Pastor's Corner, July 28, 2013

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

On July 19^th a new cross was installed on top of the Church steeple. The old one came down during hurricane Sandy and we contracted to have a new one manufactured which would match the design of the cross which we find inside the

Cathedral in several places including on the front of the altar, the ambo, the cantor’s lectern, the cathedra, and on the upper part of the walls in the sanctuary.

The cross is the sign of faith. The cross is a reminder of the redeeming love of our Savior and it is a constant presence along the road of the Christian life. The cross marks the Christian at the moment of baptism and is used to bless the body of the person during the funeral rites. We make the sign of the cross at the beginning and end of our prayer and we take holy water from the font and bless ourselves with it in the form of the cross when we enter the Church. We should have a cross in every Catholic home and in many rooms of our homes.

It is fitting that our Cathedral Church be “topped” by the cross in order to be a sign of the presence of God in the midst of the world and that we all have the inherent right and privilege to speak of God, practice our faith and follow our Christ-formed conscience in every aspect of society.

In Christ,

Msgr. Baker