Archbishop leads interfaith prayer for just, humane immigration law
Catholic san Francisco Northern California’s Weekly Catholic Newspaper
(PHOTO BY JACK SMITH)
By Jack Smith
Nearly 10,000 people took part in a march for just and humane immigration reform April 23 in San Francisco. Many Catholics joined following Mass at Mission Dolores as the walkers passed on their way to the Federal Building from Dolores Park.
Catholics in the Archdiocese of San Francisco responded to Archbishop George H. Niederauer’s call to pray on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 23, for “just and humane” immigration reform legislation. On the same day, Archbishop Niederauer lead an interfaith prayer service on the steps of Mission Dolores for a national immigration policy that “respects the dignity of our brothers and sisters who come here from other lands.” Parishes throughout the archdiocese noted Archbishop Niederauer’s call for a day of prayer (Catholic San Francisco – April 14) and joined in prayers for the nation’s leaders who now are debating immigration reform. Nearly 1,000 parishioners from throughout the Bay Area attended a special Mass and rally at Mission Dolores April 23. Bishop John C. Wester celebrated the standing room only noon Mass along with Mission Pastor Father Bill Justice and several other priests. As Congress prepares to resume debate on competing immigration reform proposals, Bishop Wester asked the congregation in English and Spanish to “pray that our political leaders will find a just path for our immigrants.” Bishop Wester said, “In our Church there are no strangers. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ. We pray that our country will follow that path as well.” Father Jorge Román of St. Peter Parish in San Francisco gave the homily in Spanish and English saying that, “In this nation people come from all over the IMMIGRATION, page 3
Archbishop Niederauer to receive ‘pallium’ from Pope Benedict XVI By Maurice Healy San Francisco Archbishop George H. Niederauer will be among the small group of new archbishops from around the world who will receive the “pallium” from Pope Benedict XVI June 29 at a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. The pallium is a circular band of white wool marked with six black crosses. It is worn over the shoulders and symbolizes the archbishop’s authority and unity with the pope. Bestowing the pallium on new archbishops is in keeping with a 1,700 year-old church tradition. Usage and appearance of the pallium have gradually evolved over the centuries, including several substantial changes introduced by Pope John Paul II. Starting in 1984, the Polish pontiff was the first to personally consign the pallium annually to all new
archbishops — a task his predecessors since the fourth century regularly had delegated. Pope John Paul II also fixed the date for bestowing palliums to June 29, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, and, for the first time in church history, incorporated the ceremony into the celebration of the Mass. Pope Benedict XVI is continuing these innovations and will solemnly bestow the pallium on archbishops named within the past year, most of whom head a metropolitan see. In his homily last year at the first pallium ceremony of his papacy, Pope Benedict said that throughout history and the world, the church “visibly comes together” in its unity to the Petrine service. It is this unity that “protects each one of us from (the risk of) slipping into false autonomies that too easily turn into internal factions within the church,” he said.
The church is able to unite people of different cultures and nations because it focuses on the one God and his truth, the pope said. Just as there is one sun that shines over the world, “the light of true preaching beams everywhere and enlightens all people who want to come to know the truth,” he said. The June 29 Vatican Mass is the only time archbishops wear the palliums together. Once bestowed, liturgical rules require that the pallium be worn only in the metropolitan’s own see, and then only during solemn liturgies such as ordinations. Members of the faithful of the Archdiocese of San Francisco plan to attend the pallium Mass at St. Peter’s as part of a week-long tour. For information on these travel packages, email Laurie Miller at millerl@sfarchdiocese.org.
INSIDE THIS WEEK’S EDITION Pope on Jesuits. . . . . . . . . . 5 Easter Season . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Editorial and letters . . . . . 12 Scripture and reflection . . 14 Art & Culture . . . . . . . . . . 16
News-in-brief
~ Page 4 ~ April 28, 2006
Honoring San Francisco’s Firefighters ~ Page 7 ~
Notre Dame des Victoires celebrates 150 years ~ Pages 10-11 ~
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Classified ads. . . . . . . . 18-19
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