The name ad limina refers to the “threshold” over which one passes in entering a home. The threshold in Rome is that of the apostles, hence the name “ad limina apostolorum.” The two great apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul, are the special patrons of the church of Rome, where both died a martyr’s death and are buried. In fact, part of our visit brings us to both of the patriarchal basilicas of St. Peter in the Vatican and St. Paul Outside the Walls to celebrate the Eucharist.

Quinquennial

In preparation for the visit, a report called the “quinquennial,” or five-year report, is submitted in advance. This is so the appropriate offices of the Holy See can review the material and brief the Holy Father, who meets with each bishop a number of times, including a private audience that is a one-on-one working session. This year, the report, which covers the period from 1998 through 2003, has been delayed a year since there were no ad limina visits during Jubilee Year 2000.

This issue of the Pittsburgh Catholic carries a section that contains the executive summary of the Quinquennial Report. The complete report itself fills several volumes, as it is accompanied by support material and exhibits to demonstrate some of the points made in the report.

Needless to say, I am proud of the content of the report, which describes the hard work, devotion, loyalty, commitment and love of the faithful of the church of Pittsburgh. In section after section, which is prepared in response to the questions the Holy See asks as the frame of reference for the report, many signs of the vitality, energy and health of our diocesan faith community and the love of Christ that is at its very core are clearly evident.

Our parishes

At the very center of the life of this church are the 215 parishes where the sacraments are celebrated, the faith is passed on and strengthened, the needs of the people are met, and the unity, harmony and charity that are signs of the kingdom of God are nurtured and fortified. One of the greatest contributions the church makes to the world is the moral fiber that is woven through the community through the efforts of the Catholic faithful to live out their commitment to Christ.

Supporting these parish efforts are the offices of the central administration, located for the most part in the Diocesan Pastoral Center. As you examine the report, you will find references to the pastoral and administrative organizations of the diocese, the mission and ministry of the bishop, the liturgical and sacramental life of the church, Catholic education, catechesis, the life and ministry of the clergy, the institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life, as well as the involvement of our lay women and lay men in the mission of the church.

There are also sections that touch on specific areas of activity, such as our missionary work, ecumenical and inter-faith efforts, the pastoral care of families, social communications, social justice and the social teaching of the church, as well as health care and the pastoral care of migrants, to mention only some of the areas. This also includes all of the steps taken throughout the diocese to implement the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.” I hope that you find time to read the entire executive summary of the report because it represents the work of so many people and the love of all of us.

School openings

In the weeks anticipating the visit to Rome, I had occasion to experience once again countless examples of the vitality of the church in the six counties that make up the Diocese of Pittsburgh. We witnessed the opening of the more than 100 Catholic elementary and secondary schools and the initiation of the religious education programs in every parish. More than 80,000 young people will be instructed in the faith and helped to appropriate the Gospel message through these activities. Duquesne University, Carlow University and La Roche College all celebrated the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit to open the academic year. This is a particularly energizing tradition because it brings together so many college-age students to renew their Catholic faith.

During that same time, we celebrated the installation of a number of pastors, who assumed their new parochial responsibilities. Such an occasion testifies to the vitality of this church and the strength of the faith as it is lived throughout the diocese in parishes small, medium and large.

On the Sunday immediately prior to my departure, we observed the 10th anniversary of one of the newly formed parishes following the diocesan-wide parish reorganization/revitalization project. Again, it was an opportunity to be in still another parish and to experience personally the fruit of the efforts already a decade old to renew not only our institutions but also our spiritual life.

Another sign of the vitality of our diocese and our collaborative nature to manifest God’s kingdom here in southwestern Pennsylvania was a series of meetings held several days before the ad limina visit. These regularly scheduled meetings included the Priest Council, which is the principal collaborative and consultative body of the diocese, the College of Consultors that advises pastors and myself on many significant projects, and the Diocesan Pastoral Council, which is made up primarily of lay women and men but includes deacons, religious and priests. This last consultative body works with me in the review and development of all major policy established for this diocesan church.

Charities

Immediately following my return from the ad limina visit, I went to one of the many social service organizations of the diocese. We can all be proud of the excellent services provided by Catholic Charities, the good-works arm of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, St. Anthony School Programs, Auberle Home, McGuire Memorial and Christian Housing, to name only some of those better known.

Another indication of the vitality of our diocesan church is the sacrament of confirmation. This past spring, I had the privilege of conferring this sacrament to more than 1,000 of our young men and women. By the time this year is over, more than 8,000 people will have received this sacrament of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. These are always joyful moments of great blessing.

To walk into a church filled with the next generation of Catholic adults, their sponsors, families, teachers, friends and priests is to experience the strength of this church and the faith-filled, inspired work of so many catechists, teachers, parents and priests who nurture the faith, pass on Christ’s Gospel and strengthen the life of the Spirit.

Included in my report of our significant accomplishments during the past five years was the 19th Synod of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Synod 2000 was an opportunity for us to examine the church’s self-understanding expressed in magisterial statements so that we could envision what we needed to do to carry out more faithfully our ecclesial mission. This synod helped to prepare us to address the hopes and challenges of the new millennium. At the same time, it enabled us to review, update and codify all of the governance documents that help us to carry out our pastoral and spiritual ministry.

From the official call for the synod on Pentecost Sunday, May 18, 1997, until the completion of the work and promulgation of the statutes of the synod on Pentecost Sunday, June 11, 2000, a great deal of effort went into renewing the structures and programs of this diocesan church.

Full continuity

We can rejoice as members of the Catholic Church that we live in full continuity with the Gospel proclaimed by Jesus. At the same time, we recognize our challenge to apply that unique, divine revelation to our own lives as we accept the challenge to effectively manifest the kingdom of God in the circumstances of our time. All of this formed a part of the extensive report we made to our Holy Father.

During my visit to Rome last week, I tried to communicate to our Holy Father and to the appropriate curia cardinals what you and I see every day in the life of this local church — the hard work and the love that permeate the parishes and faith communities throughout the church of Pittsburgh.

I also prayed for you at the tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul and thanked God for your commitment to Christ and your love for his church. May the next five years of our work together in the name of Christ continue to be fruitful and a period of great blessing to each of us.