installation

Cardinal Rigali displayed the Papal Mandate, which relieved Archbishop Carlson from his duty as Bishop of the Saginaw diocese, and appointed him as head of the Archdiocese of Saint Louis.

After a nearly 10-month wait, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop Robert James Carlson of the Diocese of Saginaw, Mich., to lead the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

Archbishop Carlson, 64, is St. Louis’ 10th bishop and ninth archbishop. The Holy See’s press office made the announcement April 21 at 5 a.m. St. Louis time.

He succeeded Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, who was named prefect of the Apostolic Signatura in June 2008.

Archbishop Carlson visited St. Louis late afternoon April 20 and met with the Review April 21 for a one-on-one interview at the archdiocesan Catholic Center in the Central West End.

At that time he said when he was informed of the Holy Father’s decision nearly two weeks before, his response was, “I will start to pray today that I love everybody.”

Slightly tearing up, he added: “I look forward to being the spiritual leader of this community.

“You have to love the people you serve,” he noted. “And if you want to see Christ in somebody, you have to love them, and you have to have a feeling for them.”

Archmandrite Theophan Koja from St. Thomas the Apostle Romanian Orthodox Church in St. Louis attended the Evening Prayer service for Archbishop Carlson

In addition, the hope is that by including a representation of different faiths at the events, “we might witness to the common spiritual values that we have together in a world that needs to be reminded to make space for God, and a world that needs a witness with regard to the dignity and sacredness of human life,” said Welch. 

EJ Kraus, a cabinet maker at Classic Woodworking Inc., put together Archbishop Robert J. Carlson's coat of arms

At Classic Woodworking Inc. in South St. Louis, project manager Bill Kennebeck has seen it all.

For more than 30 years, the business has produced thousands of woodworking projects in residential and commercial places — from the Federal Reserve Building to the offices of St. Louis Rams executives and high-end private homes.

But nothing brings a smile to Kennebeck’s face more than doing a project for the Catholic Church.

This week, Classic Woodworking completed work on Archbishop Robert J. Carlson’s coat of arms. The oak plaque with hand-painted brass pieces was hung in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis for the archbishop’s installation June 10. A smaller version of his coat of arms also will be hung in the Old Cathedral Downtown.

Kennebeck, a member of St. James the Greater Parish in South St. Louis, noted that Classic Woodworking has made a coat of arms for Archbishop Raymond L. Burke and Bishop Edward K. Braxton when they both served in St. Louis. Archbishop Burke is currently the prefect for the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura in Rome. Bishop Braxton now leads the Diocese of Belleville, Ill.

Archbishop Carlson listens to a combined choir of students from Catholic schools across the archdiocese who performed at a reception following the installation Mass June 10.

Frank Cognata, archdiocesan chief development officer who is overseeing the reception planning, said the receptions traditionally have served as a way for the new archbishop to meet with family and friends and selected priests, deacons, religious and lay leaders from the archdiocese.

“It’s always a great opportunity for the archbishop not only to celebrate but gather with the leaders of the archdiocese,” said Cognata.

The receptions for Archbishop Carlson, said Cognata, were opened to include the general public.

Archbishop Robert Carlson delivered the homily at his installation Mass June 10.

The ceremony lasted about two hours and was preceded by a lengthy procession that included a couple dozen bishops and Cardinals Francis George of Chicago and Justin Rigali of Philadelphia. Diocesan and religious priests, including many from Archbishop Carlson’s former dioceses, were in the procession along with deacons, seminarians, equestrian orders and a contingent of ecumenical guests.