NIKO J. KALLIANIOTIS
SCRANTON – Archbishop of Philadelphia Cardinal Justin Rigali will forever be remembered in Scranton for his service as the apostolic administrator who ran the Scranton Diocese after Bishop Joseph Martino retired.
Snow lightly fell as a new statue, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was dedicated in Rigali’s honor at 5:20 p.m. Saturday in the courtyard between St. Peter’s Cathedral and the Scranton Diocese Chancery.
Bishop Joseph Bambera of the Scranton Diocese said the statue is the least the diocese could do to thank Rigali for his service from the end of August 2009 to April.
After quoting, “The priesthood is the love of the Heart of Jesus,” by St. John Vianney, Bambera told Rigali, “May the heart of Jesus continue to touch your heart and be your consolation.”
Rigali then said a prayer before blessing the ivory statue with holy water.
Rigali, 75, was very humble during an exclusive interview when he spoke about the statue dedication.
He said he felt like he was coming home to a good group of friends, especially on the first day of Holy Christmas season.
“It is a great honor for me, but it is also a great joy to be with the people today. It is a beautiful thing that the statue that symbolizes the love of Jesus, that we are doing it on the vigil of the first Sunday of Advent, because Advent is all about the manifestation of God’s love for us,” Rigali said.
Mary Walsh, 67, of Olyphant, said she came to the cathedral Mass to hear Rigali preach for the first time.
“I thought it was beautiful. It was wonderful. I really enjoyed it. The little touch of snow even adds to it,” Walsh said. Moments before the dedication Rigali led a brief prayer service with Bambera by his side outside the cathedral at the monument of the unborn as fellow priests, parishioners and Knights of Columbus members dutifully watched.
The prayer service and dedication were preceded by the First Sunday of Advent Nascent Mass service at the cathedral as Rigali and Bambera were escorted into the cathedral by 12 members of the Knights of Columbus from across Northeastern Pennsylvania, attired in their uniform chapeaus and capes.
Rigali delivered a sermon on loving each other.
“Jesus willed that we find him in one another… To accept Jesus in the crib in Bethlehem on Christmas means we must accept him in one another – in those in need, in those in pain, even those in sin we must accept them because in all this he shows us his love,” Rigali said.