Bishop Malone's arrival and installation

A Mass of Installation for Bishop Richard J. Malone will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 10, 2012, at St. Joseph Cathedral, 50 Franklin St., in Buffalo, N.Y. 

Since my appointment, I have learned a great deal about the faithful of the diocese, their incredible compassion and generosity to those in need and the countless ministries that make a positive difference in peoples’ lives on a daily basis, Bishop Malone said.  I look forward to joining this effort as we continue to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to the people of Western New York.

Bishop Malone will be the principal celebrant of the Mass as he becomes the 14th bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo.  He succeeds Bishop Kmiec, who has led the diocese since Oct. 28, 2004.  Pope Benedict XVI accepted Bishop Kmiec’s letter of resignation on May 29, 2012.  Upon his retirement, Bishop Kmiec will become bishop emeritus of Buffalo.
           
Presiding at the installation will be Cardinal Timothy J. Dolan, archbishop of New York and president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley, archbishop of Boston, and Cardinal Edward M. Egan, archbishop emeritus of New York. 
Archbishop Carlo M. Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States, will read the letter from the pope, naming Bishop Malone as the new spiritual leader of the Diocese of Buffalo. 
           
More than two dozen bishops from the United States and Canada are scheduled to concelebrate the installation Mass, including Archbishop Henry J. Mansell, archbishop of Hartford and former bishop of Buffalo, Bishop Robert J. Cunningham, bishop of Syracuse and native of Kenmore, and Bishop Donald W. Trautman, bishop of Erie and a native of Buffalo.  Priests and deacons from the Diocese of Buffalo, Diocese of Portland and Archdiocese of Boston will also participate.
           
More than 70 singers and musicians will take part in the installation Mass.  The Diocesan Festival Chorus will be under the direction of Alan Lukas, director of music for the diocese, who will also be principal organist.  Tim Socha will direct the Cathedral Choir for the prelude music and will assist Lukas as an organist.  There will be five cantors and five additional instrumentalists.

During the Mass, petitions will be read in several different languages, including Spanish, Burmese, Vietnamese, Korean, Polish and Italian.  The Knights of St. Gregory, Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, Ladies of the Holy Sepulchre, Knights of Columbus and Knights of St. John will serve as the honor guard.  Members of the Diocesan Youth Board will be banner bearers.

Bishop Malone will welcome leaders from a number of other religious faith communities in Western New York.  Because of limited seating, the cathedral capacity is 1,200, the installation Mass is a ticketed event, with more than 2,100 invitations sent out. A reception at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo will immediately follow the installation Mass.
           
In the weeks following his installation, Bishop Malone will be traveling throughout Western New York as he continues to familiarize himself with the diocese, its people and its ministries.  On Monday, Aug. 13, at 5 p.m., at Our Lady of Peace Church in Clarence, Bishop Malone will celebrate Mass and attend a reception for the women and men religious of the diocese.  On Saturday, Aug.18, Bishop Malone will celebrate Mass and attend a reception at Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora with permanent deacons, their wives, candidates to the permanent diaconate and their wives.

Broadcast and social media coverage of the installation Mass will be provided the week of Aug. 6.

EWTN coverage

MASS (SPECIAL - CATHEDRALS ACROSS AMERICA)

Wednesday  08/10/2012  at 2:30 PM

AND repeated

Thursday  08/11/2012 at 12:00 AM

St. John Neumann - WNY's Saint

St. John Nepomucene Neumann ministered in Western New York from 1836 to 1840; in fact, two of our neighboring parishes - Ss. Peter & Paul (Williamsville) and St. John the Baptist (Kenmore) - were founded by him.  John Neumann walked or rode horses between these two mission parishes often during his time in Western New York. Although St. Benedict's Parish was founded in 1920, long after Neumann's time, Fr. Neumann would have known our parish area well as he served the spiritual needs of the small, but growing, Catholic community in the Amherst area. Click here for more information on his local contributions.

St. John Neumann was canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1977. January 5th is his feast day. It is a "Special Observance" Memorial here in the Diocese of Buffalo, NY.

Click here for information on the life and legacy of this great American canonized saint.

Statue of St. John Neumann outside of
Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Williamsville NY

CANONIZATION OF JOHN NEPOMUCENE NEUMANN

HOMILY OF PAUL VI

Sunday, 19 June 1977

Greetings to you, Brethren, and sons and daughters of the United States of America! We welcome you in the name of the Lord!

The entire Catholic Church, here, at the tomb of the Apostle Peter, welcomes you with festive joy. And together with you, the entire Catholic Church sings a hymn of heavenly victory to Saint John Nepomucene Neumann, who receives the honor of one who lives in the glory of Christ.
.
We ask ourselves today: what is the meaning of this extraordinary event, the meaning of this canonization? It is the celebration of holiness. And what is holiness? It is human perfection, human love raised up to its highest level in Christ, in God.
...
At the time of John Neumann, America represented new values and new hopes. Bishop Neumann saw these in their relationship to the ultimate, supreme possession to which humanity is destined. With Saint Paul he could testify that “all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s” (1 Cor. 3, 22). And with Augustine he knew that our hearts are restless, until they rest in the Lord (S. AUGUSTINI Confessiones, 1, 1).

His love for people was authentic brotherly love. It was real charity: missionary and pastoral charity. It meant that he gave himself to others. Like Jesus the Good Shepherd, he lay down his life for the sheep, for Christ’s flock: to provide for their needs, to lead them to salvation. And today, with the Evangelist, we solemnly proclaim : “There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15, 13).

John Neumann’s pastoral zeal was manifested in many ways. Through faithful and persevering service, he brought to completion the generosity of his initial act of missionary dedication. He helped children to satisfy their need for truth, their need for Christian doctrine, for the teaching of Jesus in their lives. He did this both by catechetical instruction and by promoting, with relentless energy, the Catholic school system in the United States. And we still remember the words of our late Apostolic Delegate in Washington, the beloved Cardinal Amleto Cicognani: “You Americans”, he said, “possess two great treasures: the Catholic school and the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. Guard them like the apple of your eye” (Cfr. Epistola 2 iunii 1963).

And who can fail to admire all the loving concern that John Neumann showed for God’s people, through his priestly ministry and his pastoral visitations as a Bishop? He deeply loved the Sacramental of Reconciliation: and like a worthy son of Saint Alphonsus he transmitted the pardon and the healing power of the Redeemer into the lives of innumerable sons and daughters of the Church. He was close to the sick; he was at home with the poor; he was a friend to sinners. And today he is the honor of all immigrants, and from the viewpoint of the Beatitudes the symbol of Christian success.

John Neumann bore the image of Christ. He experienced, in his innermost being, the need to proclaim by word and example the wisdom and power of God, and to preach the crucified Christ. And in the Passion of the Lord he found strength and the inspiration of his ministry: Passio Christi conforta me!

The Eucharistic Sacrifice was the center of his life, and constituted for him what the Second Vatican Council would later call “the source and summit of all evangelization” (Presbiterorum Ordinis, 5). With great effectiveness, through the Forty Hours Devotion he helped his parishes become communities of faith and service.

But to accomplish his task, love was necessary. And love meant giving; love meant effort; love meant sacrifice. And in his sacrifice, Bishop Neumann’s service was complete. He led his people along the paths of holiness. He was indeed an effective witness, in his generation, to God’s love for his Church and the world.

There are many who have lived and are still living the divine command of generous love. For love still means giving oneself for others, because Love has come down to humanity; and from humanity love goes back to its divine source! How many men and women make this plan of God the program of their lives! Our praise goes to the clergy, religious and Catholic laity of America who, in following the Gospel, live according to this plan of sacrifice and service. Saint John Neumann is a true example for all of us in this regard. It is not enough to acquire the good things of the earth, for these can even be dangerous, if they stop or impede our love from rising to its source and reaching its goal. Let us always remember that the greatest and the first commandment is this: “You shall love the Lord your God” (Matth. 22, 36).

True humanism in Christianity. True Christianity-we repeat- is the sacrifice of self for others, because of Christ, because of God. It is shown by signs; it is manifested in deeds. Christianity is sensitive to the suffering and oppression and sorrow of others, to poverty, to all human needs, the first of which is truth.

Our ceremony today is indeed the celebration of holiness. At the same time, it is a prophetic anticipation-for the Church, for the United States, for the world-of a renewal in love: love for God, love for neighbor.
And in this vital charity, beloved sons and daughters, let us go forward together, to build up a real civilization of love.

Saint John Neumann, by the living power of your example and by the intercession of your prayers, help us today and for ever.



Neumann's body in his National Shrine, Philadelphia