Chicagoland

Gathering with Cardinal Cupich in thanksgiving

By Joyce Duriga
Sunday, December 11, 2016

Gathering with Cardinal Cupich in thanksgiving

Cardinal Cupich waves to the congregation as they gave him a standing ovation during a prayer service at Holy Name Cathedral on Dec. 4. The service was held in thanksgiving for Pope Francis elevating him to the College of Cardinals. Members of various faith communities in the Chicago area joined the cardinal at the service. (Karen Callaway/Catholic New World)
Christian and interfaith leaders (from left) Bishop Jeffrey Lee, Aarti Tejuja, Steven Nasatir and Mohammed Kaiseruddin applaud during a standing ovation for Cardinal Cupich at a prayer service on Dec. 4. The service was in thanksgiving for Pope Francis elevating Cardinal Cupich to the College of Cardinals. (Karen Callaway/Catholic New World)
Cardinal Cupich greets dignitaries during a prayer service on Dec. 4 in thanksgiving for Pope Francis elevating him to the College of Cardinals. (Karen Callaway/Catholic New World)
Cardinal Cupich blesses a religious article for a guest at a prayer service on Dec. 4 in thanksgiving for Pope Francis elevating him to the College of Cardinals. (Karen Callaway/Catholic New World)
Cardinal Cupich signs programs following a prayer service on Dec. 4 in thanksgiving for Pope Francis elevating him to the College of Cardinals. (Karen Callaway/Catholic New World)
Cardinal Cupich prays at a service on Dec. 4 in thanksgiving for Pope Francis elevating him to the College of Cardinals. (Karen Callaway/Catholic New World)
Cardinal Cupich speaks at a prayer service on Dec. 4 in thanksgiving for Pope Francis elevating him to the College of Cardinals. (Karen Callaway/Catholic New World)
Cardinal Cupich delivers his homily at a prayer service on Dec. 4 in thanksgiving for Pope Francis elevating him to the College of Cardinals. (Karen Callaway/Catholic New World)

One the evening of the first significant snowfall of the season, around 900 people filled Holy Name Cathedral to participate in a thanksgiving Liturgy of the Word marking Cardinal Cupich’s elevation to the College of Cardinals.

“On the day that Pope Francis invested the new cardinals he reminded us that instead of receiving an honor we were accepting a greater responsibility — the responsibility of taking our place alongside him as he serves the needs of the universal church and, indeed, the entire world,” Cardinal Cupich told the congregation, which included ecumenical, interreligious and civic leaders, on Dec. 4.

The cardinal expressed his gratitude for the many people who have wished him well since the news of his elevation broke last month.

“I believe that they do so because they recognize that the naming of a cardinal for Chicago is also for them,” Cardinal Cupich said. “That is why it is appropriate to come together this evening to pause and to reflect with the help of God’s inspiration on what it means for Chicago to stand together and take its place among the great cities of the world and the singular responsibility that involves.”

The cardinal reflected on the evening’s readings and how they related to people today. In Isaiah 35:1-10, God is inviting the people to step out in faith and promises them the grace to do it. Unlike us, the cardinal said, God always keeps his promises.

“Isaiah’s words are also meant for us tonight. For us who suffer the daily onslaught of violence raging in our streets, who are paralyzed by the intractable political stalemates and mistrust of one another that makes reasonable compromise — let alone sitting down and actually talking with one another — seem impossible,” Cardinal

Cupich said. “Isaiah dares us tonight to believe that God is ever calling us and gracing us to be imaginative. Calling us to risk seeking a new way forward, to be bold, to put aside the false security of making our own convictions absolute.”

Through Scripture God is calling us to remember we are one people on the journey of life, he said.

“We come at life from different directions reflective of the diverse cultural, language and faith origins which defines Chicago as an immigrant city,” the cardinal said. “But his is not something to fear. This is not a weakness. This is our strength. This is our heritage.”

People carry different burdens in life and life is not an “even playing field,” he said. Because of this reality we must help each other along the way, especially those on the margins.

The cardinal also had some advice for today’s leaders inspired by the evenings Gospel, the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus delivers the Beatitudes to the people.

“Jesus looks over the crowd. He doesn’t criticize or express worry of the burden of leading is too heavy. For him the poor, the weak, the mournful, the oppressed are not a burden but are a blessing,” he said.

Good leaders also are positive role models, he continued.

“Leading responsibly, leading courageously, leading in love is not only about achieving positive results; it is also about the example we are giving the next generation.”

The simple service on Dec. 4 included participation from local Christian leaders who called the congregation to prayer for the needs of the churches and the world. This participation was a particular request of Cardinal Cupich, according to Father Tom Baima, archdiocesan vicar for ecumenical and interreligious affairs.

“The cardinal explicitly asked not only to have a delegation from the other churches but also to give the Christian leaders a substantial role in the service itself,” said Baima. “What this meant was that we celebrated the Liturgy of the Word ecumenically. I am not aware of another instance where an archdiocese celebrated their new cardinal by having bishops of other Christian churches lead the Catholic assembly in prayer.”

Thirteen different faith communities were invited to the service. Members of the non-Christian community also participated.

“Not being Christians, they could not actually take part in the Christian worship service but the cardinal wanted to make sure that they voices also were included,” Baima said.

To accomplish this, a “call to commitment” was added at the end of the liturgy during which they invited the congregation to commit to improving the community around issues such as tolerance, diversity, education and social services.

“The three areas represent critical issues that face our community in Cook and Lake counties at the present moment,” Baima said. “They’re also areas where the archdiocese has long-standing cooperation with these other religions and is currently working for the betterment of our community.”

Topics:

  • scripture
  • cardinal cupich
  • thanksgiving
  • college of cardinals

Related Articles

Advertising