Bayou Catholic - Bishop Shelton Joseph Fabre

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Bayou

Catholic

The magazine for the people of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux

Bishop Shelton Joseph Fabre

Evening Prayer

Solemn Installation

October 29 • 6:30 p.m.

October 30 • 2 p.m.

St. Joseph Co-Cathedral Thibodaux

Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales Houma

Reception following at Envie Restaurant

Reception following at Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center HOUMA, LA ~ OCTOBER 2013 ~ COMPLIMENTARY

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Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganó, J.C.D. Apostolic Nuncio

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Archbishop Gregory Aymond New Orleans

Bishop Emeritus Sam Jacobs Houma-Thibodaux

Evening Prayer, Installation welcome Bishop Shelton Fabre Story by Janet Marcel Bishop Shelton J. Fabre will be installed as the Fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux in a ceremony at the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma, Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 2 p.m.

Following the Mass there will be a reception at the HoumaTerrebonne Civic Center on Civic Center Blvd.

Due to limited parking at the cathedral, those attending the installation are asked to park at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center parking lot where complimentary shuttle busses will continuously be taking guests to the cathedral.

After the ceremony, the busses will transport guests back to the civic center for the reception.

Installing Bishop Fabre will be Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • October 2013

Bishop Shelton Fabre

Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond of New Orleans, in the presence

of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganó, J.C.D., D.D., apostolic nuncio to the United States. The Mass will be concelebrated by archbishops, bishops and priests from throughout Louisiana and the country.

Bishop Fabre will be welcomed into the diocese at an Evening Prayer Service Tuesday, Oct. 29 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Joseph CoCathedral in Thibodaux. Following the prayer service there will be a reception at Envie on Highway 308 in Thibodaux. The public is invited.

Deacon Jim Swiler, diocesan chancellor and member of the planning committee for the celebration, says participation from throughout the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux in

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Archbishops, bishops and abbot of the Province of New Orleans

Abbot Justin Brown St. Joseph Abbey

Bishop Emeritus Dominic Carmon New Orleans

Bishop Michael Duca Shreveport

Bishop Emeritus William Friend Shreveport

Bishop Ronald Herzog Alexandria

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Archbishop Emeritus Alfred Hughes New Orleans

Bishop Michael Jarrell Lafayette

this historical event is encouraged as the diocese extends a warm welcome to Bishop Fabre, to his family, and to the many visitors who will attend.

“Having been present for his ordination and installation as a bishop, as well as being present again for his installation as the Fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux is a great privilege. It is my hope that all of the people of OUR diocese will join with me in expressing our welcome,” says Deacon Swiler.

Bishop Fabre, 49, was born and raised in New Roads, LA; the fifth of six children born to the late Luke (2007) and Theresa Fabre.

Bishop Robert Muench Baton Rouge

Bishop Glen Provost Lake Charles

He received a bachelor of arts in history from St. Joseph SeminaryCollege in St. Benedict, LA, in 1985; a bachelor of arts degree (1987) and a master’s degree (1989) in religious studies from the Katholiek Universiteit te Leuven in Louvain, Belgium.

Bishop Stanley J. Ott ordained Bishop Fabre to the priesthood for the Diocese of Baton Rouge Aug. 5, 1989, at St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge.

Bishop Fabre has served as associate pastor of St. Alphonsus Liguori Church parish in Greenwell Springs, LA; St. George Church parish in Baton Rouge; St. Isidore the Farmer Church parish in Baker,

Archbishop Emeritus Francis Schulte New Orleans

LA; and St. Joseph Cathedral parish in Baton Rouge; Catholic Chaplain to Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola; director of the Office of Black Catholics of the Diocese of Baton Rouge; Defender of the Bond for the Marriage Tribunal of the Diocese of Baton Rouge; as pastor of St. Joseph Church parish in Grosse Tete, LA; Immaculate Heart of Mary Church parish in Maringouin, LA; Sacred Heart of Jesus Church parish in Baton Rouge; and Our Lady of the Rosary Church parish in New Orleans.

While serving in the Diocese of Baton Rouge he was a member atlarge of the Presbyteral Council, member of the

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www.bayoucatholic.com

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Archbishops and bishops of the Province of Mobile

Bishop Robert Baker Birmingham

Bishop Emeritus David Foley Birmingham

Bishop Emeritus Joseph Howze Biloxi

Bishop Joseph Latino Jackson

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Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Lipscomb Mobile

College of Consultors, clergy representative to the Diocesan School Board, member-at-large of the Clergy Personnel Board, Advisory Board member for Catholic Community Services, board member of the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, dean of the Northwest Deanery, and chairman of the Pastoral Planning Committee. He also served as vicar general and moderator of the curia for the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

He is a 4th Degree Knight of St. Peter Claver and a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus, a member of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, a 2006 graduate of the FBI Baton Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • October 2013

Bishop Roger Morin Biloxi

Archbishop Thomas Rodi Mobile

Rouge Citizens Academy. Bishop Fabre has been a member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) committee for the American College of Louvain, and subcommittee for African-American Catholics. He currently serves on the USCCB’s committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church, and is the chair of the Subcommittee for AfricanAmerican Catholics.

Bishop Fabre was ordained Titular Bishop of Pudenziana and Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans

by Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes of New Orleans, at St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans in February 2007.

He is one of only 10 active African-

American bishops in the United States and the eighth youngest bishop in the United States.

The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, which was guided by (the late) Bishop Warren L. Boudreaux for its first 15 years, by Bishop Michael Jarrell for nine years, and

by Bishop Sam G. Jacobs for 10 years, comprises the civil parishes of Lafourche and Terrebonne and parts of St. Mary, Jefferson, St. Martin and Assumption civil parishes. The diocese covers 3,500 square miles and serves approximately 126,000 Catholics. As of January 2013, there were 71 priests, 38 permanent deacons, five brothers, and 20 sisters serving its 39 parishes, two missions and 13 Catholic schools.

Watch the Installation

E V LI The Installation Mass for Bishop Shelton Fabre will be shown live at 2 p.m. Oct. 30 on these stations:

HTV - Channel 10

VISION

Covering: Assumption Lafourche St. Mary • Terrebonne Parts of Jefferson Parish

Channel 10 • EWTN

WLAE

EWTN

Check your cable system

Check your cable system

WEBSITE

COMCAST

htdiocese.org

Channel 10 • EWTN

KLFY Channel 10

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Symbols

By Father Williams Saunders Bishops wear certain regalia which are distinctive of the Order of Bishop, the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders — the pectoral cross, ring, mitre, crozier (staff) and pallium.

The regular regalia which identify a bishop are the pectoral cross and the ring. The pectoral cross (crux pectoralis) is worn by the Holy Father, cardinals, bishops, and abbots. The word pectoral derives from the Latin pectus, meaning Abreast.”

This cross is attached to a chain (or cord) and is worn on the chest, near the heart.

In the earliest times, the pectoral cross contained a relic of the True Cross or even of a saint. While not all pectoral crosses today continue to contain a relic, the tradition remains. Interestingly, in 1889, the Holy See recommended that the pectoral cross of a deceased bishop which contained a relic of the True Cross be given to his successor.

When putting on the pectoral cross, traditionally the bishop says, “Munire me digneris,” asking the Lord for strength and protection against all evil and all enemies, and to be mindful of His passion and cross.

Bishops also wear a ring. In the past, a distinction was made between the pontifical ring (which would have a gemstone, traditionally an amethyst), and the ordiBayou Catholic • Houma, LA • October 2013

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nary ring (which would have the bishop’s coat of arms or some other design engraved on it). The ring, like a wedding band, symbolizes that the bishop is “wedded” to his diocese. Also, the ring would be used, at least in days long ago, to make the imprint of the bishop’s seal in the hot wax to authenticate documents.

Moreover, in Catholic tradition, to reverence or “kiss” the ring of the bishop as a sign of respect for his authority is still proper; interestingly, a partial indulgence was attached to the reverencing of the bishop’s ring.

The other regalia — the mitre, crozier and pallium — are worn for liturgical functions. The mitre is a “headdress.” The word mitre derives from the Greek mitra, which signifies a headband or diadem. In the Old Testament, the High Priest and other priests wore a distinctive garb which included a mitre: “For Aaron and his sons, there were also woven tunics of fine linen; the mitre of fine linen; the ornate turbans of fine linen; drawers of linen (of fine linen twined); and sashes of variegated work made of fine linen twined and of violet, purple, and scarlet yarn, as the Lord had commanded Moses. The plate of the sacred diadem was made of pure gold and inscribed, as on a seal engraving: Sacred to the Lord.’ It was tied

over the mitre with the violet ribbon, as the Lord had commanded Moses” (Ex 39:27-31; cf. Lv 8:7-9).

Exactly when the Church adopted the mitre as part of the vesture of bishops is hard to pinpoint.

One tradition holds that the mitre’s usage dates to the time of the Apostles; other traditions place its first usage about the eighth or ninth centuries. Of course artists have taken the liberty to depict the apostles and the earliest saints who were bishops as wearing mitres. The first written mention of the mitre is in a bull issued by Pope Leo IX in the year 1049, when he granted Bishop Eberhard of Trier “the Roman mitre” as a sign of

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Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

Bishop

his authority and of the primacy of the Diocese of Trier. By 1100, a bishop customarily wore a mitre.

In the Latin Rite, the mitre originally was a headband with a veil, and eventually appeared more in its present triangular form pointing upward with two infulae or fans (two strips of cloth hanging from behind). Some suggest that the infulae originated from the sweatband that Greek athletes wore, which was wrapped around the forehead, tied behind the head in a knot with the two ends hanging down the back; since the victorious athlete was crowned with a laurel wreath, the whole headdress soon was seen as a sign of victory. The mitre took on a similar symbolic meaning. Such symbolism arises from St. Paul’s analogy: AI have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on a merited crown awaits me...” (2 Tm 4:7-8).

Surely, the bishop should be leading his flock in the race to salvation to final victory in Heaven.

Over the centuries, mitres were elongated or embellished according to the times. For example, during the baroque period, mitres were very tall and were embellished with jewels. Also, please note that in the Eastern Rites, the bishops wear a mitre that looks like an ornamented round hat with a cross on top.

The crozier, or officially the pastoral staff (baculus pastoralis), symbolizes the role of bishop as the Good Shepherd. In the Gospel of St. John (10:1-21), our Lord identified Himself as the Good Shepherd. The word translated as Agood” in the original Greek text is kalos, which also means “model.” Our Lord is the model shepherd for the apostles and their successors, the bishops, who are appointed as shepherds.

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The bishop, like a good shepherd, must lead his faithful flock along the path of salvation, disciplining and protecting them as needed. The shepherd’s staff is therefore a most appropriate symbol for the office of bishop. St. Isidore explained that a newly consecrated bishop received the crozier “that he may govern

and correct those below him or to offer support to the weakest of the weak.” Since the time of Pope Paul VI, the Holy Father’s crozier has a curved cross at the top, which symbolizes his special office as not only bishop of Rome, but also the Vicar of Christ who is entrusted with the leadership of the universal Church.

Finally, the Holy Father, metropolitan archbishops, and the patriarch of Jerusalem also wear a pallium. (A metropolitan archbishop is one who actually governs an archdiocese and heads a province.)

The pallium is a strip of white wool which is worn around the neck like a collar, over the chasuble, with two strips, one hanging down the front and one hanging down the back. Predating Christianity, the pallium was about twelve feet in length and worn for warmth.

Christians adopted this garment and viewed it as a sign of their fidelity to Christ. The usage of the pallium evolved over time: By the third century, it was worn by both the laity and clergy; by the fourth century, by the pope and eventually exclusively by him alone; by the fifth century, by the pope and those important clergy who had received it as a gift from the pope; by the ninth century, exclusively by the pope, metropolitans, archbishops, and bishops of special distinction; and by a decree of 1978, to metropolitan archbishops and the patriarch of Jerusalem as well as the pope.

Presently, the pallium is much shorter and is embroidered with six black crosses. The pallia are made each year from lamb’s wool freshly sheared on the feast of St. Agnes (Jan. 21), a tradition originating during the pontificate of Pope John XIII (965-972). The woven pallia are then kept in a small silver box in the crypt area under the high altar at the Basilica of St. Peter near St. Peter’s tomb. On the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul (June 29), the Holy Father blesses the pallia and presents them to metropolitan archbishops.

These different regalia all give a certain distinction to the Order of Bishop. They also inspire respect for the office and its authority.

While “the clothes do not make the man,” the man must strive to fulfill what the clothes signify.

(Father Saunders is dean of the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College in Alexandria and pastor of Our Lady of Hope Parish in Potomac Falls.)

This article is reprinted with permission from Arlington Catholic Herald. www.bayoucatholic.com

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The People of God of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Invite You to the Solemn Installation of the

Most Reverend Shelton Joseph Fabre, D.D. as the Fourth Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux by the Most Reverend Gregory M. Aymond, D.D. Archbishop of New Orleans in the presence of the Most Reverend Carlo Maria Viganó, J.C.D., D.D. Apostolic Nuncio to the United States

Wednesday, the Thirtieth of October in the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Thirteen at Two O’clock in the afternoon The Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales 500 Goode Street, Houma, Louisiana Reception immediately following at the Houma - Terrebonne Civic Center on Civic Center Boulevard Bus Transportation

Due to very limited parking available at the Cathedral, we ask that you park at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center. Shuttles will be available to transport attendees to the Cathedral, beginning at noon until 2 p.m.

They will be available to transport everyone back to the Civic Center, where the reception is being held