Bishop Keehner inspired by USCCB consecration

By RENEE WEBB
Content and Design Coordinator

Bishop John E. Keehner was among the U.S. bishops to gather in Orlando June 10-12 for the Spring Plenary Assembly.

With this being his third bishops meeting, he said it was good having a chance to get to know his brother bishops better and spend time with those who were already his friends.

“Praying together every day. Celebrating Mass together every day. I heard some really good homilies that inspired me in terms of my own episcopate, my own spiritual life and my ability to witness or inability to witness the Gospel,” said Bishop Keehner.

During the gathering, Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul S. Coakley addressed the body of bishops for the first time as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) president. They also heard an address from the new apostolic nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia.

Consecration to Sacred Heart
A highlight of the assembly for Bishop Keehner was the consecration of the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus as the United States celebrates its 250^th anniversary. The consecration was done in the context of Mass celebrated June 11 at the Basilica of Mary, Queen of the Universe.

Earlier in the day, three archbishops delivered prayerful reflections on the Sacred Heart that helped set the tone for and spiritually prepare for the consecration.

Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre of the Archdiocese of Louisville spoke about the communion of bishops and what it means to be bishop brothers to one another.

“He focused on the words of Jesus, ‘Love another as I have love you’ and serving one another with dignity and respect. It was a very good reflection,” said Bishop Keehner.

The bishop pointed out that Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of the Archdiocese of St. Paul began his talk by reflecting on a painting of the Sacred Heart located in the Church of the Gesu in Rome, similar to the way he began his pastoral letter. After going to confession in the church the archbishop had been instructed to reflect on the image.

“He talked about the gratuitous love of God that gladdens the human heart. He said the Sacred Heart was a burning furnace of love,” recalled Bishop Keehner, noting the speaker underscored the need to “conform our hearts to the heart of Jesus, who opens his heart in love for us and all of humanity.”

Archbishop Alexander K. Sample of the Archdiocese of Portland, noted the bishop, spoke about how the Sacred Heart of Jesus “liberates us, frees us because Jesus loved us before we loved him. It frees us from the fear that we are not loved. Frees us from the fear that we have to prove something. He said it frees us from self-centeredness, which I thought was great.”

Although Bishop Keehner was informed that the speakers did not plan out their talks with each other ahead of time, “Each one had a very, very different emphasis on devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and what that means.”

In the his recently released pastoral letter on the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the world today, the bishop noted he started with a reflection of John 3:13-21 focused on, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son” in the context of a particular favorite painting of his – Sic Deus Dilexit Mundum - which he believes compares with the message of Archbishop Hebda of God’s gratuitous love.

He pointed out that once at the basilica, their reflective, prayer-filled day continued with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, opportunities for confession and benediction before Mass.

During the homily of the Mass of Consecration, Baltimore Archbishop William Lori said, “We give thanks for the blessings of these past 250 years, but we do so with humility, recognizing in faith that every nation stands in need of God’s mercy, wisdom and guidance. We consecrate our nation, not because it is perfect, but because it is beloved by God. We entrust to the heart of Christ our achievements and failures, our hopes and anxiety, our present challenges and our future aspirations.”

The archbishop went on to say that the faithful asked God to heal what is wounded, strengthen what is good, and guide us towards a future marked by justice, peace, freedom, and respArchbishop Coakley leads consecration.ect for the dignity of every human person.

Reflecting on the talks centered on the Sacred Heart, Bishop Keehner said they all incorporated different aspects of Dilexit Nos, which was the late Pope Francis’ final encyclical.

“It’s what I think might be his greatest gift to the church from a spiritual point of view, renewing the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus,” said Bishop Keehner. “It reminds us that our human history finds its focal point in the incarnation of Christ – in the life, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and how that has changed human history forever.”

Blessings and responsibilities
Compelled by God’s love for his people, the bishop said, “We are called to love one another.”
This consecration, noted Bishop Keehner, is not only a reminder of how much God loves his people but how he has blessed this nation with the freedoms noted in the Declaration of Independence – all are created equal, endowed with inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

“That’s revolutionary,” stressed Bishop Keehner. “Do we do it perfectly? Absolutely not, but we are called to strive to do that.”

While this is a time to celebrate on the blessings of the nation and the gift the nation is to the world he mentioned there is also a penitential component as that is part of the Sacred Heart devotion.

“It involves looking at ourselves and looking at our nation. I’m talking about the most personal sin to the most social sin,” said the bishop, who cited sins of racism, slavery, abortion and consumerism. “It should be a period of self-reflection. This is where we are, this is where we came from, this is where we are going and what will guide us in going there. Hopefully, the Sacred Heart of Jesus will guide us.”

Bishop Keehner said he planned to use this time to personally renew his faith in Jesus, his focus on the person of Jesus and “how his love for me compels me to reach out to those in need,” which is something everyone can do.

Updates, presentations
The plenary assembly is a time for the bishops to hear various presentations on a variety of topics ranging from ministries to upcoming initiatives.

One that sparked particular interest in Bishop Keehner was an update provided by San Jose Bishop Oscar Cantu who presented on an international pastoral initiative to prepare for the 500^th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2031.

“One of the things he noted is that there are ongoing novenas – and not just nine days, nine years,” said the bishop, who added that Our Lady of Guadalupe is patron of the diocese.

As a future plenary assembly, the bishops will receive a tilma with the image of Our Lady that will be touched to the original tilma – making it a third class relic to be displayed in dioceses.
Bishop Keehner said initial conversations about how to celebrate this milestone anniversary and showcase the tilma have already begun.

Presentations were made on feedback received during the bishops’ dialogue on Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship as well as on an invitation for bishops to engage in prison ministry. There was also a reflection on Ex Corde Ecclesiae that guides Catholic colleges and universities.

The bishops held a canonical consultation on the causes of beatification and canonization for the Servant of God John Rick Miller and for Msgr. Joseph Francis Buh. By a voice vote, the bishops affirmed the advancement of these causes.

Updates were also made on the World Youth Day 2027 and USCCB Synod implementation.

Business matters
While the business portion of this session was not as long as the November assemblies, the bishop said they did cover some important business matters.

“We’re finalizing the publication of the new Liturgy of Hours (revised supplement), so we did vote on that,” he said, noting it was unanimous which he was informed rarely happens.

A second action item pertained to approving elements of a new edition of the Lectionary for Mass, which received nearly unanimous approval.

These items will move on for approval by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship.

The majority of bishops voted in favor of revisions to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

Bishop Keehner pointed out that the bishops regularly have the charter on its agenda as it underscores “the bishops continued commitment to addressing the prevention of abuse.”
 
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