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Bishop Blesses Addition to St. Joseph Church in Raleigh
The Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge celebrated Holy Mass Saturday, August 30, for the parish community of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Raleigh. During the Mass, Bishop Burbidge blessed the newly constructed apse, an addition to the church building that contains the Reserved Presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Following Mass, the Bishop blessed the new church hall.
St. Joseph Church was one of three parishes created in the Diocese of Raleigh in 1968. It was formed to be a bi-racial community, with a mandate to care for the African-American parishioners of St. Monica’s Church, which was being closed. Today, 40 years later, the parish is one of the most culturally diverse in the Diocese, with members including English- and French-speaking Africans, Montagnards from Southeast Asia, Vietnamese, Hispanic and Polish.
In his homily, Bishop Burbidge commended Monsignor John Williams, Pastor of St. Joseph, and the parish community for their hard work, patience and perseverance in working together to complete the project. “Today, as we bless the sacred place where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved,” the Bishop said, “I encourage you my sisters and brothers to rededicate yourself to be men and women of prayer, who know the importance of simply being with the Lord each and every day.”
Among those present at the Mass and Blessing was Bishop-Emeritus F. Joseph Gossman and several former pastors of St. Joseph; Monsignor Thomas Hadden, Monsignor Michael Shugrue, Monsignor James Keaney, Father JaVan Saxon and Father Thanh Nguyen.