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October 23, 2018 | The Valley Catholic
SPIRITUALITY
Bishop Cantú’s Homily from September 28 Mass of Welcome
I am grateful to Bishop P.J. McGrath
for the gracious welcome he has offered
me in San José. I look forward to work-
ing with you in the coming months and
to learn from you the great work that
has been undertaken in this corner of
the Lord’s vineyard.
I am grateful to the Papal Nun-
cio, Archbishop Christophe Pierre.
Merci bien de votre présence avec nous
aujourd’hui. Please convey to the Holy
Father, Pope Francis, our deep love for
him and our daily prayers for him.
Thank you to Cardinal Roger Ma-
honey and Cardinal William Levada
for your presence and you prayers.
Thank you to Archbishop Salvatore
Cordileone and Archbishop José Gó-
mez for your kind and warm welcome
to California. I look forward to work-
ing with you.
Thank you to all my brother bishops
for your presence and prayers.
“There is no fear in love, but
perfect love drives out fear.”
It is the Lord God who is at the cen-
ter of this celebration. He reminds us
through the Prophet Ezekiel: “I myself
will tend my sheep!” He reminds peo-
ple like myself, with big hats – and per-
haps big egos – that it is He, the Lord,
who is the Good Shepherd. Thank
goodness! Thank goodness the Lord is
in charge. It is helpful, particularly in
these times when the sins and crimes
of people who represent the Church
have shocked and disturbed us: it is
helpful to remember that the Church
is both human and divine. It is made
up of imperfect human beings, sinners,
like you and me – and yet it is the Holy
Spirit that guides and strengthens us
and Jesus Christ who remains the Head
and Shepherd of his Church, and is
present to us, even in these troubling
times. He is present to us, sometimes
in silence, allowing us to make our hor-
rific mistakes. He is present especially
to victims of abuse, to all those who
have suffered, extending his compas-
sion, grace, and love. We, too, pledge
never to forget the survivors of abuse
and to do what is in our power to help
them find healing in their lives. May
we learn from St. Joseph, who took care
of Mary and the Child Jesus and pro-
tected them. May we learn from him
to protect the little ones in our midst.
May the Good Shepherd help us, as the
Prophet Ezekiel announced in today’s
reading, to seek out the lost; to bring
back with love, truth, and compassion,
Bishop Oscar Cantú gave the homily during the Mass of Welcome held at the Cathedral
Basilica of Saint Joseph on September 28.
Photo by Clarisse Balistreri
those who have strayed; to bind up
with a listening ear, a compassionate
heart, and God’s grace those who have
been injured (especially victims of
abuse); and to offer the healing balm
of God’s love and mercy to those who
have been sickened by the toxicity of
the world and by the sins and crimes
of those who represent the Church. We
are encouraged by Saint John’s words
in the second reading today: “There is
no fear in love, but perfect love drives
out fear.”
I turn now to my new flock,
the Diocese of San Jose.
Thank you for welcoming
me today. Thank you for
your prayers.
I wish to acknowledge those who
have come from the Diocese of Las
Cruces. Many of them rode 20 hours on
a bus. Thank you for your prayers for
me, for your love and faithfulness. Your
prayers have sustained me, especially
in difficult moments. I will continue to
pray for the Diocese of Las Cruces, in
this time of transition, as you await the
naming of a new bishop. Let us recall
the words of the Prophet Ezekiel, “I
myself will pasture my sheep!” May the
Lord always be present to you, nourish
you with his love, and guide you with
his wisdom.
I turn now to my new flock, the
Diocese of San José. Thank you for
welcoming me today. Thank you for
your prayers. I look forward to getting
to know you and working with you to
build up God’s kingdom in this beauti-
ful, and challenging, part of the world.
I will work and learn from Bishop Mc-
Grath over the next several months to
understand the history of the diocese.
I look forward to getting to know our
priests, deacons, consecrated, and lay
leaders: so that we might work together
and walk together as God’s people, as
missionary disciples.
I am very aware of the tremendously
diverse nature of the Diocese of San
José. While I certainly cannot be all
things to all people, know that I will
do my best to be present to you and to
help you to grow in your faith and in
God’s grace. I will certainly hold you
in my daily prayers.
There is a very large and diverse
Asian community in San José. I look
forward to worshipping with you and
getting to know you. You have brought
with you from your home countries,
your faith, your traditions, your devo-
tions. The Church in the United States
is enriched by your presence, your
prayers, and your faith.
Everywhere that I have traveled
around the world, I have encountered
Filipinos. Thank you for your faithful
witness, your hard work, your love for
the Jesus Christ and for the Church.
The Vietnamese have enriched the
Church with vocations, with united
and prayerful families. Chào mừng các
bạn. Tôi cám ơn quý ông bà anh chị em, và
xin Chúa luôn chúc lành cho quý ông bà
anh chị em.
A la comunidad hispana, expreso mi
cercanía para con ustedes. La iglesia en
EE. UU. ha celebrado, hace unos dias, el V
Encuentro nacional – reconociendo los do-
nes y retos de la comunidad hispana en EE.
UU. Se ha logrado mucho a través de las
últimas decadas, pero todavía falta mucho
por hacer para el Reino de Dios. Mientras
que prometo estar cerca de ustedes como
su pastor, les pido generosidad en cuanto a
sus hijos e hijas: que les inculquen apertura
a la voz y la voluntad de Dios. Muchos
ya sirven en la misión de la iglesia como
laicos alegres y comprometidos. Dios les
llama a tantos jovenes adultos a la bella y
dificil vocación del matrimonio y la vida
familiar. A algunos les llama a entregarse
en fe y amor al servicio de la iglesia en la
vida consagrada. A otros, los llama el Señor
a dar sus vidas en sacrificio, alegria, y amor
en el sacerdocio. Hay que sembrar semillas
para así poder cosechar la fruta. La iglesia
los necesita. Así como la vida de Zaqueo
en el evangelio de hoy, fue transformado
en ese encuentro con Cristo, que nuestros
hijos también experimenten un encuentro
con Jesús que les llene de alegria, esperanza,
y amor. Trabajemos juntos a construir el
reino de Dios aqui en San José.
Finally, I want to thank my own
family, some of whom are present here
today. While I learned much over nine
years that I lived, prayed, and studied
in the seminary, it was the 18 years
with my family that I learned the most
important lessons: faith, prayer, work,
trust, humility, forgiveness. Thank you
to my family for the journey that we
have taken together.
Gracias, mami, por tu fe,
por tu perseverancia, y por
tu amor. Aún en tu edad
dorada, nos sigues dando
un ejemplo de alegria:
de fe, esperanza, y amor.
While I mentioned at the beginning
the cardinals, Pope Francis, the bish-
ops, and priests, I want to acknowledge
someone with much more authority
than they, my mother. Gracias, mami,
por tu fe, por tu perseverancia, y por tu
amor. Aún en tu edad dorada, nos sigues
dando un ejemplo de alegria: de fe, esper-
anza, y amor.
In a time when the Church universal
is under a cloud of scandal, we seek the
intercession of Saint Joseph, Patron of
the Universal Church. May we learn
from him to protect the little ones, from
the womb to the tomb. May he guide us
and provide a light in this dark time,
and walk with us through a long period
of purification. Saint Joseph, pray for
us. San José, ruega por nosotros.