Newly ordained Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost is in Rome attending the formation course for new bishops. As his time permits, he plans to send photos and regular updates on the program. Below is the fourth installment.
Greetings from Rome on Day 4 of new bishops’ school, Sept. 16, the memorial of St. Cornelius, pope, and St. Cyprian, bishop, martyrs.
The Dicastery of Bishops scheduled yesterday as sort of desert day, so I am a little late writing this. Other than when we were together for the morning lecture and meals, we were encouraged to enter into silence, solitude and prayer. The theme for yesterday was “Episcopal Holiness in the Catholic Communion.”
The day began with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle presiding and preaching at Mass. Of all our celebrants and speakers this week, he was perhaps the most dynamic and outwardly joyful. Reflecting on today’s Gospel, he reminded us that Jesus is the primary missionary. In the Gospel passage, Jesus journeyed from place to place, proclaiming the Good News of God’s Reign and his disciples accompanied him. Cardinal Tagle indicated that this model means we must discern where Jesus is leading us and be willing to follow him.
Jesus establishes the direction and priorities of the Church’s mission. He also pointed out the place of the women in today’s Gospel – that they faithfully accompanied Jesus in his missionary activity. In a synodal Church, everyone must be engaged in the process of discernment and accompaniment so that Jesus can lead us to where we must be for the sake of revealing God’s activity in the world.
The morning Mass included Portuguese, along with the other major languages of the conference. Cardinal Tagle, who is considered by many as a potential candidate for being the next pope, preached his homily in Italian and English. Breakfast followed at 8:30 a.m.
At 10 a.m., we gathered in the auditorium for an address by Bishop Vittorio Viola, OFM. Bishop Viola serves as the secretary to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. He entitled his presentation: “The Spiritual Identity of the Bishop in a Synodal Church.” This turned out to be a profound and powerful reflection on the spirituality of the bishop through the lens of the ordination rite.
Bishop Viola invited us to consider our lives (and I am sure that this should be true for all of us) as a sanctuary. Our lives – our relationships, daily experiences, significant events, etc. – are sacred places where the activity of God is revealed. Therefore, we need to enter into each day as if we are standing on holy ground – that is, with a deep sense of respect and humility because this is where we are going to meet Christ. As with the celebration of the Eucharist, we are being immersed in God’s saving activity because God chooses to meet us where we live.
Bishop Viola then went on to reflect on certain aspect of the rite of ordination. The questions or promises that are a part of the rite express our willingness to accept the gift of service to the Church, to God’s people. Publicly accepting these promises indicated our desire to be evermore deeply united to Christ’s own self-offering.
He reminded us that when we laid prostrate on the cathedral floor, this was an act of abandonment. It expressed a willingness to be stripped of one’s own self and will so as to live God’s life and will more fully. He asked us to remember that not everything we are to become or will do will be perfect, even St. Paul failed in his missionary ministry at times. However, this is where we must rely on the outpouring of the Holy Spirit revealed in the ordination liturgy. The spirit chooses to abide with the Church and us so that even our failures can become a part of the purification process by which God will help us to continue to grow in holiness if we humbly allow the spirit of Jesus to lead us.
Bishop Viola’s presentation offered some very rich insights, as well as some very challenging reminders. This became our path into the remainder of the day, which consisted of time for silence, solitude, personal prayer, Eucharistic adoration, the celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation, and Evening Prayer. After the somewhat heady and full schedule of the past few days, yesterday was a welcome respite.
Please be assured that I remembered all of you and our entire diocesan faith community in my prayer. May the Holy Spirit continue to draw us ever deeper into God’s light, life and love. May we be willing to accompany Jesus, the Good Shepherd, wherever he may lead.