Cardinal DiNardo to visit Diocese of Sioux City

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
March 20, 2008

For the first time since he was elevated by the Holy Father, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo will return to the diocese he called home for about seven years.

The new cardinal, elevated by Pope Benedict XVI on Nov. 24, 2007, will celebrate Mass at Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City on March 24. Attendance at the Mass is invitation-only, however, a public reception will be held following the liturgy at about 5 p.m. at the Marina Inn in South Sioux City, Neb.

"I am delighted to come back for Mass in Sioux City at such a lovely cathedral," he said. "I always loved the people, the priests and religious in Sioux City. It was a great diocese."

The cardinal expressed gratitude to Bishop R. Walker Nickless and the chancery staff for the invitation.

It's been about two years since he has been to Iowa. He returned to Iowa for the ordination of the diocese's new bishop and shortly thereafter to receive an award from Briar Cliff University.

He mentioned that he is finally getting used to the idea of being a cardinal.

"Initially I was totally surprised by this and obviously, any kind of title like this is very humbling," said Cardinal DiNardo. "I am very pleased and honored."

He humbly credited his appointment to the huge growth of the Catholic population in the southern portion of the United States. For the pontiff to appoint a cardinal from Texas, he noted, was a sign from the Holy See of the importance of the Catholic population in the southern part of the country.

The cardinal explained that while he has been elevated to cardinal, his main ministry remains that of head shepherd of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. His archdiocese is growing all of the time and thus, his duties there can and should take up the bulk of his time.

Nevertheless, with the elevation comes new duties.

"I will be put on a series of Vatican congregations; they are like offices. I will be asked to be a member or consultant to those various offices," Cardinal DiNardo said.

Thus far, the cardinals that were named last fall have not received appointments to the congregations. Typically, major meetings for these congregations are held every one to two years, with additional intermediate meetings.

He anticipates that inclusion in those congregations will include studying documentation ahead of the meetings in order to offer consultation during the meetings. Members of the congregations must stay abreast of the issues as they vote on issues to set policies or answer key questions.

"From time to time the Holy Father calls together the cardinals for consultation and advice," he said.

In addition, from time to time the pope will ask a cardinal to represent him at a particular celebration.

"Then, of course the thing you don't hope for, but certainly someday will happen is that should the See of Peter become vacant, then the cardinals will gather to elect a new pope," said the cardinal.

Since the Nov. 24 consistory - the public ceremony in which he and 22 others were elevated to cardinal - he returned to Rome on Feb. 20 to take possession of his titular church.

Every cardinal has a titular (title) church in Rome. His is St. Eusebius Church.

"You have to go and be present there to take possession of it and that's usually done by going there and celebrating Mass as they read the papal decree naming you a cardinal and naming you a titular of this particular church," he explained.

The parishioners of his Rome parish hosted a reception for the cardinal and gave him an icon that he will use in his Texas archdiocese.

Due to his heavy workload in his own archdiocese, the cardinal said his trip to Rome was brief.

This fall, Cardinal DiNardo will go to Rome for the world Synod of Bishops that focuses on the Bible. He was elected a delegate for this synod by the U.S. bishops.