ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

Dear Graduates of the Church Ministry Institute, 

Dear Friends in Christ,

             It is my joy to celebrate with you during this Easter Season, two days after the feast of the Lord s Ascension into Heaven and one week from the marvelous day of Pentecost when Jesus sent His Spirit upon the Apostles.

            I welcome you, the Graduates of the Church Ministry Institute, 59 lay men and women who come from 39 parishes representing the 6 vicariates. I welcome your Vicars, your pastors, your teachers, mentors, family and friends. Today we celebrate your completion of three years of formation in theological studies, spiritual development and pastoral skills. Your graduation from the Church Ministry Institute marks an important milestone in your faith journey, and we are proud of you!

            How appropriate are the Scriptures of the Easter Season on this special occasion of your commencement! These past weeks we have reflected on stories from the Acts of the Apostles describing the fabric and growth of the newly formed Church. In today s reading we listen to the story of Apollos who with ardent spirit spoke and taught about Jesus, Priscilla and Aquila who explained to him the way of the Lord , and the brothers and sisters in community who welcomed and encouraged Apollos.

            We are inspired by Apollos spiritual fervor and his boldness in witnessing to the saving mission of Jesus Christ in the public setting; yet, how open he was to being further formed in faith by Priscilla and Aquila. We are edified by Priscilla and Aquila who took Apollos aside and deepened his understanding of the Christian message by steadfastly explaining the way of God. We are encouraged by the brothers and sisters who befriended Apollos and supported him so he could give assistance to those who had come to believe through grace. How enthusiastically the early followers shared the good news of Jesus!

            Like Apollos, Priscilla and Aquila, and the early Christians, we are called to witness to the saving mission of Jesus Christ. The ministry of salvation that Jesus began will only be fully accomplished if we are willing to continue to be His disciples today. Vatican II reminds us that each layperson must stand before the world as a witness to the resurrection and life of the Lord Jesus and a sign that God lives (Lumen Gentium, 38).

            Like Apollos, we must boldly witness to Christ in our daily lives. Laity have a special role to play in evangelizing our society in the areas of culture, politics, economics, science, art, and the media. Also, in your professional work, you can be mindful of the words of St. Francis of Assisi to his followers, Preach with your lives, use words if you have to .

            Like Priscilla and Aquila, who were a married couple and extraordinary missionaries, you proclaim Christ in the domestic church. The family is the place where the Gospel message is shared with your children, and radiates to others by the witness of unity and love fostered in a deeply committed Christian family.

            Like the early Christians, we, too, are called to share the good news with our brothers and sisters. You do this in your parish communities. Through Baptism you are called to contribute your gifts and talents, and to take an active and responsible role in the mission of the Church. You do this when you serve your parishes as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, lectors, cantors, ushers, catechists and teachers; in assisting the sick and grieving; as members of welcoming committees, pastoral councils, finance committees, outreach committees, and social justice committees. You reach out to the poor in your parishes and neighborhoods to perform the spiritual and corporal works of mercy and give much needed relief to the suffering of our world.

             As Jesus so compassionately reminds us in Matthew s Gospel, Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me ( Mt 25: 40). This Gospel mandate is reiterated in the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (no. 43), when it states, Since they have an active role to play in the whole life of the Church, lay people are not only bound to penetrate the world with a

Christian spirit, they are also called to be witnesses to Christ in all things in the midst of human society. Your main activity, your main apostolate is to live your Christian vocation and bear witness to the Gospel in your families, in the ordinary circumstances of your work, and in your various communities. Your efforts, your labors and your prayers - especially your participation in the Eucharist - help consecrate the world to God.

            In today s Gospel from John, we listen to Jesus instruct His disciples, and His words penetrate our hearts. For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me. The Easter Season is one long celebration of God s goodness and love. In the readings of the Easter Vigil, we are reminded of God s great love for us already set in motion at the beginning of the world, fulfilled through the Incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus, reaching culmination at His Second Coming. For God so loved the world that he sent his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him ...might have eternal life ( John 3:16 ).

            We also hear in the today s Scripture, Whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. To pray in Jesus name does not mean to invoke a magic formula. Rather, to pray in the name of Jesus implies a communion of persons, a harmony of will with God. We pray in union with Jesus so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. The glory that the Father receives through the works of the Son continues in the works of the Son s followers.

            Today, the Church reaffirms for us two important themes from Vatican II, which are the universal call to holiness and the universal call to mission . Throughout your time in the Church Ministry Institute, you have strengthened your personal relationship with Jesus Christ and entered more deeply into the mission of His Church. I encourage you, as you conclude your studies, to establish the important balance between your daily prayer and your daily tasks. Be confident that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus ( Phil 1:6 ). Know that it is God Himself who works in and through you to bring about the fruits of your labor.

            Finally, you are commended for your work and effort in developing your God-given gifts. You have deepened your knowledge and appreciation of the Catholic Church, grown in your relationship with the Lord, and prepared for continued generous service in the Church. Society needs your goodness, talents and faithfulness so that through you it may receive the saving message of Christ. Your graduation from the Church Ministry Institute is a cause for rejoicing in the Church in Philadelphia.

            Today is also an important day for your parish and family for they have encouraged and supported you through these three years. I thank them for their support.

            Finally, may I make special note of the work of your administrators, teachers, and mentors who have prepared you to take your place in the Church and make a difference in the world. I am grateful to them for their work with you.

            May today truly be a commencement for you, a moving forward in wisdom and grace. May Mary, our Mother, guide you in the years ahead to follow the ways of her Son and may our Lord Jesus Christ bless you and your families with lasting joy.