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~ The Liturgical Renovation of St. Anthony Cathedral ~   (Page 1 of 4)

Blessed Receptacle A Blessing

By Nance Flores, The Beaumont Enterprise

Beaumont - 08/24/2005 — Goosebumps speckled Dot Toups' arms even after a special Mass ended at St. Anthony Cathedral Tuesday.

Seeing a receptacle blessed by the late Pope John Paul II on her birthday was more than the Lumberton resident could ask for, Toups said as she held back her tears.

"I'm just so moved. I feel at peace," said Toups, who is in her 70s. The receptacle, called a monstrance, sat atop the altar and held a piece of consecrated bread from St. Anthony's. The symbol encourages promotion of Catholic Church vocations during its 24-hour visit, and then will move on to do the same for other Catholic congregations in the United States.

More than 50 Catholic faithful gathered Tuesday for the special noon Mass and monstrance display, where they prayed for youth to embrace Catholic Church vocations. In the last five years, the Diocese of Beaumont has ordained about seven priests.

About 27 percent of U.S. parishes do not have a resident priest, according to a 2000 study conducted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. A monstrance blessed by Pope John Paul II is on 24-hour display at St. Anthony Cathedral in Beaumont.

Though the local diocese does not have a severe problem, it still has fewer priests today than about 30 years ago. In 1976 there were 89 priests, compared with 71 in 2001, according to the local Official Directory of the Diocese.

Encouraging youth to consider church vocations is "not just the job of the bishop, vocation director or priest," Msgr. Richard DeStefano said during the Mass. "We all need to work hard and pray for more laborers to help with the harvest," DeStefano said. "Sometimes I believe people are just waiting for an invitation."

DeStefano - who is presiding over St. Anthony Cathedral while the Rev. Jerry McGrath is on sabbatical - said as a young man it was a priest who motivated him to follow a life of ministry. "Sometimes it just takes a tap on the shoulder. When was the last time you told someone, 'You would make a fine priest or nun'?" DeStefano asked thefaithful.

Having the monstrance in Beaumont "is an honor and privilege," said Gene Landry, district governor for the Serra Club, a Catholic organization that promotes religious vocations. The Serra Club helped bring the monstrance from its last stop at the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and will send it on to Missouri.

Beaumont resident Gloria Kuritz, 79, said because she is not able to travel to see a monstrance, she is glad the diocese brought the receptacle to Beaumont. It will remain on display this morning, with a short ceremony blessing it at 11 a.m.

Hour of Mercy

By Beth Gallaspy, The Beaumont Enterprise

Beaumont - 02/26/2005 — Prayers for the comfort and strength of Pope John Paul II drifted skyward with plumesfrom burning incense Friday afternoon during a special service in the chapel of St. Anthony Cathedral. Morethan 40 faithfulgathered for hymns, prayers and the chaplet of divine mercy. Fr. Jerry McGrath, pastor and rector ofSt. Anthony, said 3 p.m. services on Fridays normally draw about five people.

The pope's emergency hospital trip and tracheotomy Thursday "basically frightenedmany people," McGrath said. "It took people by surprise. Services at 3 p.m. each Friday remind parishioners of the time of Christ's death and his mercy, McGrath said. "We call it the hour of mercy, and certainly when you're hospitalized, you're looking for a lot of mercy," McGrath said.

The special service was announced after noon Mass at St. Anthony on Thursdayand Friday, "and word just spreads," McGrath said. A photo of the pope sat atop a table to the right of the lectern during the service. A bouquet of white and yellow flowers rested in front of the portrait and an oil lamp from the Vatican burned beneath it.

"We're keeping the lamp burning until the Holy Father recuperates as a sign of our vigilant prayers," McGrath said. McGrath led parishioners in praying the pope - in advanced age, weakness and illness - "might be comforted and strengthened and find serenity."

Ed and Lillie Luquette belong to a Fannett parish but attended when they learned of the special service while visiting a relative in Beaumont. "Our pope is very important to us. He's our leader," Lillie Luquette said. "At our church we say prayers for the pope every morning," Ed Luquette said.

McGrath said more services dedicated to the pope will follow. "We will continue to pray for our Holy Father throughout his hospitalization."

Sacred Gift

By Dee Dixon
The Beaumont Enterprise

Beaumont - Hannah Thompson covered her mouth after peeking inside the glass box. Inside the box decorated with gold and redvelvet was a hat - a white, silk autographed skullcap.

It is a special gift that was last worn by Pope John Paul II until last Monday when he removed it, signed it and offered the zucchetto as a gift to St. Anthony's Cathedral.

"It makes me feel like we have a special church," said Thompson, a home-schooled fifth-grader. Throughout the 10 a.m. Mass, the box containing the papal hat was shrouded in mystery draped by a satin-like cloth behind the altar.

The gift arrived from the Vatican with the Very Rev. John Rokosz, who was already scheduled to kick off the church's Year of the Eucharist Celebration.

"It's a great privilege," the Rev. Jeremiah J. McGrath said of the rare gift. The exact number of zucchettos that have been given by the pope is unknown. He rarely takes them off. "There are very few," said Rokosz, who knows of one in Cypress, Mass. However, it is a long-standing practice for people to try to trade skullcaps with the pontiff.

That is how a religion teacher from the Jesuit High School in New Orleans received the papal hat while participating in a 2003 summer program with the pope, according to the Clarion Herald. That zucchetto is on display in New Orleans at the Jesuit High School Hall of Honors, according to its Web site. Rokosz is the second person from the Vatican to visit the cathedral since it reopened in October after a multi-million dollar restoration project.

In November, one of the highest-ranking members from the Vatican, Cardinal Achille Silvestrini, visited the cathedral and blessed a statue of Jesus Christ that is a replica of one created by 17th century architect Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini.

During the Mass, Rokosz challenged parishioners to mediate on God's divine mercy in their lives. "We seek his love and to have peace," he said. "God's divine mercy picks us up and heals us so that we can walk in the path of holiness." With the papal gift, some may wonder about its significance.

"We are working very closely with the Vatican at the present to see when (the cathedral) could receive a special title ... a minor basilica," said McGrath, who didn't want to be premature with the suggestion. But for now, people like Dr. Mark Kubala are enjoying the latest artifact to join other revered items and relics at the cathedral. "In the Catholic faith we do not worship relics, but they are a reminder to us to live a holy life," Kubala said. "They deepen our faith. We don't adore relics, we adore Jesus."

After the Mass, John Thompson, who works in the Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital emergency room, brought his four children up for a closer look at the garment that he said represents a global unity within the church. "I think it is neat that it came all the way from Rome to Beaumont," his 14-year-old daughter, Carley Thompson said. "You'd think it would be pretty insignificant, but it's not because the pope recognizes us."

What is a zucchetto?

The zucchetto is a round skullcap worn by leaders in the Catholic church. Its use dates back to the 13th century to cover the shaved bald spot. The caps come in white, red and purple and are worn by the pope, cardinal and bishop respectively. The colors representing the various ranks came into practice during the Middle Ages. Bishops and cardinals wear the caps at Mass except during the Canon. Anyone else must have papal permission to wear it at Mass. Church historians believe that use of the zucchetto came into practice around the 13th century because paintings in the church of St. Francis of Assisi show cardinals wearing the cap

Newsadvent.org

Places with a papal hat

• Saint Augustine of Canterbury Parish: Kendall Park. New Jersey.
• Jesuit High School, New Orleans, La.: A teacher traded with the pope.
• Marian Helpers Center, Our Lady of Mercy Oratory: Stockbridge, Mass.
• Cincinnati Museum Center: Cincinnati, Ohio (from when the pontiff was a cardinal).
• Diocese of Duluth Duluth, Minn.: The Rev. Richard Kunst traded zucchettos with the pope, according to the Duluth Diocese Web site.
  

Cathedral celebrates 1st mass since renovations

By Becky Bowman
The Beaumont Enterprise

Beaumont - 10/18/2004 — Southeast Texas Catholics gathered Sunday afternoon to dedicate St. Anthony Cathedral in the first Mass to take place there following recent renovations.

Bishop Curtis J. Guillory, several visiting bishops and other clergy processed into the cathedral, which was packed by parishioners who attended by invitation. St. Anthony serves as the "mother church" for the Beaumont Diocese.

"This has been a long road, and at times the road has been bumpy," Guillory said as the Mass began. Applause erupted when Guillory said the church had "done a good job" with the work, which began in 2001.

Guillory anointed the altar with oil. He and other priests then used oil to make signs of the cross on the cathedral walls. They also lighted candles throughout the sanctuary.

Lessons were read in Spanish and Vietnamese. A wind ensemble and choir accompanied the parishioners in singing. Visiting bishops included the Most Rev. Joseph Fiorenza of the Galveston-Houston Diocese, a Beaumont native.

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