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More than 36 years ago, I was ordained and installed as the ninth bishop in this great Diocese of Albany. One of my first tasks after being appointed as bishop was to select an episcopal motto. I chose "Rejoice, We are His People."

I wanted to highlight what I consider to be the central insight of the Second Vatican Council, articulated in its Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, "Lumen Gentium" ("The Light of Humanity"), and reflected in

•  its Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, which called for the full, active participation of all the faithful in the celebration of the Eucharist and the sacraments;

•  its Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, which challenged us as a faith community to read the signs of the times and to recognize that "the joys and the hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the people of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted are as well the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to find an echo in our hearts;" and

•  its Decree on the Laity, which underscores that the primary responsibility of the laity through their roles in marriage and family, in business and politics, in the arts and sciences, in health care and technology is to be about the transformation of the world, leavening it with the values and ideals of Jesus Christ.

Church is people
This recovery by the council fathers of the scriptural, patristic and historical understanding of the Church emphasizes that the Church is not primarily an institutional structure or perfect society symbolized by a triangle with the pope on top, followed by the patriarchs, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, priests, deacons, religious and the laity on the bottom; but a collection of people - men, women and children, ordained and non-ordained - who are the living stones who build up the temple of God's presence in our midst.

This image of the Church is a dramatic shift from the static, hierarchical model of the Church - with its appointed leaders and ranks of authority, defined roles and hierarchically-imposed rules, regulations and traditions - to a more dynamic model, wherein the Church is cast as a pilgrim people with various roles to play and responsibilities to exercise, animated by concepts of collegiality, cooperation, collaboration and shared responsibility.

This rediscovery is not only refreshingly new, but truly a cause for great rejoicing.

The council implies that the Church is no longer guided by the dictum "Roma locuta est; causa finita est" ("Rome has spoken; therefore, the case is closed"). The council no longer reduces bishops to local branch managers, the clergy and religious to rote messengers and the laity to mute sheep following dictates from above.

All are called
Rather, the council highlights that all are called by baptism and confirmation to holiness and ministry; that all have gifts, talents and insights to offer; and that the Spirit speaks to and enlivens not only the leaders of the Church, but all its members, as well. All are chosen; all are anointed; and all are consecrated for mission and ministry.

Over the past 36 years, it is these theological insights and spiritual values I have sought to foster and promote in our Diocese.

Some may say this perception of the Church articulated by the council has failed - that over the past half-century, it has resulted in the loss of Church members; in the decline of vocations to the priesthood and religious life; in apathy and indifference with regard to participation in the Eucharist and the sacraments; in religious illiteracy; in the diminution of religious influence in political life; in a watered-down pan-Christianity; and in succumbing to the secularism, consumerism, individualism, narcissism and moral relativism of our contemporary culture.

However, I would note, the Orthodox and Protestant churches did not have a council such as Vatican II, but they have experienced similar problems to what we have encountered - and, in some cases, even more.

Vatican II's success
Hence, I submit that without the Second Vatican Council, the contemporary challenges and problems we face would be even more exacerbated; and that the issue is not so much that the vision of the Second Vatican Council has been tried and found wanting, but that its full potential has yet to be tapped fully and unleashed.

Not that its teaching doesn't need to be nuanced and updated in the light of 50 years of experiences; of successes and failures; of misguided misinterpretations from both the left and the right; and of new theological, pastoral and social issues and questions not contemplated in the 1960s. But, fundamentally, the theological vision and pastoral direction the council fathers set remain sound and trustworthy guides for discerning God's expectations in order to fulfill the mission of the Church in this third millennium of the Christian era.

We have sought to emphasize that the primary sacrament in the Church is not ordination, but baptism, and that through this sacrament of baptism we are initiated as members of God's family: as sons and daughters of our heavenly Father, as brothers and sisters of the Lord Jesus and as temples in whom the Holy Spirit dwells.

This sacrament of baptism incorporates us into the death and resurrection of Jesus and, as the Book of Revelation states, "By Christ's blood we are freed from our sins" and "made into a kingdom of priests for His God and Father" (Rev 1:4-6).

Further, in the sacrament of confirmation, once again we are anointed with the chrism of salvation, strengthening us on our journey of discipleship by bestowing upon us the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence and the spirit of wonder and awe in God's presence.

God's chosen
No matter what our gender, age, state in life (married, single, clergy, religious or lay), social status, particular vocation or occupation is, "we are truly God's chosen race, a holy nation, a royal priesthood and a people set apart" (Sunday Preface I). We are a people the Lord has made His own, called to transform the world around us by imprinting it through our words and deeds, through our witness and example, with the seal of Jesus Christ.

What dignity and nobility this gives to each of us, and yet, what an awesome responsibility it places on our shoulders: namely, to do for the people of our day what Jesus did for the people of His day through the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.

The spiritual works consist of instructing, advising, consoling and comforting. This is what our priests, parish life directors, deacons, RCIA and liturgy team members, lectors, eucharistic ministers, Catholic school educators, catechists, youth ministers, parish nurses, social service outreach workers, human service providers, ministers to the homebound, hospital and nursing home chaplains, hospice care personnel, spiritual directors, retreat masters, pre-Cana leaders, REC volunteers, peace and justice advocates, those engaged in ecumenical and interfaith dialogue and those evangelizing through our "Amazing God" initiative do.

The corporal works of mercy consist of feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned and burying the dead. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that "among all of these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity; it is also a work of justice pleasing to the Lord."

We are merciful
How well we as God's people in this Diocese have been implementing the works of mercy: We have been supporting parish food pantries and soup kitchens and shelters for the homeless like Mercy House, Lwanga House and the many single-room-occupancy residences and rehab centers sponsored by Catholic Charities; providing homes and jobs for newly-arrived immigrants and refugees; twinning with developing parish communities at home and abroad; contributing to collections for Catholic Relief Services, Operation Rice Bowl, overseas missions and the Catholic Campaign for Human Development; and responding to emergencies like Hurricanes Irene, Lee and Sandy - all of which serve to respond to Christ's call in Matthew 25 to care for the needs "of the least among us."

While I note that the primary sacrament in the Church is baptism, this is in no way to minimize or undermine the importance of the ministered priesthood in the life of the Church. As the preface of the Mass for the ordination of priests proclaims, "Christ not only adorns with a royal priesthood, but with a brother's kindness He also chooses men to become sharers in His sacred ministry. They are to renew in His name the sacrifice of human redemption, to set before your children the paschal banquet, to lead your holy people in charity, to nourish them with your word and to strengthen them with the sacraments."

They are to do so, however, not in an arrogant, paternalistic, authoritarian or judgmental fashion, but as a brother among brothers and sisters, cooperating and collaborating with God's people to advance Christ's kingdom in our day.

Facing challenges
Certainly, these have been difficult times for priests, as our numbers are shrinking, as demands are increasing, as roles are changing and as scandal has tarnished the image of priests and the priesthood. Yet in the face of these challenges, the priests of our Diocese, as the priesthood preface states, "give up their lives for you and for the salvation of their brothers and sisters, as they strive to be conformed to the image of Christ Himself and to offer you a constant witness of faith and love."

This is what our priests in the Diocese of Albany seek to do, day in and day out, year in and year out. As my episcopal tenure draws to a close, I thank my brother priests for their tremendous personal cooperation, fraternal support and faithful service to the people of our Diocese.

I also salute those within our Diocese who exercise the priesthood of the baptized: our deacons and their spouses; vowed men and women religious; and all laity who, by the generous sharing of their gifts and talents, by their ecclesial ministries and by their witness to our faith in the family, the neighborhood, the community, and the world of business and politics, proclaim that "Jesus Christ is the alpha and the omega - the one who is, who was and who is to come, the almighty" (Rev. 1:8).

As I have sought to underscore in my episcopal motto, may we always rejoice in the wonderful treasure we have received to be sharers in the ministry of Jesus: anointed and empowered to be God's priestly people in our time and place.[[In-content Ad]]

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