O'Malley celebrates first Mass as cardinal
Apr 05, 2006
Cardinal Sean O'Malley, in celebrating his first Mass since being elevated into the upper echelons of the Roman Catholic Church's hierarchy, showed that he remains a humble man.
(Associated Press, April 1, 2006) BOSTON -- "It's a great joy to be here," O'Malley said Saturday evening at the start of his homily at St. Theresa of Avila Church in the city's West Roxbury neighborhood.
He made just passing reference to his elevation to cardinal.
"The fact that the Holy Father has made the Archbishop of Boston a cardinal joins us more closely to that ministry of service to the universal church," he said.
Instead, he used his homily to urge Catholics to remember that Lent is not about losing weight or quitting smoking, but is about "coming to see Jesus."
O'Malley, who is usually seen in public in the plain brown robe and sandals of his Franciscan order, wore the scarlet cardinal's cassock under violet and white vestments at the Mass, indicating that he saw the event as "an extraordinary occasion," archdiocese spokesman Kevin Shea said.
The vestments were a gift from Pope Benedict XVI and were once worn by Pope John Paul II, O'Malley said, appropriate, because Sunday is the first-year anniversary of John Paul II's death.
O'Malley and 15 others became cardinals March 24 in a Vatican City ceremony.
Saturday's Mass is the first of three O'Malley has scheduled around the archdiocese, the nation's fourth-largest with 2.1 million members, in the coming weeks. The Masses were termed as an opportunity for O'Malley to acknowledge the prayers and support he has received, but they are also a way for him to show he still considers the ordinary parishioners the most important aspect of his job.
Next Sunday, O'Malley is scheduled to celebrate Mass at St. Catherine of Siena in Norwood, and on April 16, he is scheduled to perform a Spanish language Mass at St. Mary of the Assumption in Lawrence.
"After he was elevated to cardinal he decided he wanted to be out with the people rather than only at the Cathedral (of the Holy Cross)," Kevin Shea.
More than 500 people attended the Mass on Saturday, many of them visitors who made their way through a steady rain to the parish just for a glimpse of the new cardinal. Some started showing up at 4 p.m. for the 5:30 p.m. service.
Monsignor William Helmick, the pastor at St. Theresa's, said he was not quite sure why O'Malley selected St. Theresa's, but guessed it was because the 110-year old parish is healthy and vibrant.
"We're just thrilled that he gave us the privilege of receiving him," Helmick said.
O'Malley's elevation to cardinal shows that the Vatican considers Boston an important diocese, he said.
When O'Malley took the Boston job in 2003 at the height of the clergy sex abuse scandal, he inherited a wounded church. He quickly settled lawsuits with more than 500 abuse victims, and began a painful financial reorganization that included unpopular church closings.
He succeeded Cardinal Bernard F. Law, who resigned after his failure to remove abusive priests from ministry.
Outside St. Theresa's, parishioner Kaye O'Connell, 76, said she was disappointed by Law, but energized by O'Malley.
"I came today because I'm delighted to have our wonderful cardinal here," she said. "We're here to support him."
She said she is impressed by O'Malley's humility and the work he has done to heal the wounds left by the clergy sex abuse scandal.
"Hopefully, he will bring some Catholics back that left the church," she said.
Mary Jo Dunleavy, 51, called O'Malley's visit "exciting," adding that his elevation to cardinal "will strengthen the archdiocese and give it some new life."
Not everyone is happy with O'Malley. Many parishes resisted the configuration process, there are still sexual abuse cases to be settled, and the archdiocese's finances remain closed to most Catholics. But there were no protesters to voice those dissatisfactions on Saturday, and the church is moving closer to financial transparency.
In October, O'Malley announced more open finances "out of respect for people of the Archdiocese as donors and members of our Church and to demonstrate to the general public that the Archdiocese is fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities."
The archdiocese will unveil its plans for financial transparency on April 19, spokesman Terry Donilon said.
Financial, academic and other professionals, many of whom have had no involvement with the archdiocese previously, are currently putting the finishing touches on the financial transparency plan, he said.
O'Malley celebrates first Mass as cardinal