"I Am Anxious To Begin...."

The ordination completed, the News posts some shots, and video... Word is more clergy were present from Texas than Detroit -- or, at least, that's what it seemed.....

In other developments, Flores to preside at Detroit Guadalupe festival on 12 December; will celebrate his first Confirmation Saturday night.... More audio, from an in-house TV program to be aired starting next week.

Cardinal Maida's homily included pronunciation phonetics (Oh PURR kar-EE-tah'), and the ordinand's concluding remarks from the Mass are up.

Snips:

God the Father of Lights has given us the gift of his Eternal Son made flesh, and by the power of the Holy Spirit has engendered in us new life. All gifts I have received in life, including the gift of this day, are contained in the primordial gift of Christ to the world....

In a certain way, the presence of so many family and friends here is a personal reminder that Catholicity begins with professing one faith, and bears fruit in a real communion of life and love. Catholicity involves a communion of faith, and life, of family and friends in the joy and grace of Christ. God has granted to me during my life a real experience of that gift. I have many friends here whom I have known over the years, but who have not known each other, and it is a great joy to see them together in one place. I look over the many faces and I rejoice in the way God has manifested generous mystery of the Church in the very personal gift of family and friends....

I am humbled by the presence of so many friends who have been so important in my life. I particularly take the presence of so many seminarians as a sign of their continued prayerful support, something I have relied upon for many years. To the seminarians in particular, I say, love Christ, serve his people, and in the gift of yourself you will encounter the Lord....

I find I have said many things, but really I have not said what I most profoundly wish to say. The human word can never completely express the human soul. This is a mysterious limitation I experience acutely today.

There was a play written by Jose Maria Peman about the life of Saint Francis Xavier. It was called El Divino Impaciente. In it there is a scene wherein Francis Xavier expresses his affection for his friend Saint Ignatius of Loyola. The poet puts some quiet words on the lips of Francis. I would like to take the liberty of adapting the phrases in order to say something of what I experience in trying to express my gratitude to all who are here today.

Forgive me, dear friends,
I cannot say not what I feel,
You who understand my soul,
And can hear its silent peal.
Blood and life have taught me,
Love in quiet best speaks its part,
“Be shorter is the saying,
When affection lies deeper in the heart.”

PHOTOS: Brandy Baker/Detroit News

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