A reverent silence fell upon those sitting in the pews of Christ the King Church Nov. 21 as Bishop Dennis Sullivan consecrated a new altar on the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.
“A place thick with angels captures the rituals that I am about to perform – the consecration of this table, the centerpiece of the lives of the parishioners of Christ the King,” the Bishop preached in his homily for the Haddonfield parish. It’s a table, he said, in which “the people of God will gather with their priest in prayer and praise.”
PHOTO GALLERY: Bishop Consecrates Altar
During the consecration, Bishop Sullivan poured Holy Chrism upon the table five times, one for each of the wounds Christ suffered on the Cross. Then, using his hands, he spread the blessed oil across the surface of the newly anointed altar. Afterward, four women of the parish dressed the altar with linens, and Father Jon Thomas, pastor, lit the altar candles.
“What takes place in this sanctuary, sisters and brothers, is the source and summit of the lives of the parishioners in Christ the King – the worship of God in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist,” the Bishop preached. “From this sanctuary, the grace of Christ the King pours into all who worship here.”
He continued, “Christ rules when justice, love, peace and truth are practiced by his subjects. His kingdom depends on us. … He will bring the kingdom to its fulfillment and its conclusion. But in the meantime, it’s up to us. And the worship of God that takes place in this sanctuary encourages, strengthens and informs our faith so that we do practice justice, love, peace and truth.”
The Bishop’s visit coincided with the parish’s 80th anniversary of the dedication of Christ the King Church. During the Mass, concelebrated by about 10 priests of the Diocese, including former parish pastors, Bishop Sullivan also blessed a new ambo and presidential chair in the sanctuary.
Over the past two years, more than $1 million of the parish’s Catholic Strong allocations have gone to new construction at the parish. In addition to the altar, ambo and chair, other projects have included a new church roof, floor and pews as well as the refurbishment of the confessionals. Catholic Strong is the diocesan fundraising campaign with a mission to build up parishes and ministries through programs of evangelization.
George Lynn, co-chair of the parish’s Catholic Strong Campaign, said clerical leadership is key to the campaign’s success. “The empowerment of the parishioners starts with the pastor.”
Father Thomas, too, credited the leadership of the Diocese’s shepherd as well as the parish’s former pastor, Father James Dever, O.S.F.S, expressing gratitude for “the bold vision of Bishop Sullivan, the attentive leadership of Father Dever, the effective management of George Lynn, and the generous response of our Catholic Strong donors.”
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