Eucharist of thanksgiving for the appointment of His Excellency, the Most Reverend José Rodríguez Carballo as Coadjutor Archbishop of Mérida-Badajoz
On Tuesday morning, September 26, 2023, Archbishop José Rodríguez Carballo, O.F.M., presided at the Eucharistic Celebration at St. Peter’s Basilica in thanksgiving for his more than ten years of service as Archbishop Secretary of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. On September 14, 2023, he was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Merida-Badajoz (Spain).
In the crypt of Saint Peter’s Basilica, before the tomb of St. Peter the Apostle, on September 26, 2023, at 8:30 a.m., Archbishop José Rodríguez Carballo, recently appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Mérida-Badajoz (Spain), presided at the Eucharistic celebration to thank the Lord for his more than ten years of service as the Archbishop Secretary of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
Concelebrating the mass of thanksgiving were the Dicastery’s Prefect, His Eminence, Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, together with the Cardinal Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, Card. Lazarus You Heung-Sik, the Cardinal Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Card. Arthur Roche, Cardinal Aquilino Bocos Merino, and a group of archbishops and bishops of the Roman Curia. Officials and employees of the Dicastery were also present.
At the beginning of the celebration - as is his custom – the Archbishop summed up in three words the feelings he has experienced during these days. Thanks: to the ever-faithful God who has accompanied and sustained him - especially in difficult moments - during these years of service to the Apostolic See. Thanks to Pope Francis, whose trust and familiarity have allowed for fruitful collaboration. Thanks to the Cardinal Prefect and to all the Dicastery Officials. The Dicastery’s "teamwork" that has borne fruit for the good of consecrated life in the world. Forgiveness: for the limitations that can be found in a complex and delicate service; at the same time the awareness that despite the limitations and possible mistakes he never lost sight of the good of consecrated life.
Finally, he expressed his desire to continue together on a path of prayer and invocation to the Spirit for his new pastoral mission in the Church of Merida-Badajoz. He did not fail to thank repeatedly old and new collaborators and friends, with a grateful thought for "his" closest religious community, with whom he shared prayer and fraternity.
In this sense, in his homily - with special reference to the new path to be undertaken - His Excellency made it clear that he was entering an “exodus” in his life, as he has done on other occasions throughout his life. This Exodus evokes the image of the desert and of an expanse in which one breathes freedom; on the other hand, one cannot hide the fact that it is a "passage" not exempt from difficulties. Nevertheless, he reaffirmed that the present exodus is open to trust in the ever-faithful God. He repeated with conviction and enthusiasm the sense of faith contained in his episcopal motto: "Scio enim cui credidi" (I know in whom I have placed my trust). Thus, he views this exodus as a path of newness of life open to the "surprises" of God.
At the conclusion of the celebration, the Cardinal Prefect, recalling his gifts of experience, competence, dedication and capacity for work, thanked His Excellency on behalf of the Dicastery for his constant availability at the service of consecrated life in the world.