[_May 7, 2021 transcript of video message of Father Jim Ferry after the May 2nd visit of Cardinal Tobin, Archbishop to Lourdes__]
[ To Watch, 7 minute Video of Message, Click Here. ]
The occasion was the dedication of the newly built church
at the time – our current church. The
Most Reverend Thomas Aloysius Boland celebrated the Mass. Archbishop Boland also was from West Orange
and once celebrated his first Mass as a priest at Lourdes years earlier. May __ 1964 was a historic moment, with the
Boland family being parishioners of Lourdes both during his life and since
then.
[__02__] On [date of Holy Thursday] 2014, the Most
Reverend Bernard Hebda visited Our Lady of Lourdes to celebrate the Mass of the
Lord’s Supper, Holy Thursday. It was the first and the only time ever than
archbishop of Newark was technically the principal or leading archbishop
visited Lourdes.
Archbishop
Hebda held a position called the “co-adjutor / auxiliary” meaning he would become the Newark archbishop
at an appointed time in the future.
That was a
historic visit for Our Lady of Lourdes parish.
As many of
you know, since 2014, Archbishop Hebda was called by Pope Francis to become the
leader of the archdiocese of St. Paul / Minneapolis in Minnesota.
Yet, I
have seen him here in New Jersey several times, and he remembers our parish
very fondly.
[__03__] On the 5th Sunday of Easter, this
year, May 2nd, 2021, history was made again when His Eminence Joseph
William Cardinal Tobin, celebrated the 11:30 am Mass at Lourdes.
It was the
first time a Cardinal and Archbishop would celebrate Mass in church. I am
delighted so many of us could pray with us here
[__04__] May 2nd,
however, was not Cardinal Tobin’s first visit to Lourdes. At a gathering held
for the priests of Essex County in the archdiocese, Cardinal Tobin had been to
our parish on a Sunday in November 2020, but he was unable to stay for Mass on
that day.
His visit
on May 2nd, was his opportunity to celebrate the liturgy fo us. I
recall, at his November visit, how impressed Cardinal Tobin was with the
magnificence and beauty of Lourdes church.
Monsignor
Robert Wister, a professor of church history at Immaculate Conception Seminary,
taught my classmates and me that Our Lady of Lourdes Church is an exceptional
example of mid-twentieth century architecture for Catholic worship which
combines both the ancient and modern.
Also, the
tile mosaic which depicts the original grotto near Massabielle and of St.
Bernadette and of the apparition of the Blessed Mother is one of the largest of
its kind in the world.
[__05__]
Back in November, one of our parishioners, Lisa Westheimer, presented a gift
with an image of the Blessed Mother, the prayers of the Rosary, all of which were made with reclaimed
glass and metal and handcrafted. This was given to Cardinal Tobin. Lisa has coordinated our Restoration Worship
of religious articles for about 12 years.
Cardinal
Tobin told us, at Mass on May 2nd, how this image is displayed near
his own desk as a daily reminder of his connection to Our Lady of Lourdes.
[__06__] I am personally grateful to so many who made
this visit possible including – OUR…
·
Art & Environment team
who decorated our altar with the beautiful red and white flowers. These flowers
were an anonymous gift from a parishioner of Lourdes. The A&E team also prepared the sacristy –
behind the scenes and kept the church in good order in so many ways!
·
Our ushers who welcomed and
directed you …
·
Our readers who proclaimed
God’s Word.
·
Our altar servers who
assisted with the procession and ritual before/after Mass and with the
preparation of the altar at Mass.
·
Our musicians – Linda
Chapman and Manny Figueiredo who prepared the music and enabled us to raise our
hearts and minds in song to God.
·
Our parish rectory office staff
by whom this historic event was publicized and made known in our church
bulletin, the website, posters in church, and in the newspaper. Each day, our rectory and religious education
staff makes it possible for us to carry out our mission to preach the Gospel to
every nation on earth.
[__07__] For the past 52 weeks and counting, we
have been videotaping and livestreaming
from Lourdes for Sunday Mass and for holy Days, Christmas, Easter..
In the
early days of 2020 of our sound and video, we worked out many technical details
and our very capable volunteers have been vigilant – as have our musicians
Linda and Manny been vigilant – in doing the best we can with video and audio.
For those
who tuned into the YouTube video of the Cardinal’s Mass, there were audio
difficulties which we are looking into.
I am
grateful to our technology volunteers and musicians for their attention to
continuous improvement.
[][][][]
I hope and
pray that as we observe Mother’s Day this Sunday, that the Blessed Virgin Mary,
our mother, may be with you as helper and advocate, that our church may also be
your family, and that the church of our Savior may touch you with a mother’s
love.
Our Lady
of Lourdes, Pray for Us!
[__08__] [__fin__]
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