I would like to welcome everyone. I especially would like to welcome Fr. Oscar. Fr. Oscar is visiting with us for the month of September. This is Fr. Oscar’s fifth visit with us. He spent the summer visiting his family in Colombia, South America. He will return to Rome in October for his final exam before his gets his licentiate degree in Church law and international law. After he will begin his two year preparation to receive his doctorate degree in the same two areas.

During his time with us, Fr. Oscar has been celebrating Mass for the Hispanic community in New Bedford at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on Division St.; in Hyannis and Nantucket.

We welcome you Fr. Oscar. We are glad you are with us. You help us to see that the Church is larger than our parish. You help us to be in contact with the Hispanic Community which makes up a large part of the local church of our Diocese and the Church in our country.

Today we honor the cross. There is a difference between the cross and the crucifix. The cross is the simple joining of two pieces of wood. The crucifix is the cross with the body of Christ on it.

The new norms from the Church state that there must be a crucifix near to the altar where Mass is celebrated. Seeing the body of Christ crucified on the cross helps us to understand that the Mass makes present this sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Here on our altar we will have the death and resurrection of Christ.

Pope John Paul II carries a staff with a crucifix on the top. We call this staff a crosier. On one of his trips to South America, the government of that country did not want his trip to be successful.

When he was speaking, the speaking system was shut off so that no one could hear him. The Pope lifted his crosier and held it so high that the crowd could see the crucifix. Everyone cheered.