoral Planning.
I ask you to accept the suffering of change in your parishes and schools, asking that God bless the Church in the deanery and the archdiocese.

Importance of the parish

9.The ultimate goal of pastoral planning is always the vital and effective presence of the Church in every local community of the archdiocese. The local parish is "the fundamental unit in the daily life of the Diocese" (Pope John Paul II, post-synodal apostolic exhortation Pastores gregis, "On the Bishop, Servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the Hope of the World," Oct. 16, 2003, No. 45b). Through the parish, the archbishop provides for all the families and households in his pastoral care.

10.In organizing and establishing parishes in the archdiocese, the archbishop must see to it that the faithful in each parish become a true community of the Church "which gathers for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, receives the Word of God and exercises charity through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy" (Congregation for Bishops, Directory for the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops, Apostolorum successores, Feb. 22, 2004, No. 210d).The worthy celebration of the Sunday Mass is the heart of the parish, its highest activity and the source of its continuing direction and strength.In fact, it is principally for the celebration of the Sunday Mass that the diocesan bishop establishes parishes.The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council underlines the importance of the parish and, within the parish, the celebration of the Holy Eucharist:

"But as it is impossible for the bishop always and everywhere to preside over the whole flock in his Church, he must of necessity establish groupings of the faithful; among these the parishes, set up locally under a pastor who takes the place of the bishop, are the most important: for in some way they represent the visible Church constituted throughout the world.

"Therefore the liturgical life of the parish and its relation to the bishop must be fostered in the spirit and practice of the laity and clergy.Efforts must also be made to encourage a sense of community within the parish, above all in the common celebration of the Sunday Mass" (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, "Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy," Sacrosanctum Concilium, Dec. 4, 1963, No. 42).

It is always edifying to read the story of the foundation of the individual parishes of the archdiocese.In every case, it is the desire for the regular celebration of Sunday Mass and for the administration of the Sacrament of Penance and the other sacraments, which led the faithful to request from the archbishop the establishment of a proper parish in their area or neighborhood.All of the parish activity of catechesis, prayer and witness derive from communion with Christ in the Holy Eucharist and is directed to union with Christ in the Eucharistic Sacrifice.

11.Parishes are usually territorial, that is, they usually serve the families and households of a certain portion of the archdiocese.The diocesan bishop may also establish personal parishes "for groups of people determined not according to their domicile in the diocese, but by reason of rite, language, nationality or some other particular factor" (Apostolorum successores, No. 210b).The South City Deanery has a long history of parishes established to serve the faithful of a particular ethnic background or language.There are also parishes which are devoted to the carrying out of a particular apostolate or apostolates which are supported by the parishioners.

12.In recommending which parishes should be the territorial parishes in the deanery, the Task Force for Pastoral Planning in the South City Deanery has proposed parishes with sufficient households, so that parishes will have the means to grow and develop with vitality.It has been a special concern that parishes not be located too closely to one another, so that the members of the parishes join strongly at the newly formed parish and the gifts, both personal and material, of parishioners may be joined to serve the good of all, both in the Church and in the neighborhood.The study and consultation have indicated that certain parishes should be closed or united to one another, in order to strengthen the life of the Church in the whole deanery.

13.Ultimately, the parish is at the service of the Christian home.It is Christian households or families which come together to form the parish, in order to carry out Christ’s mission more fully in daily life.The faith is first taught, celebrated and lived in the home, and the parish principally exists to foster a sound and strong Christian life in every parishioner’s household (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, "Dogmatic Constitution on the Church," Lumen gentium, Nov. 21, 1964, No.11b).At the same time, the parish helps the Christian home and family to be one with brothers and sisters in the neighborhood, in the wider community and throughout the world

14.For the devoted Catholic family, the parish is truly an extension of the home.Families treasure the memories of times of strong grace, which have been lived in the parish.Change in parish life, therefore, is always difficult.Yet, even as the family, from time to time, may have to accept significant change, for example, when all of the children have grown up and left the family home, so also we recognize that significant changes in population or other circumstances may necessitate a change in our parish.We do not like the change, but we recognize that it is part of our life in a world which is passing. What is important is that we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ and on the eternal home toward which we are on pilgrimage (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Senior parishioners

15.Considering the suffering which change in our parish church or school brings to our lives, we must be especially attentive to our senior brothers and sisters, for whom such change presents particular challenges.In his "Message for Lent 2005," our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, has asked us to give special attention to our care for the elderly, those who are "advanced in years."He cautions us about our secularized society’s tendency to forget and disregard the elderly as somehow no longer "productive."Our faith teaches us that the elderly are a great treasure to the whole Church because of the witness of their faith and of the sufferings and prayers which they offer daily on behalf of the whole Church.When the diminishment which comes with age is viewed in the context of the Cross, we are led to embrace the elderly and to make certain that they are a vital part of the activity of the parish.Our meditation upon the Fourth Joyous Mystery, the Presentation of the Lord, helps us to see the great gift which is ours in our brothers and sisters who are "advanced in years," for it is the elderly Simeon who is waiting to die and the 84-year-old Anna who spoke for God, when the Savior was first brought to the Temple (Luke 2:22-39).

16.In the reorganization of the pastoral care in the South City Deanery, I ask that a consistent and careful attention be given to those "advanced in years" in every parish, so that they may participate fully in parish life.I ask especially that each parish consider how it may best assist the elderly in coming to church for the Mass, devotions and parish activities.Some of our elderly will experience the loss of a familiar parish community, perhaps a community which they have known for a lifetime.May they also experience the joy of becoming fully part of a new parish, treasured for the special gifts which God has given them for the good of all in the parish.

The parish school

17.Over the centuries of her life, the Church has come to esteem, in a most special way, the Catholic school as her best means of working with parents for the Catholic upbringing of their children.Our children and young people depend completely upon us for the handing-on of our greatest gift from God, namely, Catholic faith and practice.Given the total secularization of popular culture, the challenge of handing on the faith and practice is especially daunting.Although parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children in the Catholic faith, they look to their parish and the whole archdiocese to assist them, especially in a culture which is so completely secularized.For that reason, the diocesan bishop is obliged, by universal Church law, to provide Catholic schools for the families in his pastoral care (Canon 802, paragraph 1).

18.Through the Catholic school, the Church offers to children and young people a complete education.In the Catholic school, children grow in knowledge and skills, as in other schools, but, what is more, they grow in knowledge and love of God.Subjects are taught and skills are imparted in the Catholic school in the context of faith in God and obedience to His Law, His plan for us and our world. The Holy Father’s Congregation for Catholic Education has reminded us of the extraordinary character and mission of the Catholic school:

"Christ is the foundation of the whole educational enterprise in a Catholic school.His revelation gives new meaning to life and helps man to direct his thought, action and will according to the Gospel, making the beatitudes his norm of life.The fact that in their own individual ways all members of the school community share this Christian vision, makes the school ‘Catholic’ principles of the Gospel in this manner become the educational norms since the school then has them as its internal motivation and final good" (Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, The Catholic School, March 19, 1977, No. 34).

Christ is the First Teacher in the Catholic school.All of the administrators, teachers and staff of the Catholic school have, as their first responsibility, the witness to Christ, so that the students may come to know, love and serve Christ more and more.

19.It is my desire that a Catholic school be available to all the families of the South City Deanery.The reorganization of the pastoral care of the deanery involves the closing of some school buildings and the unification of some Catholic schools.I ask every parish in the deanery to commit itself ever more generously to the Catholic schools.I ask parish priests to work with parents for the enrollment of their children in the Catholic school which serves the families of the parish.

20.For the children who are not enrolled in the Catholic schools, the parish, with the help of parents and catechists, provides the Parish School of Religion.It is essential that all parishes in each part of the deanery work together so that the limited time available to the Parish School of Religion may assist our children and young people to grow in their Catholic faith and its practice.

Parish and local community

21.The Church is not of the world but is in the world.Christ came to save all men and women.Through Baptism and Confirmation, He gives to His disciples the grace to work with Him for the salvation of the world.The Church, therefore, has a most serious responsibility to serve the local community.The reorganization of the pastoral life in the South City Deanery is aimed, in fact, at a continued strong and effective presence of the Church in the South City.

22.The Church recognizes, above all, her responsibility to promote the respect for all human life and to work for the elimination of anything which is contrary to the dignity of human life.With the pastoral changes in the South City Deanery, I ask all the faithful to continue their strong support of Catholic Charities of the archdiocese and the St. Vincent de Paul Society, especially the parish or inter-parochial conferences.The South City Deanery can be rightly proud of the many outstanding works of justice and charity which are carried out in a stable manner throughout the deanery.It is important that all the faithful continue to build upon the strong tradition of active witness to Christ.

23.We are blessed in the archdiocese and in the city to have a population rich in different races.The respect for the dignity of all human life means also the respect for the equal dignity of all our brothers and sisters, no matter what be their racial or social background.In promoting the respect for the equal dignity of all our brothers and sisters, we are guided by the constant teaching of the Church, stated once again at the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council:

"All men are endowed with a rational soul and are created in God’s image; they have the same nature and origin and, being redeemed by Christ, they enjoy the same divine calling and destiny; there is here a basic equality between all men and it must be given ever greater recognition" (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, "Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World," Gaudium et spes, Dec. 7, 1965, No. 29a).

Racism or unjust discrimination on the basis of a person’s race cannot be tolerated in any aspect of the Church’s life.At the same time, the Church, in her responsibility for the common good, must work to eradicate any form of racism in society.

24.Although today there may be very little open expression of racial discrimination, we must be attentive, in our parishes, to educate all of the faithful regarding racism, an evil which all too easily insinuates itself into our relationships with others.We must be attentive especially to eliminate the "covert ways" in which racism can continue to poison society and the Church.I recall the teaching on racism of the United States Bishops in 1979:

"Crude and blatant expressions of racist sentiment, though they occasionally exist, are today considered bad form.Yet racism itself persists in covert ways.Under the guise of other motives, it is manifest in the tendency to stereotype and marginalize whole segments of the population whose presence is perceived as a threat.It is manifest also in the indifference that replaces open hatred.The minority poor are seen as the dross of a post-industrial society — without skills, without motivation, without incentive.They are expendable.Many times the new face of racism is the computer printout, the graph of profits and losses, the pink slip, the nameless statistic.Today’s racism flourishes in the triumph of private concern over public responsibility, individual success over social commitment and personal fulfillment over authentic compassion.Then too, we recognize that racism also exists in the attitudes and behavior of some who are themselves members of minority groups.Christian ideals of justice must be brought to bear in both the private and the public sector in order that covert racism be eliminated wherever it exists" (National Conference of Catholic Bishops, Brothers and Sister to Us: U.S. Bishops’ Pastoral letter on Racism in Our Day, Nov. 14, 1979, page 6).

The reorganization of pastoral life in the South City Deanery is a providential time to address anew any form of discrimination or prejudice against any brother or sister because of his or her race.May this time of challenge and growth lead us to form ever deeper bonds of unity with all of our brothers and sisters.May it also lead us to a new commitment to our neighborhoods and our beloved city.

25.The reorganization of the pastoral care of the South City Deanery is inspired by a strong commitment to the city of St. Louis in which the parishes of the deanery are located.It is my firm hope that the changes in the pastoral life of the deanery will help us to use our resources to be ever better citizens.For that reason, in making the decisions which I announce by this pastoral letter, I have been in communication with the authorities of the city and have taken to heart their concerns and suggestions.

26.I thank the civic authorities for their keen interest in the pastoral reorganization of the South City Deanery and for their willingness to assist me in every fitting way.I pledge to continue to work with them for the good of St. Louis.

Implementation of the reorganization

27.In announcing the details of the pastoral reorganization of the South City Deanery, I express heartfelt gratitude to Msgr. Dennis E. Doerhoff, the local dean, and the South City Deanery Strategic Planning Task Force.Over more than 18 months, they have studied carefully the pastoral life in the South City Deanery and have consulted widely with the parish priests, the faithful of the parishes, the personnel of the Catholic schools and officials of the Archdiocesan Curia. Msgr. Doerhoff, the task force and those whom they have consulted have given freely countless hours of selfless service for the good of the Church in the archdiocese. May God reward them!

28. On Dec. 9, 2004, the Task Force presented to me "The Strategic Planning Recommendations for the South City Deanery," a 73-page document which reflects the depth of the study and consultation which the members of the task force have undertaken.Having studied thoroughly the recommendations, I have accepted them, with some modifications.Since the time of the presentation of the recommendations, I have taken under consideration pastoral concerns which the task force was not able to address but needed to be part of the final strategic plan of the archdiocese and deanery.For the rest, the decisions which I have made have reference to the ample background material in the recommendations. The study of the recommendations is integral to the implementation of the pastoral reorganization.

Everyone involved, including myself, is aware that the recommendations and my decisions express prudential judgments, carefully studied and weighed but certainly subject to human error. I am deeply conscious of my own limitations and place my trust in the unfailing help of Christ the Good Shepherd, who has called me.

29.Unless otherwise indicated, the changes announced below will take effect on July 1, 2005.During the time until then, the work of implementation of the changes will take place. I ask all of the faithful to be generous in patience and in assistance to your parish priests during the coming months.

30.To provide for the ongoing study of the pastoral care of the South City Deanery, I am establishing a Deanery Pastoral Council to assist the local dean in carrying out his pastoral responsibility for the deanery.In the coming weeks, I will issue Archdiocesan Norms for Deanery Pastoral Councils, so that a consultative body on the deanery level will help me consistently in addressing the pastoral care and direction of all of the faithful in the deanery.

Downtown or near Downtown historic parishes

31.The Parish of the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, founded in 1770 and the mother church not only of the archdiocese of St. Louis but of a good part of the Midwest, is to remain a personal parish for those who have a special attachment to it, for reason of its history and sacred architecture.It serves as a spiritual oasis to the many visitors to the city for tourism or special events.It is also a place of devotion to the saintly Bishop Joseph Rosati, first bishop of St. Louis, whose mortal remains are interred in the basilica.The territory of the Parish of the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, is now to be united to the territory of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist Parish.

32.St. John the Apostle and Evangelist Parish is designated the territorial parish of the downtown area.The present parish church, built in 1860, served as the cathedral of the archdiocese for some 20 years.In addition to its service of households in the Downtown area, it provides spiritual services for the Downtown business community and visitors to the Downtown area.It is now to include the territory of the Parish of the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France.

33.St. John Nepomuk Parish, founded more than 150 years ago for the service of the faithful of Czech language and heritage, is to be suppressed.The parish church is to remain as a chapel in which Mass and devotions can be celebrated for special occasions.The chapel is to be under the care of a chaplain appointed by the archbishop.

34.St. Mary of Victories Parish, which has been serving the faithful of Hungarian origin, who emigrated to the United States in the middle of the last century because of political oppression, is to be suppressed.The church building, completed in 1843, is of historic importance. Recently, the church has become a place of devotion to Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, Redemptorist priest and 19th-century missionary to our country.The church building is to remain as a chapel in which Mass and devotions can be celebrated on special occasions.The devotion to Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, CSsR, is especially commended.The chapel is to be under the care of a chaplain appointed by the archbishop.

35.The Parish of the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, and St. John the Apostle and Evangelist Parish are both to be sponsoring parishes of St. Frances Cabrini Academy, which serves the families of the area.