Prayers offered at vespers

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
January 26, 2006

Keeping with Catholic tradition, a vespers service was held the evening before the episcopal ordination of Bishop-elect R. Walker Nickless. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, OFM, Cap., of Denver presided.

About 800 people attended this Jan. 19 service that was held at Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City. Vespers started about 10 minutes late as it was announced that the plane that half of bishop-elect's family was on arrived later than anticipated to the city due to bad Denver weather that delayed the flight time.

In opening comments, Archbishop Chaput said that they gathered to "prayer for our brother Walker... and let us also pray for ourselves that we might give glory to God and become worthy of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Vespers included various hymns of praise, a Scripture reading - 1Peter 1:18-23 and a homily by the archbishop.

"Today's Word of the God in the first letter of St. Peter, is proclaimed to us in the 21st Century, surrounded by a culture that in many ways challenges God's word," said Archbishop Chaput.

He pointed out that the Muslims read the Koran everyday. Many learn to read through studying that book. It shapes their view of the world.

"Here in a America, we have similar kind of training. It's called television," said the archbishop, who then received some chuckles from the congregation. "The typical American spends between three and seven hours a day watching television, sees well over two million commercials over a course of a lifetime."

While television shapes American views, he questioned the messages sent by the medium.

"If we misuse our money, we can get it back. If we misuse our time, we can never get it back," stressed Archbishop Chaput.

He told the people that if American Catholics would devout one hour a day to study and pray over the Gospels, it could make a fundamental difference in the country and in the world.

The Scripture reading from Peter, he noted, helped to "reminds us who we are. For me, it's for better things than silver and gold."

The archbishop said that the people are children of God.

"God's love is not something we buy, it's a free gift, but it comes with consequences," said the archbishop, who added that people must submit their lives to what they claim to believe.

Archbishop Chaput then turned his homily in the direction of the role of bishops. He said they teach through examples and words.

Tying into the concept that the people are members of the body of Christ, he questioned if bishops were the mind of Christ, the voice of Christ or the heart of Christ.

"Reflecting on that image, I think the role of the bishop is best symbolized by the liver," said the archbishop.

He stressed the fact that the liver was very important and if you lost that organ, you would die quickly.

Like the liver that filters out poison and impurities from the bloodstream, he said a bishop must absorb and filter out much of the poison in the church and aimed at the church.

Archbishop Chaput acknowledged that the church and people of Denver would miss the bishop-elect very much. For him personally, the bishop-elect had been a great counsel and friend.

"Please pray for Bishop-elect Walker Nickless, support him and love him earnestly from the heart which I assure you is the way that he will love you," he said.

Following the homily, Archbishop Chaput blessed the episcopal insignia - the items of the Office of Bishop. These items included the miter, crozier, ring and pectoral cross.

As the prayer service drew to a close, the bishop-elect offered a few brief comments. He joked that the Carmelite nuns in the Sioux City monastery had been praying for good weather in Sioux City and got that, but unfortunately they forgot to pray for good weather in Denver. Bad weather is what had delayed the takeoff time of the plane.

Reflecting on the image of the role of the bishop that Archbishop Chaput had spoke about in the homily, the bishop-elect said, "I can't even stand the smell of liver."

The bishop-elect told the people that as he prepared to be ordained a bishop, he was filled will a certain amount of calmness.

He mentioned that at morning prayer, one phrase stuck in his heart: "God is indeed my savior. I am confident and unafraid. My strength and my courage is in the Lord. He is my savoir."

Those words, he noted, are very important him.

"I am confident. Maybe a little a afraid, but confident nonetheless because I can feel the strength of the Lord Jesus Christ and your prayers," said Bishop-elect Nickless.

He concluded by saying, "May my ministry here be long and fruitful."