At his installation Mass, Detroit's new archbishop encourages love of Jesus

DETROIT (OSV News) -- Catholics in southeast Michigan welcomed their new chief shepherd with exuberance and applause as Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger took his seat upon the cathedra March 18, thereby becoming the sixth archbishop and 10th ordinary of the Archdiocese of Detroit.

In a moment filled with historic symbolism, Archbishop Weisenburger received his crosier from now-retired Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron, whom he succeeds, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

The Mass of installation, which was attended by hundreds of clergy, religious and lay faithful -- and livestreamed by thousands more across Metro Detroit -- began with a solemn procession and an ancient tradition as Archbishop Weisenburger knocked three times on the cathedral's doors.

"May the doors of the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament be open wide, for I come as a servant in the name of the Lord to dispense God's love and mercy," Archbishop Weisenburger said as he knocked with a gavel, according to the ancient rite.

From inside, representatives from each of the Archdiocese of Detroit's four pastoral regions opened the doors to their new shepherd, symbolic of the local church's welcome and embrace of his arrival as Christ's ambassador.

Fr. J.J. Mech, rector of the cathedral, then greeted Archbishop Weisenburger with a crucifix, which the archbishop venerated before blessing those around him with holy water.

The grand liturgical procession into the cathedral -- which lasted about 15 minutes -- was led by members of the Knights of Columbus, Knights and Ladies of St. Peter Claver, Knights and Ladies of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, Knights and Dames of the Order of Malta, about 30 deacons, 160 priests and nearly 30 bishops from across the United States.

As the procession reached the sanctuary, Archbishop Vigneron took his seat upon the cathedra for one final time to welcome the approximately 900 guests before Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, spoke to begin the rite of installation.

As has become his custom each time he visits Detroit, Cardinal Pierre, who is French, made a point to enunciate the French accent in Archbishop Vigneron's name -- drawing laughter -- before drawing the congregation's attention to his lifetime of service as a Detroit priest and bishop.

"Thank you, Archbishop, for your many faithful years as a bishop, and especially for your tremendous service in this Archdiocese of Detroit. I think we all thank you," Cardinal Pierre said, drawing thunderous, sustained applause.

Turning to his soon-to-be-installed successor, Cardinal Pierre expressed his gratitude on behalf of Pope Francis for his acceptance of the care of Detroit's faithful.

"Your yes to God has taken you on yet another journey," Cardinal Pierre told the former bishop of Tucson, Arizona, and Salina, Kansas, who originally hails from the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. "I'm grateful to you and to the Holy Father, and I am happy for the people of the Archdiocese of Detroit that they will have another good shepherd to lead them and walk with them through this journey of hope."

Cardinal Pierre said it's a blessing that Archbishop Weisenburger's ministry begins during the 2025 Jubilee of Hope proclaimed by Pope Francis for the entire church.

"I am sure that you will find in the people of this local church pilgrims of hope, and I know they will find in you a special kind of wisdom in seeking out new pathways for the spread of the Gospel in this particular age," he remarked.

Cardinal Pierre noted that a usual custom during episcopal installations -- the reading and showing of the official papal bull, or decree -- could not be done, explaining that Pope Francis' recent illness had prevented him from being able to sign it yet.

Drawing laughter, Cardinal Pierre assured Archbishop Weisenburger, "Don't worry, you will be the real archbishop." He explained that the bull would soon arrive in Detroit, and that he, as apostolic nuncio and acting on behalf of the pope, had signed a canonical decree from the Holy Father, which he then read for the congregation.

Cardinal Pierre and Archbishop Vigneron escorted Archbishop Weisenburger to his cathedra, Archbishop Vigneron handed him the crosier, or shepherd's staff, and Archbishop Weisenburger took his seat for the first time as Detroit's new archbishop to a lengthy ovation from the congregation.

In a symbolic tradition, Archbishop Weisenburger was then greeted by various representatives of the Archdiocese of Detroit, who each greeted the new archbishop one by one.

Among those greeting him included priests, deacons, religious, multicultural leaders, students and educators, lay leaders, ecumenical and interfaith representatives, Christian service representatives, and those from different regions of the local church -- including those from St. Ignatius Parish in the Cayman Islands, which is a mission "sui iuris" under the care of the archbishop of Detroit.

From there, Archbishop Weisenburger took over as the principal celebrant of the Mass, which included readings from Revelation, Hebrews and the Gospel of John, each referencing Jesus as the Lamb of God -- appropriate because of the archbishop's motto, "Ecce Agnus Dei," or "Behold the Lamb of God."

In his homily, Archbishop Weisenburger thanked and acknowledged Pope Francis, whom he said is a "prophetic and profoundly loving witness to Jesus Christ and his Gospel, which inspires me daily," as well as Cardinal Pierre, members of his family in attendance, clergy, religious, lay ministers, auxiliary bishops and finally Archbishop Vigneron, who has led the Archdiocese of Detroit "with humility, immense wisdom and a full commitment of his life for 16 years."

Archbishop Weisenburger went on to reflect upon Jesus' words to Peter in the Gospel, in which the Lord asks the apostle, "Do you love me?" and then commands him to "feed my sheep."

"Every time I took this text to prayer, I found Jesus looking at me, lovingly, gently, but intensely, asking me, 'Do you love me?'" Archbishop Weisenburger said. "Brothers and sisters, I might propose that it's the only question in the end that really matters."

The archbishop noted that "there is no true love of Jesus without a willingness to put that love into practice," encouraging his hearers to join him "in this journey of discipleship together," growing in ever deeper love with Jesus and responding in both word and action.

"May the best of answers well up from within us with a powerful affirmative, 'Yes, Lord, you know that I love you, and I will feed your sheep," he said.

The readings of the Mass and the prayers of the faithful reflected the variety of cultures present in Detroit's Church, being read in English, Spanish, Polish and Tagalog -- some of the many languages spoken in southeast Michigan.

Archbishop Weisenburger proceeded to celebrate the Eucharist, alongside Cardinal Pierre and Archbishop Vigneron, who became the first member of the church in southeast Michigan to pray on behalf of the Archdiocese of Detroit for "Francis, our pope, and Edward, our bishop."

The Communion hymn "Pilgrims of Hope" was sung, referencing the Jubilee Year, and then a thanksgiving hymn, "Christus Vincit," followed, an ancient hymn proclaiming Christ's victory, reign and command as king of the universe.

During the recessional, the archdiocesan choir, led by Horst Buchholz, sang "O God Beyond All Praising," a triumphant anthem that's come to be associated with Detroit's most solemn liturgies.

Archbishop Weisenburger becomes the latest in a long line of bishops to have shepherded Detroit's faithful, including retired Cardinal Adam J. Maida, Detroit's archbishop from 1990 to 2009, who turned 95 years old on the day of the installation Mass.

After Mass, Archbishop Weisenburger and others proceeded to Sacred Heart Major Seminary for a reception, where members of the faithful, clergy and religious met their new shepherd, many for the first time.

"What was most touching for me was just how we as a church are coming together across the Archdiocese of Detroit as a whole and praying, giving thanks to God, for Archbishop Weisenburger coming to us," said Stephen Netter, a propaedeutic year seminarian for the Archdiocese of Detroit. "The whole liturgy was powerful."

Christopher Kolomjec, supreme director of the Michigan Knights of Columbus, had a different adjective to describe the day's events.

"I thought the Mass was very majestic, for lack of a better word," Kolomjec told Detroit Catholic, the archdiocesan news outlet. "It was very dignified, beautiful. To see the whole community come together and all the different organizations, all the different kinds of religions and people in the metropolitan Detroit area coming together to welcome the new archbishop, it was quite a scene and very beautiful."