In Iowa, our Bishop is the Archbishop, making our diocese the Archdiocese.

An Archbishop is the Bishop who oversees and leads the other bishops in his region, or in the USA, the other bishops of the state.

As a sign of this, the Archbishop has a special vestment called a “pallium.”  It is a strip of white woolen cloth that drapes on the shoulders of the Archbishop.  It is symbolic of the lost sheep that the Good Shepherd goes out to find and carry on his shoulders.  It is a reminder to the Archbishop and to the people that he, the Archbishop is supposed to be a model and example of Christ the Good Shepherd, both for his fellow bishops and for all of us.

This pallium is made in Rome.  Every year, two lambs, that are raised by monks at the Monastery of “Tre Fontane” (the site where St. Paul was martyred) are brought to the Basilica at St. Agnes in Rome on the Feast of St. Agnes (Jan. 21) and are specially blessed by the Pope.  Saint Agnes, who was a Virgin Martyr in Rome, has become associated with blessings of lambs, as her name means “Lamb.”

These two specially blessed lambs are then cared for by Benedicte nuns who are at the Basilica of St. Cecilia in Rome.  Just before Easter, wool is taken from these two lambs and used to make the new palliums for new Archbishops.

On June 29, the Feast of St. Peter and Paul, all new Archbishops throughout the world, come and receive these special palliums directly from the Pope himself.

Why do I share all this?  This past June 29, our own Archbishop Thomas Zinkula went to Rome and received his pallium from Pope Francis.  But while Archbishop received the Pallium from the Pope, there subsequently a special Mass held back in the Archbishop’s own Archdiocese, where the Apostolic Nuncio (The Pope’s representative to the United States), will formally vest the Archbishop with the new pallium.

So we will be celebrating this special “Pallium Mass” next week on Sun. Sept. 8 at 2:00pm, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, in Hiawatha, IA (near Cedar Rapids).  All are invited to come!  Yes, that means you!  You are invited to attend this special Mass with the Archbishop (and this would count for your Sunday Mass).  There will be a special talk by the Apostolic Nuncio before the Mass at 1:15 as well.  No need to RSVP.  Just show up!

If you are unable to attend, you can still watch it online, as it will be livestreamed.  For more information visit https://dbqarch.org/pallium

Peace,

-Fr. Kevin

PS: Because of my own attendance of the Pallium Mass, I will NOT be at the 5:30pm Spanish Mass here in Hampton.  Fr. Ben Valentine will celebrate this Mass with you all.