March 30, 2016 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:
This is the full text of Bishop DiMarzio’s homily from the Chrism Mass celebrated at St. Joseph’s Co-Cathedral, Prospect Heights, on Tuesday, March 22.
As we come to the Chrism Mass this Holy Week during the Year of Mercy, we recognize that living the Paschal Mystery gives us an opportunity to set our sights on our future Christian lives; that after this Lent, during this Holy Year, our conversion process will have taken a step forward.
Tonight, I wish to speak about our sacramental spirituality as bishops, priests, deacons and laity. When priests are questioned in surveys about their spirituality and asked what is their greatest support or incentive to lead a holy life, they always say, the laity are those who inspire me. Then some say, my fellow priests. It always seems to follow that order. Hardly anyone mentions bishops. I hope I am not an obstacle to your priestly spirituality, or for deacons and the laity, and, hopefully, tonight, sharing some thoughts together, we might make progress in becoming more like the Father – the Father of Mercy as Jesus told us, “To be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect.”
Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.