April 10, 2009
Cathedral celebration honors Bishop Gettelfinger’s anniversary
Mary Ruth Ernstberger and “Fritz” Gettelfinger present the gifts at Mass to their brother, Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger. All seven siblings and surviving spouses came to celebrate the day, April 4, at St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville. (Message photo by Paul R. Leingang) Click for a larger version.
By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)
Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger was the chief celebrant at Mass April 4, observing the twentieth anniversary of his ordination and installation as Bishop of Evansville.
Celebrating with him at St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville were a large number of priests and deacons, family members, families and individuals from parishes throughout the diocese and several representatives of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting who made a special presentation at the end of the Mass.
The celebration, as far as episcopal liturgies go, was low key at the request of Bishop Gettelfinger, in part because of concern about current economic conditions. No public reception was held, and the ceremonial presentation by national scouting executives was planned without the bishop’s knowledge. (Related: Participants thank Bishop Gettelfinger)
The timing too was cause for simplicity: the actual date of the bishop’s ordination was April 11 — that is Holy Saturday this year. At the Mass April 4, Bishop Gettelfinger thanked all who attended, and in particular, the priests who came the morning before Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week.
Msgr. Kennneth R. Knapp, who has been the bishop’s vicar general for the entire 20 years of his episcopacy, was the homilist.
Msgr. Knapp drew laughter on two occasions — once when he said he knew the bishop did not want a homily to be a eulogy — and earlier when he told an initial story attributed to Ed Koch, the former mayor of New York.
According to Msgr. Knapp, Koch told the story to a nursing home audience about a judge who had been mugged by a street gang. After his hospital treatment for his injuries, the judge proclaimed that the mugging would have no impact on how he judged cases — even if a case in front of him would be similar to the attack he himself had suffered. Then, according to the story, a lady in her nineties stood up in the back of the room, and said, “Then mug him again!”
The first reading from Isaiah included the words from chapter 61, “The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners.”
The Gospel passage included the story of the sower and the seed, an image which has been incorporated into Bishop Gettelfinger’s Coat-of-Arms.
Msgr. Knapp said, that as the bishop “celebrates these 20 years with us, and many more years in priesthood and baptism, were he to say to us that this morning’s readings have no impact or influence, we should all stand up and say, ‘then read them to him again!’”
Msgr. Knapp stated that the Spirit of the Lord had indeed anointed him, and that by his example, the bishop had given example to others, “that we too would proclaim the good news to the poor and to the disadvantaged.”
In particular, Msgr. Knapp pointed out that the bishop has taken on a special ministry, and travels early each Christmas morning to the Wabash Valley Correctional Institution to celebrate Mass for those behind bars.
He said Bishop Gettelfinger has encouraged ministry to others who are captive — because of skin color or education or other circumstances. Msgr. Knapp pointed to the work of Catholic Charities and the ministry to new immigrants coming to a strange land.
Msgr. Knapp noted the symbolism in the Gospel story of the sower and the seed, pointing out that the call is not only “to put the seed out there but to allow it to die and bear fruit and to nourish it is such a way that it indeed becomes food for all.” The seed’s dying and germination are hidden, leading Msgr. Knapp to conclude that in the bishop’s ministry, “we celebrate the things that others do not see.”
Msgr. Knapp invited the members of the congregation “to hear the readings yourselves, to recognize that we become also the nourishment for others, so that those who come into contact with us know more about our God — that there is good news in the heart of our God and that there is wealth in the sharing of God’s word.”
Msgr. Knapp concluded his homily with words addressed directly to the bishop: “Our hearts are filled with thanksgiving and we can say with Isaiah that the Lord has indeed anointed us because of your presence among us, and that the favor of the Lord rests with us because you have been here, and the year of favor of the Lord has been extended in these times.”
Members of the bishop’s family presented the gifts for Mass. Members of the diocesan choir under the direction of Jeremy Korba sang for the ceremonies. Catholic Center staff members greeted and welcomed people who came to participate.
The bishop’s family members had surprised him early in the day with food and fixings for lunch after the Mass at his home in Evansville. During his brief remarks at the conclusion of the Mass, Bishop Gettelfinger called particular attention to the importance of his family — symbolized by the stars in his Coat-of-Arms that represented his mother, father and each of his siblings.”