Cardinal-designate Rigali is installed in Philadelphia

Published: 2003-10-07

PHILADELPHIA (CNS) -- Pledging to "proclaim Jesus Christ as the son of God and savior of the world," Cardinal-designate Justin F. Rigali was installed Oct. 7 as the new archbishop of Philadelphia. The California native, who was archbishop of St. Louis from January 1994 until being named to Philadelphia July 15, is to be elevated to cardinal in ceremonies at the Vatican Oct. 21. In a homily that repeatedly linked holiness and worship of God to service to others, Cardinal-designate Rigali invoked the names of two Philadelphia saints -- St. John Nepomucene Neumann and St. Katharine Drexel -- and called the soon-to-be-beatified Mother Teresa of Calcutta, India, a model of Christian life and service. Six cardinals, 15 archbishops and about 70 bishops joined in the afternoon installation ceremony at Philadelphia's Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul. Filling the cathedral were some 550 priests, 100 deacons, 75 seminarians, 30 leaders of other Christian and non-Christian faiths and 1,600 invited guests.

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