Bishop Nickless anoints Cherokee altar

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
April 6, 2006

CHEROKEE - Immaculate Conception Parish in Cherokee welcomed Bishop R. Walker Nickless to dedicate the church's new altar on April 1.

Bishop Nickless began Mass by blessing the congregation and the altar with holy water. The concelebrants for the Mass were Father Armand Bertrand, pastor at Immaculate Conception and Father Gene Sitzmann. Also on hand were Msgr. Roger Augustine and Deacon LeRoy Rupp.

"You have been waiting a long time for this day. It is my privilege to be able to be here to celebrate Eucharist and bless your new altar," said Bishop Nickless during his homily. "At least we can pretend that it is new since it has been around for a long time, I understand, and covered by a sheet."

He thanked Father Bertrand and all those who helped in making the new altar a reality.

"Thank you for keeping this a place of holiness and worship," said the bishop. "The mission of Immaculate Conception Parish and any parish in the Diocese of Sioux City is to help us all become more holy people. One place we do that as Roman Catholics is to gather each week for the sacrifice of the Mass."

Bishop Nickless continued that each week people gather around the altar, "a symbol of Christ's redemption. It reminds us of the ultimate sacrifice of the Lord on his altar - the altar of the cross. Every Mass relives for us the sacrifice of Jesus."

"The altar is holy because of what the sacrifice symbolizes," he said. "It is also the table of the Lord. We the people of God are called to gather around the table. The altar is also the center of thanksgiving for all of God's blessings. We celebrate that each time we celebrate the Eucharist."

The bishop pointed out that the church asks that the altar be solid, permanent and beautiful.

"You have one today," said Bishop Nickless. "The altar is dedicated to God by the bishop. The beautiful altar becomes something very sacred - as sacred as the cross. We must never treat this altar in a casual way, but always with the utmost respect. It is not just a table, it holds the very body and blood of Christ."

He added that each time he or any priest begins or ends Mass, they reverence the altar with a kiss. Each person who passes the altar bows in reverence.

"The altar cloth is placed upon it and later a corporal to protect the elements of the body of Christ which might be present," said Bishop Nickless. "I will anoint the altar with Chrism, the sacred oil blessed during Holy Week last year. I will anoint it with the same oil in which we were anointed with when we were baptized and confirmed, when we were made priests and bishops."

During the homily the bishop also talked about Lent, it being the fifth Sunday of Lent. The readings were from Jeremiah, Hebrews and the Gospel of John.

"Our readings from Scripture today help us to understand the importance of the Lord's great love for us," said Bishop Nickless. "Lent is the time to try to discover the secret of dying to ourselves so we can rise with Jesus in the new life of the resurrection."

At the beginning of the dedication and anointing of the altar, two parishioners sang the Litany of the Saints. This prayer is meant to signify that all who have been baptized in the death of Christ, especially those who have shed their blood for the Lord.

The prayer of dedication followed the litany. The prayer of dedication is a sign of the intention to dedicate the altar to the Lord for all times and serves as a petition for his divine blessing.

Bishop Nickless then anointed the altar with Chrism oil. First he poured the oil on the altar and then used his hands to spread the oil over the entire top of the altar. The anointing with Chrism makes the altar a symbol of Christ, who, before all others, is and is called "The Anointed One."

The bishop incensed the altar by burning incense to signify that Christ's sacrifice, there perpetuated in mystery, ascends to God as an odor of sweetness. It also signifies that the people's prayers rise up.

Father Bertrand and Father Sitzmann wiped the Chrism oil off of the altar. The two then covered the altar with cloths. The covering of the altar indicates that the Christian altar is the altar of the eucharistic sacrifice and the table of the Lord. The dressing of the altar signifies that it is the Lord's table at which God's people meet to be refreshed with divine food, namely, the body and blood of Christ sacrificed.

Then there was the lighting of the altar. Deacon Rupp lit four candles held by four altar servers who placed them by the altar. The lighting of the altar teaches that Christ is "a light to enlighten the nations."

"Light of Christ shine on this altar and be reflected by those here," said the bishop.

At the end of Mass, Father Bertrand thanked Bishop Nickless for coming and anointing the altar. He then extended an invitation to a meal following Mass.