(Left to right) Luke Payne, server; Fr. Jerry Riney, rector of St. Stephen Cathedral; Deacon Corey D. Bruns, seminarian; Bishop William F. Medley; and Romer Payne, server, participate in the beginning of Palm Sunday Mass at the cathedral on March 28, 2021. TINA KASEY | WKC
Church must bring God’s grace to suffering world, says bishop during Holy Week 2021
BY ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD, THE WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC
Unlike last year, when Holy Week and the Triduum took place during the temporary suspension of public worship due to the developing COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 celebrations in the Diocese of Owensboro were able to be celebrated in-person – albeit with standard masking, social distancing and sanitizing guidelines.
Assisted by seminarian Christopher Grief, Bishop William F. Medley consecrates the Sacred Chrism at this year’s Chrism Mass on March 30, 2021, at St. Stephen Cathedral in Owensboro. ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD | WKC
Bishop William F. Medley presided at the Triduum liturgies at St. Stephen Cathedral in Owensboro, all of which were livestreamed at www.facebook.com/StStephenCathedral.
“It’s difficult to celebrate this wonderful Mass in a year of pandemic,” admitted Bishop Medley in his homily at the March 30, 2021 Chrism Mass, held at the cathedral. However, “by God’s grace, and the blessing of healthcare workers, scientists and researchers, we believe that an end is in sight to the extreme illness and death COVID-19 has brought.”
Every year at a the diocese’s Chrism Mass, the sacred oils (the Oil of Catechumens, the Oil of the Sick and the Sacred Chrism) are blessed and distributed to the parishes for use throughout the year. The priests of the diocese also renew their commitment to priestly service.
It is traditionally open to the public and held at the Owensboro Sportscenter, but this year was limited to priests, representatives of religious communities and several other parish and diocesan leaders due to capacity restrictions.
Bishop Medley hearkened to Holy Week 2020, when no one could gather for any liturgy during that time, resulting in a postponed Chrism Mass held finally on June 16, 2020.
Luke Reffitt carries the processional cross during the procession with the Blessed Sacrament around St. Stephen Cathedral following the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, April 1, 2021. LAURA RIGSBY | WKC
The bishop spoke of the strain on priests from celebrating solitary, private liturgies for months – and the tragedy of being unable to visit homes, hospitals, and nursing homes, for fear of spreading the virus. He reflected on the pain of family celebrations diminished, postponed or altogether canceled.
“How does the Church – and not just her priests, but all the people of God – begin to heal these losses?” asked Bishop Medley. “How do we visibly bring the grace of Christ to them?”
He said the Church’s ministry of healing is not limited to the emotionally, physically and spiritually ill: “While the anointing of the sick is not intended for all brokenness, we must strive to bring the balm of human healing to all human situations and sins.”
Per an ancient Church custom, Bishop William F. Medley removes his shoes to genuflect for the Veneration of the Cross during the Good Friday celebration on April 2, 2021 at St. Stephen Cathedral. LAURA RIGSBY | WKC
By these, he included broken family relationships; the challenges faced by immigrants to the United States; the need for better care of God’s creation; and the issue of institutional racism – which he called “a sin and a scar on all of human history.”
“Healing the sick was core to the ministry of Jesus,” said Bishop Medley. “Jesus has the power not only to heal, but to forgive sins. Moved by suffering, Christ not only allows himself to be touched by the sick, but makes their miseries his own.”
“On the cross, Christ has given us a new meaning to suffering: a redemptive suffering,” he said.
Assisted by Deacon Corey D. Bruns, Bishop William F. Medley sprinkles holy water on the faithful during the Easter Vigil at St. Stephen Cathedral in Owensboro on April 3, 2021. TINA KASEY | WKC
Originally printed in the May 2021 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
