A year free from pandemic restrictions sees resurgence of ministerial efforts
The first phases of the Synod on Synodality and the beginning of a National Eucharistic Revival: this is what happened to the Church on a national level in 2022. Yet, with an air of subsidiarity, it also happened locally, touching each Catholic as a member of the greater Church.
In March, the Diocese of Richmond concluded the local synod process, outlined by Pope Francis for the World Synod of Bishops, during which parishes discussed communion and mission.
Now, the diocese shifts its energy and focus toward the centrality of the Catholic faith: Christ made present in the Eucharist.
Fraternity
Six months apart, two men were ordained as priests for the Diocese of Richmond. Father Dillon Bruce was ordained on June 25 and is continuing his studies at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. Father Armando Herrera was ordained on Dec. 10 and is co-sponsored by the Archdiocese for Military Services. He was assigned to serve as parochial vicar at Blessed Sacrament, Harrisonburg.
Along with now-Father Herrera, Deacon William Buckley and Deacon Christopher Weyer were ordained to the transitional diaconate on May 21 at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Richmond.
Six individuals who completed studies through the diocese’s Lay Ecclesial Ministry Institute (LEMI) were commissioned by Bishop Knestout as lay ministers on June 18 at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. LEMI provides those involved with parish and school ministries further academic, human, spiritual and pastoral formation and has seen 53 candidates commissioned with 31 currently in formation.
Msgr. Walter Barrett Jr. was named interim director of the diocesan Office for Black Catholics on Aug. 2, 2022, succeeding the late Deacon Charles Williams. Effective Dec. 31, 2022, Father Tochi Iwuji is the director of that office.
After a one-year absence, the Diocesan Youth Conference and Catholic Campus Ministry College Summit returned to the Richmond Convention Center the weekend of Feb. 11-13. More than 400 college students and nearly 600 youth gathered for prayer, breakout sessions and eucharistic adoration with Bishop Knestout.
On the Solemnity of the Annunciation, March 25, Bishop Knestout joined the world and Pope Francis in consecrating Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Entrusting the human family to the Queen of Peace, the Cathedral congregation and parishioners across the diocese prayed for the Ukrainian and Russian people facing violence.
Taking a stand against further violence, seven parishes in the Diocese of Richmond held prayer vigils on June 17 in memory of those who were killed in Uvalde, Texas. Later in the year, parishioners and students across the state would gather again, this time to remember the three students killed in a University of Virginia shooting on Nov. 13, and those killed at a Walmart Supercenter in Chesapeake on Nov. 22.
Stewardship
As stewards of their common home, many parishes finished long-term construction and repair projects on their grounds, and communal and worship spaces.
The new year opened with the rededication of St. Joseph, Petersburg, on Jan. 8, after the completion of a $350,000 renovation project that included restoring the high altar, repairing pews and more.
The 10 original oil murals that fill St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Pocahontas, are over 100 years old and were restored this year by removing the coal dust and soot that had settled upon their surface.
Cristo Rey Richmond High School’s new chapel was blessed on Jan 28 and dedicated to the patronage of Our Lady of Bon Secours. It was the second of a five-phase building project for the school, which will graduate its first students in 2023.
At the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, a new tabernacle was blessed on Feb. 20 as it was moved to its permanent home on an oak pedestal and platform behind the altar. At the same Mass, Bishop Knestout blessed the new cathedra (bishop’s chair), which joins the tabernacle in the sanctuary.
In addition to new sights, new sounds continue to emerge with the installation project of three new pipe organs: a choir organ, a continuo organ and a gallery organ. The first two have been completed, and the gallery organ is scheduled to be installed in 2024.
A new worship space was dedicated by Bishop Knestout on Feb. 26 at Church of the Visitation, Topping. This is the first time in the history of this middle peninsula church that there is a space dedicated solely for worship — not serving a dual-function as space to be rearranged for social events and funerals.
For many parishes, it was a year of celebration. Blessed Sacrament, Norfolk, turned 100 years old and closed the year-long celebration with 100 hours of eucharistic adoration in late February.
As part of the two-year sanctuary remodeling project at St. Joseph, Woodlawn, a new cross and corpus were purchased from a Mexican company as an homage to the large Hispanic community present in the parish.
Committed to Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical “Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home,” Immaculate Conception, Hampton, has undertaken many projects to foster relationships with communities around the world. One of these is a partnership with a parish in Kenya: every 1,000 trees planted in Kenya with funds raised by Immaculate Conception results in a single tree planted on the Hampton campus. On Oct. 15, nine more trees were planted, part of the parish’s commitment to create as many carbon offset locations as possible and provide the Kenyan community with carbon credits.
Peripheries
Multiple outreach ministries with centers in the Diocese of Richmond celebrated milestones in their work.
Madonna House, an apostolate of prayer, service and outreach to the poor, marked 75 years of service. One of its 18 locations is in Roanoke with three members living in community.
The Richmond chapter of Rachel’s Vineyard, the world’s largest post-abortion healing ministry, celebrated its 25th anniversary of helping men and women heal from the pain of abortion and pregnancy loss.
Cursillo of Central Virginia celebrated 50 years of providing one-time weekend spiritual retreats for parishioners in the greater Richmond area. Additionally, the chapter held its first Spanish Cursillo retreats in the summer.
When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization on June 24, it was neither the beginning nor the end of the fight for the unborn. The first Defending Life Day was held at the Virginia state capitol on Feb. 9 and gave attendees the opportunity to speak with their legislators about pro-life issues. On April 27, pro-lifers of all ages gathered in Richmond again for the fourth annual Virginia March for Life.
Amid the Supreme Court’s decision, non-profits and ministries across the diocese continue to walk with women and couples facing unexpected pregnancies by providing housing support, counseling and more. This effort will continue, along with Virginia Pro-Life Day, which incorporates Defending Life Day and the Virginia March for Life, on Feb. 1, 2023.