26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
150th Anniversary of St. Wenceslaus Parish
September 25, 2022
Amazing Diversity
It is a pleasure to join with all of you in celebrating the 150th anniversary of St. Wenceslaus Parish. For a century and a half, this parish has been a place of worship, centered on the Mass, the Eucharistic liturgy; it has been a place where young people have been formed and educated; a missionary center from which the Gospel has been spread to the surrounding neighborhoods; and indeed, a place of compassion and service that continues to address the very real human needs all around us. For this we give thanks to the God from whom all blessings flow.
Over time, amid all the changes, the mission of this parish remains the same. It is a missionary center of faith, worship, and service. Yet, as the neighborhoods that surround St. Wenceslaus have changed, so too the way the parish carries out its mission has changed. A century and a half ago, Baltimore was becoming home to thousands of immigrants from Bohemia, the westernmost part of what is today the Czech Republic. The immigration was abundant and steady over many decades with the result that St. Wenceslaus was, at one time, the fourth largest parish in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. In 1918, the present beautiful church was built by the Czech community a community that entrusted itself to St. Wenceslaus, the patron saint of Bohemia.
As immigration from Bohemia lessened and parishioners of St. Wenceslaus moved elsewhere, they were replaced by parishioners of Polish heritage, and later by African American parishioners, Africans, and Hispanics. Indeed, St. Wenceslaus is as diverse as the city that surrounds it. Among the blessings that we celebrate today is the amazing diversity of God’s Holy People, as inscribed in the history of this venerable parish.
Heartfelt Thanks
As we gratefully recall the history of this parish, this is certainly a moment for me to thank all of you, members of this parish family both present and past. I certainly want to join you in remembering and thanking the priests, deacons, and religious, past and present, who have served and continue to serve this community of faith so devotedly. Your love and service as well as your witness to Christ has made this parish a brightly shining light here in East Baltimore.
I also want to thank the lay leadership of this parish for your devoted service. This certainly includes stretching resources, caring for this beautiful church, and working overtime to sustain the church’s mission in this part of the city. And my warmest thanks to those of you who worship here and who are a vital part of this family faith, including those of you who have “come home” for this celebration and continue to offer your warm support.
The Light of God’s Word
As we celebrate our heritage and give thanks for all those involved in its mission, let us seek the light and wisdom of God’s Word, focusing especially on today’s Gospel and the example of your patron saint, St. Wenceslaus.
In today’s first reading, the prophet Amos rails against those who revel in their wealth, wealth obtained by exploiting others. Amos promises that those who have done this will be the first to go into exile. Similarly, Jesus’ parable about the rich man and the poor man Lazarus stands as a condemnation of those who live luxuriously while being indifferent to the plight of those who are in need. God does not countenance indifference to the poor and still less exploitation of the poor. Nor does the Lord want us to insulate ourselves from the poor and from their needs.
As we recall, St. Wenceslaus was a king – a man of great wealth and power. As king, he enjoyed many royal prerogatives and privileged and could easily have insulated himself from his subjects. Moreover, he could have devoted his time and resources to protecting his power by making sure that he kept his enemies in check. “Good King Wenceslaus” (as he is known to history) did none of that. Reigning in 10th century, Wenceslaus was baptized into the Christian faith. Thanks to his grandmother, Ludmilla, he took his faith seriously and gave witness to his faith by the way he conducted his reign. Not only did he promote the Christian faith throughout his kingdom, he was also very much connected to his subjects. Wenceslaus bore witness to Christ amid much palace intrigue and many political factions. Ultimately, he was assassinated by his own brother on the steps of a church.
Both from the Gospels and from the example of St. Wenceslaus, we learn the importance of solidarity with our neighbors. Whether we are wealthy or poor or somewhere in the middle, we share a common humanity with the poor and vulnerable, a solidarity that the Son of God made abundantly clear when he assumed our humanity and died to save us. In our preaching, worship, and service, we are to give witness to the human dignity of each person at every stage of life, not just in what we say, but also in our works of charity and service.
Here at St. Wenceslaus, we are especially blessed by the presence of the Missionaries of Charity who share in the charism, the gift of the Spirit, to St. Teresa of Calcutta to pray intensely, to share the poverty of the poor, and to serve Jesus in the persons of the poor and vulnerable. How blessed we are that we can join the sisters in their mission of charity as their welcome those in need into their home and go out on the streets bringing love to those in need.
Conclusion
Celebrating this important anniversary, let us rejoice and give thanks. Through the intercession of St. Wenceslaus, may we follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ and bear witness to the dawning of his kingdom in our midst, right here in East Baltimore. And may God bless us and keep us always in his love!