[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Caption:
Mayor Ron Nirenberg and new members of the San Antonio City Council received prayers and blessings from nine religious leaders in the community during a service held at San Fernando Cathedral on June 21. The blessing ceremony is a time-honored tradition in San Antonio. Jordan McMorrough | Today’s Catholic
Prayers offered to bear fruit for the good of the people
The new mayor and City Council received a blessing from religious leaders of San Antonio in a service held at San Fernando Cathedral on June 21. Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS, welcomed the attendees and conducted the blessing ceremony.
Prayers were offered by Mayor Ron Nirenberg, along with Rev. Diana K. Phillips of Colonial Hills United Methodist Church; Imam Beytullah Colak from The Islamic Institute; Pastor Otis I. Mitchell from Mount Zion First Baptist Church; Rabbi Mara Nathan from Temple Beth El; Dr. Michael S. Passmore from Central Christian Church; Imam O. Abid Shakir from Masjid Bilal, Rev. Sylvia Vazquez from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church; and Bishop Rosa L. Wilson from Greater Faith Institutional Church.
“You have undertaken a duty of service to the lives of each of our residents. Wherever stage they are in their lives, from conception to natural death, whatever their circumstance, status, or viewpoint, you have been chosen to serve them,” the archbishop began. “We come here to recognize that faithfully carrying out this duty will require us to seek the guidance of God in our tasks to serve well. All politicians and leaders must love the people whom they serve.”
He then quoted Pope Francis, who said in 2013, “A leader who doesn’t love cannot govern — at best they can discipline, they can give a little bit of order, but they can’t govern. You can’t govern without loving the people and without humility.”
The blessing of the mayor and City Council is a time-honored tradition in San Antonio. The city was built around the church, and a marker under the dome honors that spot. From the founding of San Antonio, the city council began its service by being blessed at San Fernando Cathedral.
“The beginning of a new council is a moment for the city to come together. Unity is essential if we are to move forward together as the community of San Antonio,” said Archbishop Gustavo. “We affirm that there is a loving God, on whom we must rely for ordinary people to do the extraordinary work of leading a city. May that same God continue to walk with you and with the people of San Antonio into a future full of hope.”
Following the gathering at the cathedral, Father David Garcia, director of the Old Spanish Missions, offered the invocation at the installation ceremony for the mayor and City Council held that evening at the Arneson River Theatre downtown.
“Dear Lord, thank you for the wonderful gift of this river where we gather today to inaugurate our new mayor and city council, a river named after San Antonio de Padua. It has given our community life for almost 300 years,” Father Garcia began. “Let this river be a reminder today that we are all called to give life to each other. We are called to lift up, to support, to create opportunity so that all can develop their gifts and lead a dignified life.”
He explained that this river has also been a source of welcome to all who have been refreshed by its waters, and he asked that it serve as a reminder to be a welcoming community to the visitor, the tourist, those who come to work, to the immigrant, the foreigner, those different from us who come here.
“The clean waters of this river are a source of pleasure and pride. Let them remind us of our obligation to care for all creation, for mother earth, our common home,” the priest prayed. “The sacrifice we make today to preserve our environment is the gift we leave to the next 300 years of our city and our world.”
Lastly, Father Garcia offered his blessing to the mayor and council. “Let their efforts to serve the community not only bring us together, but remind us they cannot do it all and they cannot do it alone. Inspire us to be involved in helping them make this city a better place.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]