CARDINAL BARBARIN'S WORD OF WELCOME AT THE FUNERAL MASS
OF FATHER MARIE-DOMINIQUE PHILIPPE
LYONS, PRIMATIAL CATHEDRAL OF SAINT JOHN, SEPTEMBER 2, 2006

At the beginning of the celebration of Fr. Philippe's funeral mass, cardinal Barbarin, who presided the celebration, said these words of welcome :

May the Lord grant us to live this celebration in thanksgiving.

I am very happy to welcome you to the Primatial Cathedral of Saint John, as we approach the feast of the 8th of September. The Birth of the Virgin Mary is a great feast for the Catholics here in Lyons, and it is also the birthday of Father Marie-Dominique Philippe. He has just left us, and his going was that of someone poor; he left without glory, accompanied by the attention and affection of a handful of those closest to him, in the great house at Saint Jodard – deserted over the summer of the many brothers who usually live there but whom various apostolic missions have called elsewhere. Father Philippe lived in the present; only “now” and “the hour of our death” mattered to him. Filled with hope, we pray that this now be the moment of a new birth, another dies natalis, the day of his definitive encounter with Jesus who “comes to make all things new” (Rev 21:5).

I greet my brother bishops, priests and deacons, the religious sisters and brothers, especially those of the Dominican family, the faithful present in the Cathedral and those outside on the square, as well as all those who are taking part in this liturgy by means of radio or television.

I would like to mention with a special affection the contemplative sisters, the apostolic sisters and the brothers of Saint John who have been living an exceptional week since last Saturday – the intense meeting of a family gathered together by the death of their Father and Founder, days filled with the gravity of death and rich in fraternal charity. You have received these days as a time of community retreat and as a gift of light.
With you, we give thanks.

Last Wednesday morning in Rome I had the opportunity to exchange a few words with the Holy Father, who charged me to assure you of his friendship. We shall listen to him first of all: through the Cardinal Secretary of State, he has sent a message of prayer and communion to Father Jean-Pierre-Marie and to all who are participating in this farewell Mass. I thank the Apostolic Nuncio for having agreed to read the Holy Father’s message to us at the beginning of this celebration.

Preparation for the Penitential Rite:

Let us allow Father Marie-Dominique himself to lead us to into this celebration:

“Our whole life should be given for the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the silence of Christ in the midst of us, a silence of love in which He gives Himself”.

Let us therefore offer ourselves to this love, in silence, and let us ask Christ for his mercy – for ourselves and for all men – humbly confessing our sins.

Download the words of cardinal Barbarin in French (audio MP3 file of 2,5 Mo.)