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WUERL-INSTALLATION (UPDATED) Jun-23-2006 (890 words) With photos. xxxn
Archbishop Wuerl installed as head of Washington Archdiocese
By Agostino Bono
Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl began his ministry as head of the Washington Archdiocese by pledging to make the church's voice heard in public debates and by recognizing the multiethnic nature of area Catholics.
At a June 22 installation Mass attended by nine cardinals as well as government officials and foreign ambassadors stationed in the nation's capital, the new archbishop called on archdiocesan Catholics to help him carry out his responsibilities.
Each Catholic has the "weighty charge" of living the Gospel and unfolding "its implications for the issues and circumstances of our time," said Archbishop Wuerl in his homily during the Mass celebrated at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington.
"God's wisdom must impact on the life of society. The wisdom of God is a thread that needs to be woven through that fabric in order to create a truly good and just society," he said.
"This aspect of ministry will bring the church into relationship with many in the cultural, educational, social service and political world," he said.
During his entrance procession, the archbishop shook hands with Democratic Sens. Edward Kennedy and John Kerry of Massachusetts, seated side by side in the third row along the center aisle.
"The bishop's role is also to sanctify," the archbishop said in his homily, noting that he will have to do this in an archdiocese "where Sunday liturgy is celebrated in over 20 languages."
These Masses show that one faith is "mirrored and echoed in a vast array of cultural manifestations," he said.
Before the Mass started 25 representatives of various archdiocesan ministries and groups greeted the new archbishop.
Archbishop Wuerl, 65, was named to head the Washington Archdiocese May 16. Prior to that he had been bishop of Pittsburgh for 18 years.
Archbishop Wuerl comes to Washington with the reputation of being a teaching bishop because of his many catechistically focused pastoral letters, the college classes he taught, the catechism he wrote and the television show he hosted.
The archbishop said in his homily that in Washington he plans to be "the voice of the great teaching tradition rooted in God's word and God's wisdom."
As the head of the Washington Archdiocese, Archbishop Wuerl also will be in the national spotlight. His post in the nation's capital places him on the church's front line regarding the relationship between faith and politics and the relationship of the church with public officials whose stands sometimes oppose Catholic teachings.
This often involves looking for the fine line that separates influencing policy from becoming involved in partisan politics. It includes being pastoral to controversial Catholic politicians while not signaling support for any positions they may have contrary to church teachings.
Archbishop Wuerl, in his homily, noted that a block away from the basilica is the headquarters of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the hierarchy's administrative arm, which "has the responsibility to present and reflect the voice and position of the bishops of this country on pastoral and policy matters."
During the Mass, Kerry, who supports keeping abortion legal, received Communion in the hand from Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio to the United States and Pope Benedict XVI's representative to the U.S. bishops. Archbishop Wuerl distributed Communion alongside the nuncio.
Kerry was the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, and during the election campaign several U.S. bishops said they would not give him Communion in their dioceses because of his stand on abortion.
Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, retired Washington archbishop, headed a bishops' Task Force on Catholic Bishops and Catholic Politicians, which examined the issue of the reception of Communion by Catholic politicians whose stands are in opposition to the church's teaching on such fundamental moral issues as abortion, euthanasia or same-sex marriage.
The task force said it is the responsibility of each bishop to teach and persuade Catholic politicians on core church teachings and then make individual decisions on whether certain members of their dioceses should be told not to present themselves for Communion.
Cardinal McCarrick, in introducing Archbishop Wuerl at the installation ceremony, joked about the difficulties of trying to stay out of partisan politics.
In naming some of the dignitaries present, the cardinal looked at Kennedy and Kerry, and said, "I won't name the senators here because I might forget some and people would think these are partisan remarks."
More than 3,000 people attended the Mass at the basilica. As Archbishop Wuerl processed into the church, applause greeted him in waves as he made his way to the altar. There was also sustained applause and a standing ovation when Cardinal McCarrick and Archbishop Sambi escorted Archbishop Wuerl to the bishop's chair and the nuncio presented him with a crosier, a symbol of the archbishop's pastoral office.
During the Mass, readings were given in English and Spanish. The intercessions during the prayer of the faithful were delivered in 10 languages, including Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Igbo, Creole, Portuguese and American Sign Language.
After the Mass, Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, who is Catholic and described himself as a former altar boy, read a proclamation from Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich establishing June 22 as a day of tribute to Archbishop Wuerl.
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Contributing to this story was Richard Szczepanowski in Washington.
END
Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
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