My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, thank you, Father Wyman, for inviting me here today for the dedication of your new and improved worship space here at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish. Welcome to all who are here today. I am so very honored to be here with Abbot Marcus from St. Bernard Abbey, my brother clergy – priests and deacons, women and men religious along with parishioners and benefactors who have all helped to realize this amazing transformation of this church into something even more beautiful and inviting. She should be a place we want to come on Sundays or weekdays, or for a visit, or for a wedding or a funeral. In one sense, the church is an extension of our home. She is a place where we are welcomed to be part of a pilgrim faith community. Like a waystation, we come here because she is a place where the faithful gather, where we hear the Word of God proclaimed to us, where we receive the Eucharist to nourish us, where we have our sins forgiven, where we celebrate our baptisms and confirmations. Here is the nexus of grace, life, and mission for the Church herself.

Nothing of great consequence is easy. Raising the necessary funds, dreaming the big dreams, and putting the idea into motion can oftentimes meet with resistance until it is finally completed.  You have something here that is beautiful and noble, a worthy place for the Body and Blood of Jesus to be shared and a place which is the repository of the hopes and dreams, anguish and despair of people who come here week after week. So, thank you and thank you for your presence this morning. In a few moments, during the ritual of consecrating the new altar, you will witness something unique and beautiful. Not many people experience this ritual. So, today you are privileged to be part of an historical moment in the life of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and for all Catholics in Gardendale and its environs.

On this joyous and momentous occasion, we also gather to celebrate the feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, a woman of profound faith and untiring dedication as we rededicate this sacred space, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church. This is a place where Heaven touches earth, where our hearts are lifted to God, and where we are formed and strengthened for mission as Christ's disciples to announce the Gospel of the Lord to all people.

In doing so, let’s turn to our readings which form the foundation of our celebration today. In today’s first reading from the Book of Nehemiah, we heard of the people of Israel assembling before the Water Gate to hear the law of the Lord proclaimed by Ezra. They listened attentively - their hearts moved to tears by the Word of God. In much the same way, this renewed church will be a place where the Word of God is proclaimed and preached, inspiring us to live lives of holiness and service. Here, the Scriptures will echo, shaping our hearts and aligning us with God’s will.

St. Paul reminds us in his letter to the Corinthians that we are “God’s building,” and that Jesus Christ is the one true foundation. Yesterday, we celebrated the Most Holy Name of Jesus. Today, we enshrine the Word in a place that befits the sacred word that reveals the presence of the Lord to us in space and time. Today, as we also bless and anoint this new altar, we are reminded that Christ is the cornerstone of our faith. The altar is not just any piece of wood with a stone on top; rather, it is the table of the Lord where the Sacrifice of the Mass is celebrated, where bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. This altar, much like the day of our own baptism, will be sprinkled with water and anointed with Sacred Chrism, set apart for a holy purpose. It’s like we are baptizing the altar for its sacred use. Just as this altar is made holy, we, too, are called to holiness, for as St. Paul says, "You are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you." (cf. I Cor 3:16)

In the Gospel of John, Jesus speaks to the Samaritan woman, declaring that true worshipers will worship the Father “in Spirit and truth.” This church, beautifully refurbished through the generosity and stewardship of so many, stands as an invitation to worship “in Spirit and truth.” She will be a place of refuge in times of doubt, a place of celebration in time of joy, a sanctuary where we encounter Christ in the tabernacle and in prayer. She is here that we will meet the Lord, not only to seek comfort in our need but also to be sent forth, renewed and equipped to bring His love to the world.

We owe profound gratitude to all who made this renovation possible. To the benefactors whose generosity mirrors the heart of Christian stewardship: thank you for seeing this project through. It is not any building, but one with a dynamic spiritual mission. To the skilled craftsmen and women whose hands have transformed this space into a new sanctuary of prayer, thank you for your dedication and artistry. To Father Wyman and his team, along with all parishioners who labored tirelessly to see this vision realized, thank you for your steadfast commitment, your prayers, and a joyful expression of your faith.

As we dedicate this sacred place today, we recall the words of Pope St. Paul VI in his homily at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s canonization, “Her secret was simply this: she saw God’s will in all things, and she adored it.” May this church, named in her honor, inspire us to embrace simplicity of heart and generosity of spirit. Like her, we, too, seek God’s will in all things and find joy in fulfilling it. This parish church, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, is sacred place that forms us as disciples who live not for ourselves but for others, cooperating with God’s grace Who makes visible the Kingdom of God.  

My brothers and sisters, this is a day of joy and renewal, especially at the beginning of this Jubilee year dedicated to pilgrims of hope. Through our generosity, work, and dreams, we shaped this sacred space. Through its use, it will shape us, forming us into a priestly people, a holy people, God’s people ready to worship, to listen, and to serve. As Pope St. Paul VI said of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, “She was an instrument of the Church’s mission of education, a woman of prayer and service.” St. Elizabeth Ann Seton remains a centerpiece of hope, a place of encounter with the living God, and a reminder of His abiding presence among us: “I am with you always until the end of the world.”                     

Together we entrust this house of prayer, and all of us who will gather here, to the prayerful intercession of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, who, as a saint, beholds the face of God. As we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord, we recall that guidance of the star that led them to the manger to adore Christ the Lord. Today, the star stands over this church and this altar. Christ will be present here … we, too, come and adore Him Who is Christ the Lord. Amen.