July 8, 2011
Bishop Thompson celebrates Mass at St. Benedict Cathedral
Bishop Charles C. Thompson blesses a child at Communion time at St. Benedict Cathedral. (Photo courtesy Jeff Weber, St. Benedict parishioner) Click for a larger version.
By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)
Bishop Charles C. Thompson, a parish priest in the Archdiocese of Louisville for almost 25 years, realized on the Saturday morning after his episcopal ordination that he had no public place to celebrate Mass.
Bishop Thompson has a chapel in his home, but wanted to celebrate Mass with a congregation, and concluded that his first Mass in the diocese as the new bishop ought to be in the cathedral.
After contacting Benedictine Father Gregory Chamberlin, the pastor of St. Benedict Cathedral, Bishop Thompson made arrangements to preside at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday Mass.
“We really had no time to prepare anything to welcome him,” said Father Gregory. He contacted Matt Miller, diocesan director of worship, who came to the Mass and served as the Master of Ceremonies.
Father Gregory preached the homily that he had prepared for the weekend.
Jeremy Korba, the cathedral director of liturgical music, arranged for a photographer to document the event. He played music; Marilyn Broshears was the cantor.
Korba said that Father Greg-ory welcomed Bishop Thompson after the opening hymn, and “the congregration respon-ded with grand applause.
“Bishop Thompson thanked everyone for their warm welcome — and encouraged everyone to pray for him as he would be praying for them. On a lighter note, he reminded folks that he was still ‘learning to tie his shoes’ as the new bishop and to be patient.”
After Mass, Bishop Thompson also noted that the day of the Cathedral dedication, April 11, is his birthday, so “we can now pray for each other in a special way every April 11,” he said.
There was no reception at the parish, but Bishop Thompson greeted people at the back of the church after Mass.
Bishop Thompson’s schedule includes Mass, on the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of Memorial Hospital in Jasper, on Sunday, July 10, at 2 p.m. EDT. Bishop Thompson will be present (not presiding) at the Mass at St. Joseph Church in Jasper.