GERMANY, Frank Blumers. Almost unending surges of applause after the address of the Auxiliary Bishop. A moving episcopal ordination in the Freiburg Minster. The source of great joy for the Archdiocese of Freiburg and the Schoenstatt Movement. On Sunday, 8 September, Fr Michael Gerber, a member of the Schoenstatt Institute of Diocesan Priests, was ordained bishop by Archbishop Robert Zollitsch.
In his sermon to a capacity congregation, Archbishop Zollitsch spoke about the mission of a bishop. As the shepherd he has to have on himself the “smell of his sheep”, and people must be able to feel his affinity to them. It is only together that “the Church can be lived and be strong”, Zollitsch said. It is the task of the bishop “to be in the midst of the people, and at the same time he must be able to go ahead of them on the pilgrimage of faith”. This is both the commission and assurance of Jesus.
“Tecum in foedere”-In Covenant with You
In a moving address at the end of Holy Mass Auxiliary Bishop Gerber explained his episcopal motto “In Covenant with You”. God’s covenant has to do with actual people, it began there and continues until today. “In covenant with you, Abraham”; “In covenant with you, Moses”. This covenant is represented symbolically in Bishop Gerber’s coat of arms and crosier: Two hands meet – God’s hand and a human hand.
Hands symbolise togetherness in the Church
According to the new Auxiliary Bishop, the symbol of hands can also be interpreted another way: As “the hands of two mountain climbers; the one leads and the other follows.” The Church needs both types of mountain climbers: “Those who climb ahead, and those who stand on firm ground and secure it.” At times the roles can change. Both roles need a two-fold courage: For those who search out and try to find new ways a great deal of tact and intuition is required, but also the courage to admit from time to time that he or she has lost the way. Those who secure courage need to hold their ground even when things become difficult, and “not simply let go of” those who climb ahead. “At a certain point in time they must also be able to say: Now is the time for me to go ahead for a bit.” He was grateful that he had met both types of mountain climbers in the past years.
With young women of the Schoenstatt Youth in France at Pentecost
Bishop Gerber related that the had got to know about his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop in the week of Pentecost when he was following in the footsteps of Therese of Lisieux and Joseph Engling with a group of Schoenstatt Youth in France. This fact also contains a message, “It is a good thing to travel repeatedly for a longer period with young people. We can learn a great deal from them.”
God counts on each one of us. Faith is here and now
In conclusion Auxiliary Bishop Gerber gave out a challenge, “Let us believe in God who counts on us, who counts on each and every one of us in our originality. Let us also live his words, or what we have understood of them, here, now and today.
On pilgrimage before his episcopal ordination
To prepare for his episcopal ordination Gerber set out by stages on pilgrimage from his hometown, Oberkirch, to Freiburg. He was accompanied along the way by many people. As he said, pilgrimage has been important to him for many years. Besides, he likes the idea of a “simple and pilgrim Church”. Following the celebration of ordination in Freiburg Minster, all were invited to a reception in the near-by Major Seminary where it would be possible to congratulate the new Bishop personally.
Who is the new Auxiliary Bishop
Michael Gerber was born in 1970 in Oberkirch, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1997. Since 2002 he has been responsible for the formation of priests in the Archdiocese of Freiburg, and since 2011 he has been the Rector of the seminary, the Collegium Borromaeum. Gerber has belonged to Schoenstatt since his youth and is a member of the Schoenstatt Institute of Diocesan Priests. As such he has taken responsibility for the building of the International Schoenstatt Centre at Belmonte in Rome.
Our warmest congratulations, Auxiliary Bishop Michael Gerber, “In covenant with you”.
