Bicentennial Mass brings together faithful from St. Louis past and present to celebrate, give thanks
Exactly 200 years after the Diocese of St. Louis was established by Pope Leo XII, clergy, religious and laity packed the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis to thank God for two centuries of blessings.
Archbishop Gabriele G. Caccia, apostolic nuncio to the United States, served as the principal celebrant of the bicentennial Mass on July 18. As apostolic nuncio, Archbishop Caccia serves as Pope Leo’s personal and official representative to the Church and government in the United States.
Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski was joined by all living former archbishops of St. Louis: Archbishop Emeritus Robert J. Carlson, Cardinal Raymond L. Burke and Cardinal Justin F. Rigali. Several St. Louis-native bishops were also present, including Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan; Bishop Edward M. Rice of Springfield-Cape Girardeau; Archbishop Mark S. Rivituso of Mobile, Alabama; Archbishop Emeritus George J. Lucas of Omaha; Archbishop Emeritus Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas; Bishop Emeritus Robert W. Finn of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri; and Bishop Emeritus John J. Leibrecht of Springfield-Cape Girardeau.
The entrance procession alone lasted a full 15 minutes. It was led by the Knights of Columbus, followed by the Knights and Ladies of St. Peter Claver, Knights and Dames of the Holy Sepulchre, Knights and Dames of Malta, a Papal Knight of St. Gregory the Great, seminarians, acolytes, deacons, priests, bishops and cardinals. Also presented during the procession were the ombrellino and tintinnabulum, the umbrella-like device and ceremonial bell that signify the basilica status of the cathedral basilica.
Archbishop Rozanski welcomed the nuncio, civic leaders and all gathered to the Mass.
“As we reflect on these 200 years, let us prayerfully join our hearts in asking God to inspire us to live our faith as joyfully and faithfully as those who have gone before us,” Archbishop Rozanski said.
Cardinal Dolan, who recently retired as archbishop of New York and is marking 50 years of priesthood this summer, was the homilist.
He began the homily by quoting the “poetry” of Cardinal John J. Glennon: “At the rolling waters of the meeting of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers — if those waters could speak as they flow, their every wavelet would echo the greatness of the most holy name of Jesus, for there is not a stream nor a tributary to those mighty waters that do not reflect the golden cross passed on through St. Louis.”
If we were to create a new monument, a “spiritual Mount Rushmore,” to honor influential figures in our archdiocesan history, we would have plenty to choose from, Cardinal Dolan said: the early missionaries who brought the Gospel to the vast mission territory. Bishops, archbishops and religious order superiors. St. Teresa of Kolkata, who spoke in the cathedral basilica’s sanctuary about service to those in need. St. John Paul II, who observed on his visit here “that from this diocese flowed the evangelization of the American heartland,” Cardinal Dolan said.
But also to be honored would be the “moms and dads and families who built and sacrificed to pass on that pearl of great price, our one, holy, Catholic, apostolic faith through their homes and around tables, in neighborhoods and farms, in parishes, schools, hospitals, in sodalities passionate for the spiritual and corporal works of mercy,” he said. “Oh, folks — this imagined monument would rise high.”
There is power in the Gospel that converts hearts, and that is what we celebrate as we toast this day, Cardinal Dolan said.
“Come to think of it, we already have an ecclesiastical Mount Rushmore here in this cathedral, in its arches and mosaics, in this temple dedicated to King St. Louis IX,” he said. “Might the counsel he spoke to his son inspire us on this jubilee day: ‘I impart to you every blessing that a loving father might bestow. May the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, our Blessed Mother and all the saints guard you. May the Lord grant you grace to do His will so that He may be served and honored, so that after this life we may come to see Him, love Him and praise Him forever.”
Cardinal Dolan also asked Archbishop Caccia to pass along a lighthearted message to his boss, Pope Leo XIV.
“Archbishop Caccia, we sure appreciate your company here with us. And would you let Pope Leo know how much we love him, and while you’re at it, would you remind the Holy Father that his home Archdiocese of Chicago is a daughter see of St. Louis?” Cardinal Dolan said. “That we’ve given Chicago two of our own priests as bishops, and that our St. Louis Cardinals are a lot better than his Chicago White Sox?”
Following the homily, the Prayers of the Faithful were offered in English, Spanish, French, Vietnamese, German, Italian, Filipino Tagalog and Korean, representing some of the many ethnic groups that make up the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
At the end of Mass, Archbishop Caccia addressed the congregation before bestowing an apostolic blessing from Pope Leo XIV.
The first bishop of St. Louis, Bishop Joseph Rosati, was born in Italy, like himself, the archbishop noted.
“I was wondering, if Bishop Rosati could be here today, looking at what we see — not just the magnificent building, but the people — he would be very much surprised, I think. None of the first who came here imagined what we can see here today,” he said.
If we in turn imagine those who will come after us in the next two centuries, “What will be the legacy we leave to them? We don’t know, because everything depends on the grace of God; He is the Lord of history,” Archbishop Caccia continued. “But they had a missionary spirit, they really believed that in Jesus there is salvation, in the Church there is communion and union and solidarity, and that the commandment of love is not just an aspect of life, but the foundation. As we celebrate today this beautiful commemoration, we have to look not just to the past but to the future, and we have to recommit ourselves.”
During the first half of the bicentennial jubilee year, parishioners around the archdiocese were invited to submit petitions to be remembered during the Prayers of the Faithful at the bicentennial Mass. A representative from each parish processed up the cathedral aisle carrying boxes of the petitions before the Mass.
Maggie Murphy carried the petitions from St. Catherine Laboure in Sappington, where she is a parishioner and serves on the parish council. Murphy’s bicentennial year experience has also been shaped by her participation in the archdiocese’s Missionaries of Joy program, a partnership with the Augustine Institute to form lay parishioners as disciples on mission.
Missionaries of Joy has helped her remind her that she is part of a wide community of Catholics in the archdiocese seeking to share in the Church’s mission to evangelize — something much bigger than just her own parish, she said.
“I found solidarity in the quarterly meetings, sharing with people I’d never met before and realizing that although they’re part of a different parish, we can come together for something larger,” she said. “Overall, the year has made me more reflective of my faith and the community I have by being a Catholic.”
Doris Speed, a parishioner at St. Josephine Bakhita Parish, attended the bicentennial Mass alongside several others from her parish.
“It’s camaraderie to see what all the parishes think and how they are receiving the spirit of God,” she said. “I think it’s good to be connected to everyone. It’s just a wonderful time.”
Bicentennial indulgence
The Vatican’s Apostolic Penitentiary has granted a plenary indulgence for the Jubilee Year. To receive an indulgence, faithful must undertake a pious pilgrimage to any of the 15 designated pilgrimage sites in the archdiocese through July 26, while fulfilling the usual conditions. To learn more about the pilgrimage sites and the bicentennial, visit archstl200.org.
Bicentennial prayer
Heavenly father, you are the giver of all that is good.
We give you thanks for 200 years of faith, grace, and mission in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
As we celebrate this bicentennial, we remember with gratitude and thankfulness, all those who have helped to build the Church here: clergy, religious and lay faithful.
Strengthen us in our resolve to carry forward their legacy with love and courage.
Through the intercession of Saint Louis, our patron and king, Saint Vincent de Paul, and Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne, give to us hearts rooted in justice, holiness, and charity.
May we continue to be a beacon of the Gospel in our time, faithful to Christ and alive in the Spirit.
Bless our archdiocese with unity, renewal, and vocations as we journey into the future.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Learn More About Our Bicentennial Celebrations and 200 Years of History:
200 years committed to the light of Christ
Archdiocese of St. Louis marks 200 years carrying the light of Christ
