By Paula Day

Archbishop Eugene A. Marino, S.S.J., in his first homily after his canonical installation May 4, promised his priests to make strengthening archdiocesan programs for their spiritual, intellectual and emotional development one of his priorities.

In the ceremony at Christ the King Cathedral, Atlanta’s third archbishop was installed in his new cathedra, the chair from which he will preside as archbishop, in the presence of Monsignor John McDonough, administrator of the archdiocese, archdiocesan Consultors, priests and deacons.

Family members, guests and lay people from the archdiocese listened as Archbishop Marino told his priests, “We know that the ministry to which we have been called and ordained requires first that we be holy that we be men of prayer. My first concern for you, my dear brothers, is that you be truly holy men, men of genuine prayer.”

Earlier, in a timeless ritual, the nine Consultors, priest advisers to the bishop, had met Archbishop Marino at the Cathedral doors and welcomed him to his church. Father Richard Kieran, rector, greeted the archbishop spontaneously and the two men embraced. Archbishop Marino then embraced Monsignor McDonough and each of the Consultors. Smiles and warm words of welcome enlivened this official greeting.

At the Rite of Canonical Installation, Archbishop Marino ascended the sanctuary steps and went to the chair from which he will preside as chief shepherd of the archdiocese.

The papal mandate naming him to the Atlanta See had not arrived for the evening service. Father Peter Ludden, chancellor, acknowledged the document had been made known to the Consultors. This official acknowledgement concluded the rite.

Priests and deacons in the sanctuary then approached their new archbishop, and, as representatives of all the clergy, individually embraced him in a sign “of reverence, obedience and heartfelt affection.”

Sister Jean Liston, superior general-elect of the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart and educator in the archdiocese for over 20 years, read the scripture passage selected for the occasion by Archbishop Marino. In the passage from Peter’s first letter to the early Christians, the first pope instructs the leaders in the Church to “Be the shepherds of the flock of God that is entrusted to you: watch over it, not simply as a duty but gladly, because God wants it…Never be a dictator over any group that is put in your charge, but be an example that the whole flock can follow.”

In his homily, Archbishop Marino paid tribute to his predecessor, the late Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan, saying “As you know, better than I, he was a good and wise and holy man. He will be deeply missed.”

To Washington, D.C.’s Archbishop James Hickey, under whom he has served as auxiliary bishop, Archbishop Marino said, “Words cannot convey my gratitude to you, not only for your presence here, but for the great personal debt of gratitude. You have been father, teacher, guide, mentor and friend to me during these last eight years. You honor all by your presence here this evening.”

The new archbishop acknowledged the key role played by Monsignor John McDonough during the interim year between bishops. He then addressed the assembled clergy:

“You share my great privilege and awesome responsibility to teach. I trust that each of you is a faithful minister of God’s message, and I pray that you will always be men of the Church. We must preach the word whether convenient or inconvenient. We are shepherds, but we are also prophets.

He reminded the approximately 130 to 140 priests present that they would stand together each Holy Thursday and renew their commitment to Jesus Christ. He noted that the oils he will bless on that day will be used in the parishes of the archdiocese in the sacraments of initiation and in the anointing of the sick. They will link the priests with him, their bishop and make him present to Catholics in every part of the archdiocese.

Archbishop Marino exhorted his priests”…be truly holy men – men of genuine prayer. Let each day begin and end with prayer. May each moment of our day be sanctified by the Church’s liturgical prayer. May the prayerful and devout celebration of the Eucharist prayer be both the goal and the center of all that we do. May no day be complete without a visit to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Let each day include prayers to Mary, especially her rosary.

“Mary is the mother of Jesus and the mother of His Church and in a special way, mother of priests. Her singular role was to form Jesus Christ and to offer Jesus Christ to the world – what a mother for us who share the privilege of forming Jesus Christ and offering Jesus Christ to the world.”

In a voice charged with emotion, the archbishop continued, “We know that God chooses the weak things of the world, and the foolish things, and the things that are nothing in order to confound the strong, and the wise, and the things that are. While recognizing our sinfulness, we must nevertheless strive constantly to follow the Lord’s command, ‘You must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.’ God deserves and his people deserve holy priests and we must constantly, in prayer and fasting, to become ever more worthy of the ministry entrusted to us.”

The archbishop pledged “to walk with each of you along the path of truth in the pursuit of holiness.” He expressed his desire to know each of his priests personally as their “bishop, friends and fellow worker.”

Looking directly and intently at the priests seated before him in the front pews of the Cathedral, Archbishop Marino continued: “I want to know about your struggles, I want to share your fears, your hopes, your failures, your dreams, and your accomplishments. I will do this not just for you but for myself. We need each other. I hope that you will walk with me. That you will forgive my human frailty and support me in my need.”

He expressed his desire to visit each of the priests where he lives and works noting “geographically, ours is an enormous archdiocese,” the effort will take time, and concluding with the plea, “Please be patient with me.”

The archbishop said he will soon constitute the presbyteral council according to the revised Code of Canon Law. The previous council ceased upon the death of Archbishop Donnellan. From the newly constituted group he will select from six to 12 priests to be Consultors for the archdiocese.

Archbishop Marino expressed his wish to gather in less formal settings when meeting with his priests and announced that beginning immediately, he was inviting groups of priest to lunch at his residence each week. The six deans of the archdiocese received the first invitation to lunch May 11. In the archbishop’s words, “We will meet in small groups each week for the sole purpose of coming to know one another.”

The archbishop said his experience as priest and bishop has convinced him that the success of ordained ministry flows from an authentic understanding of the Church as People of God.

“Religious sisters and brothers as well as lay men and women must be enabled, must be welcomed to share their rightful roles, by virtue of baptism and confirmation, in the mission of the Church. This is not so because there is a shortage of priests: This is so because the nature of the Church demands it.”

Archbishop Marino said he looked forward to the establishment of an archdiocesan Pastoral Council, and that he would work with the priests in developing and strengthening parish councils.

He remarked that the Church in Atlanta is blessed with the presence of religious working along with the diocesan clergy in pastoral ministry and he welcomed their continued collaboration, pledging to assist them in promoting and developing their various religious ministries.

As he would do the following day in the Atlanta Civic Center during the Installation Mass, Archbishop Marino then reconsecrated the archdiocese to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Vespers continued with prayers of intercession, the chanting of the Lord’s Prayer, the first solemn blessing by the newly installed archbishop and the final singing by the assembled People of God of the traditional evening prayer to the Blessed Mother, “Salve Regina.”

As the procession of clergy emerged from the Cathedral, comments, “wonderful job, “great, great,” could be heard.

Father James Sexstone, parochial vicar at Holy Family parish commented, “It was wonderful, very positive, very affirming.”

Father Don Kenny, dean of students at St. Pius X High School, remarked, “He’s going to be his own man. He has a direction he’s going to lead us.”

After greeting his family inside the Cathedral, the newly-installed archbishop finally caught up to his waiting priests who had formed a spontaneous guard of honor outside, where they greeted him with applause.

Father John Walsh of St. Pius X parish in Conyers remarked, “I was very impressed. There was a good feeling of brotherhood there among the priests. It was an uplifting ceremony. He seems very warm to me.”

“I am very happy,” Father Bruce Wilkinson of St. Anthony’s parish said. “His homily signaled a commitment and commonly shared mission not only to the priests, but also to all the people of the archdiocese. I have great hope for a new beginning for us in serving the People of God. I liked his inclusion and reference to his black and Puerto Rican heritage, but also his saying he’s here to serve all people.”

Deacon Dick Narey, who coordinates the permanent diaconate program for the archdiocese, said that the deacons are very hopeful that the program will be strengthened by Archbishop Marino.

“We feel strongly that he will assist and aid our program and really strengthen it,” because he has had extensive experience guiding the permanent diaconate in Washington, D.C. and helped draft national guidelines on the diaconate.

“Because he is such a strong people person, I think he will listen to us with empathy and understanding,” Deacon Narey said, adding that the new archbishop is coming at a time when the permanent diaconate program in the archdiocese is in a new phase. Over 50 new deacons were ordained last May, more than doubling the number of deacons in the archdiocese.