The morning of Saturday, Aug. 28, blossomed into a picturesque day for the diocesan celebration of Bishop Steven J. Raica’s seventh anniversary of episcopal ordination. In addition to Bishop Emeritus Robert Baker and Abbot Marcus Voss, O.S.B., of St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman, priests serving in the Diocese of Birmingham concelebrated the Mass of Thanksgiving at the Cathedral of St. Paul.

During the bishop’s homily he expressed his gratitude to those gathered: “From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your prayers and your support. None of this would be possible without the prayerful support of so many.”

Bishop Raica explained that if our lives are based on the “love of Christ,” then it is only through Him that we can attain a “fullness of life.”

Summing up his thoughts, the bishop quoted St. Augustine, “To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek Him the greatest adventure; to find Him, the greatest human achievement.”

Bishop Raica was ordained to the priesthood on Oct. 14, 1978 for the Diocese of Lansing. On the feast of St. Augustine, Aug. 28, in 2014, he was ordained to the episcopacy and installed as the fifth Bishop of Gaylord in Michigan at St. Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral. Last year on June 23, the bishop was installed as the fifth Bishop of Birmingham.