SOLEMNVESPERSST. JOHN FISHER, BISHOP & MARTYR

ST. THOMAS MORE, MARTYR

ON THE EVE OF THE INSTALLATION OF THE MOST REVEREND STEVEN J. RAICA

JUNE 22, 2020

CATHEDRAL OF SAINT PAULBIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

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HERALDICACHIEVEMENTMOST REVEREND STEVEN JOHN RAICA, J.C.D.

FIFTH BISHOP OF BIRMINGHAM

When a bishop is ordained, the Church asks them to declare a motto and design a coat of arms.The purpose of the motto is to reflect the bishop’s beliefs and convictions

within the Christian faith. The coat of arms utilizes symbols to identify the bishop.

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When a bishop is appointed to lead a diocese, the coat of arms is composed of several key elements. The primary element is the shield with its charges. From the viewpoint of the one behind the armor, the sides or impalements of the shield are labeled dexter (right) and sinister (left). The next element of the coat of arms is the bishop’s motto, which is traditionally written in Latin on a

scroll below the shield. The last key element is the ornamentation above the shield.Bishop Raica’s coat of arms, as the fifth Bishop of Birmingham, now has the Diocese of Birming-

ham’s arms in the dexter impalement. As is custom, the diocese’s arms include elements from the city after which Birmingham was named: Birmingham, England. The five blue lozenges and the cross of St. Chad from the metropolitan cathedral of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, England were incorporat-ed into the arms as was the upright sword, a symbol of St. Paul, patron of the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama.

The sinister impalement displays Bishop Raica’s personal arms. At the top or chief of the shield, the sun is displayed. The sun was chosen to honor the bishop’s paternal heritage, for the sun appears on the crest of the place in Poland where his father’s family hails, Busko-Zdrój (Skotniki Duże). Below the sun, a crown is displayed. The crown, a symbol of martyrdom, represent the martyrdom of St. Stephen, the first name of Bishop Raica. The crown is colored red, the color of love and of blood shed by the martyrs for love of God. Under the crown, a pine tree is seen. The pine tree is taken from the coat of arms of Locana, a town in Northern Italy, which was home to the bishop’s maternal family. The background color of gold, the first among the noble metals, symbolizes the first Virtue: Faith. In using the color, Bishop Raica points to his Catholic faith as the source of the needed strength to support his pastoral ministry.

As noted, the bishop’s motto, Sursum Corda, is written in Latin on a scroll. The Sursum Corda (“Lift up your hearts” or literally, “Lifted hearts”) is the opening dialogue to the Preface of the Eucharis-tic Prayer. The dialogue dates to the earliest liturgies of the Christian Church. St. Cyprian saw the Sursum Corda as the expression of the mood in which the Christian should always properly begin every prayer. For St. Augustine, these words are the expression of the true Christian attitude, much the same as St. Paul’s admonition to those who have risen with Christ. Since our head is in heaven, so too then must our hearts be. It is through God’s grace that we are with Him, and the consciousness of this, as expressed in the common response of the faithful, is precisely what urges the priest (or bishop) on in his own prayer.

The ornamentation above the shield includes an episcopal cross under a galero with tassels ex-tending downward. The episcopal cross is indicative of the office a bishop holds within the Church. This element is essential in identifying this particular coat of arms belonging to a bishop. The broad-brimmed hat above the pectoral cross is known as a galero. It was originally worn by the cardinals of the Church when riding horseback to shield them from the sun, but has since been adapted in heraldry as a more fitting armorial symbol for the Church. The twelve tassels coming from the galero indicate the bishop’s rank with the Church as a successor to the twelve Apostles, and the green color is borrowed from a former time when bishops wore green, as opposed to the purple they tradition-ally wear today.

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WELCOME TO VESPERS FOR STS. JOHN FISHER AND THOMAS MORE. Please note the symbols for cantor or celebrant (V., Can., or Celebrant)

and assembly (R. or All) and pray accordingly.

OPENING VERSE (stand)

HYMN SINE NOMINE

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After the hymn follows the psalmody of the office. The antiphon will be introduced, then the cantor or choir will chant the incipit of the antiphon up to the asterisk (e.g., “Give thanks to Lord...”).

Please join in the remainder of the antiphon.

ANTIPHON I (sit)

PSALM 136Can. O give thanks to the Lord for he is good, * for his love endures for ever. All Give thanks to the God of gods, * for his love endures for ever.

(etc.) Give thanks to the Lord of lords, * for his love endures for ever; who alone has wrought marvel-ous works, * for his love endures for ever;

whose wisdom it was made the skies, * for his love endures for ever; who fixed the earth firmly on the seas, * for his love endures for ever. It was he who made the great lights, * for his love endures for ever; the sun to rule in the day, * for his love endures for ever;

the moon and stars in the night, * for his love endures for ever; Glory to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Ho-ly Spirit. as it was in the beginning, is now * and will be for ever. A-men. (The antiphon is then repeated by all.)

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ANTIPHON II

PSALM 136Can. The first-born of the Egyptians he smote, * for his love endures for ever.

All He brought Israel out from their midst, * for his love endures for ever;

(etc.) arm outstretched, with power in his hand, * for his love endures for ever; He divided the Red Sea in two, * for his love endures for ever; he made Israel pass through the midst, * for his love endures for ever; he flung Pharaoh and his force in the sea, * for his love endures for ever. Through the desert his people he led, * for his love endures for ever. Nations in their greatness he struck, * for his love endures for ever. Kings in their splendor he slew, * for his love endures for ever. Sihon, king of the Amorites, * for his love endures for ever;

And Og, the king of Bashan, * for his love endures for ever.

He let Israel inherit their land, * for his love endures for ever.

On his servant their land he be-stowed, * for his love endures for ever.

He remembered us in our dis-tress, * for his love endures for ever.

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All And he snatched us away from our foes, * for his love endures for ever. Can. He gives food to all liv-ing things, * for his love endures for ever. (etc.) To the God of heaven give thanks, * for his love endures for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Ho-ly Spirit. as it was in the begin-ning, is now * and will be for ever. A-men. (The antiphon is then repeated by all.)

ANTIPHON III

CANTICLE EPHESIANS 1:3-10Can. Praised be the God and Father * of our Lord Je-sus Christ,

All who has bestowed on us in Christ * every spiritual blessing in the heavens.

(etc.) God chose us in him / before the world be-gan * to be holy and blameless in his sight. He predestined us to be his adopted sons through Je-sus Christ, * such was his will and pleasure,

that all might praise the glo-rious favor * he has bestowed on us in his be-loved.

In him and through his blood, we have been re-deemed, * and our sins for-given,

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Can. so immeasur-ab-ly generous * is God’s fa-vor to us.

All God has given us the wisdom / to understand ful-ly the mystery, * the plan he was pleased to de-cree in Christ.

(etc.) A plan to be carried out in Christ, in the ful-ness of time, * to bring all things into one in him, in the heavens and on earth.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Ho-ly Spirit. as it was in the begin-ning, is now * and will be for ev-er. A-men. (The antiphon is then repeated by all.)

READING 1 PETER 4:13-14Dearly beloved: Rejoice in the measure that you share Christ’s sufferings. When his glory is revealed, you will rejoice exultantly. Happy are you when you are insulted for the sake of Christ, for then God’s Spirit in its glory has come to rest on you.

HOMILY Most Reverend Steven J. Raica

RESPONSORY

Can. Let the just re-joice * and sing for joy in the Lord.

All Let the just re-joice * and sing for joy in the Lord.

Can. Delight in his love, you pure of heart, *All and sing for joy in the Lord.Can. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Ho-ly Spirit.

All Let the just re-joice * and sing for joy in the Lord.8

The Canticle of Mary (Magnificat) follows. The antiphon is sung to the asterisk by the choir; then, all sing. The celebrant then intones the Magnificat; all then sing the first verse.

Even verses are sung by Cathedral Choir, while odd verses are sung by all. CANTICLE OF MARY (Magnificat) (stand)

The celebrant intones to the asterisk, and all respond, alternating verses with the choir:

Choir: For he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed.

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Choir: He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation.

Choir: He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly.

Choir: He has come to the help of his servant, Israel, for he has remembered his promise of mercy.

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Choir: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

(the antiphon below is repeated by all)

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INTERCESSIONS

Celebrant This is the hour when the King of martyrs offered his life in the upper room and laid it down on the cross. Let us thank him and say:

All We praise you, O Lord. Cantor We praise you, O Lord, our Savior, inspiration and example for every martyr, for

loving us to the end:All We praise you, O Lord. Can For calling all repentant sinners to the rewards of life:All We praise you, O Lord. Can For entrusting to your Church the blood of the new and everlasting covenant poured

out for the remission of sin:All We praise you, O Lord. Can For our perseverance in your grace to-day:All We praise you, O Lord. Can For incorporating our dead brothers and sisters into you own death to-day:All We praise you, O Lord. All Our Father . . .

CONCLUDING PRAYER, FINAL BLESSING, AND DISMISSAL V. O God, who in martyrdom have brought true faith to its highest expression, graciously

grant that, strengthened through the intercession of Saints John Fisher and Thomas More, we may confirm by the witness of our life the faith we profess with our lips. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

R. Amen. V. The Lord be with you. R. And with your spirit. V. May almighty God bless you, the Father, + and the Son, + and the + Holy Spirit. R. Amen. V. Go in peace. R. Thanks be to God.

There will be a receiving line for Bishop Raica in the Cathedral Life Center sunken courtyard (or, in the case of rain, inside the CLC) immediately following this liturgy.

Please maintain social distancing as you wait to greet the Bishop.

Habrá una recepción para saludar al nuevo Obispo en el patio del Salón Parroquial (o, en caso de lluvia, dentro del salón) inmediatamente después de esta liturgia.

Por favor, mantenga el distanciamiento social mientras Ud. espera saludar al Sr. Obispo.12