Dear Archbishop Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet, dear Brother.
I bring greeting to you from all the members of the Church of Orange, your sister. In a particular way Frs. Michael Heher and Tuan Pham, together with several of the laity from Orange, who have traveled here on this pilgrimage greet you. Joining us are Archbishop George Niederauer of San Francisco, Bishop Dan Walsh, on his second visit from Santa Rosa, California, Bishop Wang, and Fr.Jerry McCormick of the Diocese of Monterey, also in California.
We are all honored to join you and so many members of your clergy, religious and laity in this celebration of the birthday of Cardinal Pham Dinh Tung, and the early New Year celebration. We are indeed grateful for the invitation to join you in this Eucharistic celebration.
In the liturgical calendar for today, we honor St.Agnes, the early Roman martyr, who gave up her life of chastity consecrated to Jesus Christ rather than be forced into a marriage not of her choosing. Each year on this day young lambs are brought to the Roman Church named in her honor. The lambs are blessed and then cared for until they are sheared and their wool woven into the pallia given to the new archbishops named that year. That is the history of the pallium Archbishop Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet is wearing today.
In our Gospel passage from St.Mark, we learn of the miraculous healing by Jesus of the man with the withered hand. Some people did not approve because Jesus healed in the Sabbath. The lesson for us, I believe, is that whenever possible we are called to reach out to the person in need. Charity is the most important of all the virtues that are part of the Christian life. Charity defines the Christian, the disciple of Jesus.
Again, Archbishop Kiet, let me express, in the name of all of us pilgrims from Orange and other parts of California, our gratitude to you for hosting us and for this opportunity to experience the friendship and joy of this great Church of Hanoi. Please be assured of our prayers and support.
I bring greeting to you from all the members of the Church of Orange, your sister. In a particular way Frs. Michael Heher and Tuan Pham, together with several of the laity from Orange, who have traveled here on this pilgrimage greet you. Joining us are Archbishop George Niederauer of San Francisco, Bishop Dan Walsh, on his second visit from Santa Rosa, California, Bishop Wang, and Fr.Jerry McCormick of the Diocese of Monterey, also in California.
We are all honored to join you and so many members of your clergy, religious and laity in this celebration of the birthday of Cardinal Pham Dinh Tung, and the early New Year celebration. We are indeed grateful for the invitation to join you in this Eucharistic celebration.
In the liturgical calendar for today, we honor St.Agnes, the early Roman martyr, who gave up her life of chastity consecrated to Jesus Christ rather than be forced into a marriage not of her choosing. Each year on this day young lambs are brought to the Roman Church named in her honor. The lambs are blessed and then cared for until they are sheared and their wool woven into the pallia given to the new archbishops named that year. That is the history of the pallium Archbishop Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet is wearing today.
In our Gospel passage from St.Mark, we learn of the miraculous healing by Jesus of the man with the withered hand. Some people did not approve because Jesus healed in the Sabbath. The lesson for us, I believe, is that whenever possible we are called to reach out to the person in need. Charity is the most important of all the virtues that are part of the Christian life. Charity defines the Christian, the disciple of Jesus.
Again, Archbishop Kiet, let me express, in the name of all of us pilgrims from Orange and other parts of California, our gratitude to you for hosting us and for this opportunity to experience the friendship and joy of this great Church of Hanoi. Please be assured of our prayers and support.