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o' 0 ^ Diocese of Savannah hern (tross Vol. 80, No. 43 Thursday, December 07, 2000 Renewing the MIND OF THE Media —PAGE 1 I $.50 PER ISSUE Well over a thousand people fill the restored Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist for the Ses- quicentennial and Dedication Mass. Photos by Jonas N. Jordan. Cathedral dedicated By Father Douglas K. Clark unrounded by church and civic digni taries, his clergy and the religious and laity of the Diocese of Savannah, Bishop J. Kevin Boland celebrated a Mass commem orating the Sesquicentennial of the Diocese and the Dedication of the restored and reopened Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist on November 29. An honor guard of cadets from Benedic tine Military School lined the steps, while representatives from the Cathedral Parish Council and the contractors, the diocesan Jubilee Committee, ecumenical guests, two cardinals, 30 bishops and abbots, 80 priests and 20 deacons took their places. As the restored bell rang out two o’clock, the ceremony began in brilliant sunshine on the plaza outside the main door. Workers had finished laying the plaza’s new bricks only hours before. Walter B. Murphy, III, of Rives E. Worrell Co., Inc., presented a book detailing the restoration and the key to the Cathedral to the bishop. Father Wil liam O. O’Neill, rector, then explained the more significant aspects of the restoration. The procession entered the church to the strains of “So Many Doors,” composed especially for the celebration. Mrs. Joseph C. Schreck was organist, as she had been 50 years ago at the diocese’s centennial cel ebration. Oliver Douberly conducted the Millennium Choir assembled for the occa sion. Members of the Savannah Symphony Orchestra added instrumental music. When the bishop reached his chair, he explained that the Rite of Dedication of a Church treats the building “as if it were a person being initiated into Christianity by baptism (sprinkling of walls and people), confirmation (anointing of the altar) and then celebrating the Eucharist for the first time at the newly dedicated altar.” He then asked Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, Archbishop of Philadelphia, to extend greetings from his archdiocese, which has supplied many priests and bishops to Savannah over the past century and a half. Cardinal Bevilacqua also read the letter from the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, expressing the Holy Father’s best wishes for the occasion. Assisted by Deacons Rich Hart, Adam Kasela and Jacek Szuster, who are sched uled to be ordained to the priesthood in June, Bishop Boland, former Savannah Bishop Raymond W. Lessard and Father O’Neill sprinkled the people and the walls with water taken from the new bap tismal font. During the Liturgy of the Word, read ings were proclaimed from 1 Maccabees (on the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem), 1 Corinthians (on the people (Continued on page 3) Left: Bishop J. Kevin Boland anoints the new altar with sacred chrism in the most solemn moment of the Rite of Dedi cation of a Church. Right: New Prelate of Honor, Monsignor William O. O’Neill, rector, shows both surprise and joy.