Heart of the Church: Homily at the Installation of Bishop Dorsonville

When I learned that the Holy Father had named me Bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, I realized that a new chapter of my life had begun, knowing that the book gets better as the chapters go on.

I don’t have any doubt, I put my trust in Jesus Christ because whenever He gives us a mission, He also gives us the strength and wisdom to carry it out. The Gospel of John presents to us the image of Jesus the Good Shepherd. As the Good Shepherd, He serves and lays down His life for His people.

This might be one intention that I would like to put into your prayers, that in my words, actions, and deeds from now on, you don’t recognize my voice, but a faithful instrument of Jesus Christ.

Hence, we learn through prayer that Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve, and to lay down His life for us. When we recognize Him in the Eucharistic celebration, we come to know the voice of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. We can follow Him because we know He loves us since He cares for us, guides us, and leads us to salvation. In His hands, in His heart, we are safe.

Every bishop receives a call from God to be a good shepherd for the people entrusted to him. Not a manager, although good management is important. Not a fundraiser, although economic health is important. A bishop is a shepherd who follows Christ, the Good Shepherd, and leads others to Him by word and example of life, by celebrating the sacramental life of the Church. A bishop becomes the powerful instrument of the Holy Spirit to make present God’s love in each individual and family.

Allow me now to dedicate a word to my presbyterate. As your new shepherd, know that I am close to you in prayer and in my heart. It is my desire to listen to you and to get to know you. This way, we realize that a shepherd who knows the hopes and the fears, the joys and the sorrows of his priests and the people of his diocese is a shepherd who sees the face of Jesus Christ in the face of every person in the path we walk together.

For this reason, one of the main devotions of my priestly life has been to build up the dignity of the human person. In loving the poor, in this moment, fixing my eyes on the people that are still struggling to rebuild their homes and their normal lives after the last hurricane. We are here for them, and we will never be indifferent. By loving the poor and creating opportunities for each person, we follow the example we read and we learn in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I connect these spiritual reflections with Pope Francis’s words to bishops when he encourages to stay in touch with people, to devote more time to them than to the desk. Our Holy Father added that to be close to the people of God is to identify with them in the same way. I want to be out there meeting people in the diocese. Out in the periphery of our diocese with the lay people, the priests, the permanent deacons and the religious. This is what it means to be a bishop. This is what, with God’s help and your prayers, I hope to be.

Brothers and sisters, as today we begin our journey together, I ask you to keep me always in your prayers, and please know that from now on, you are in my prayers. Your families, our dear children, our youth, our young professionals. And I invite all of you in the name of the Good Shepherd to walk together as we answer God’s call to continue to build up the Church we love in this Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. If we do the right tasks, we will be closer to holiness. And let us commend this intention to the intercession of Our Holy Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, in her advocation of Our Lady of Prompt Succor.
I would like to close this brief reflection by quoting St. John Paul II’s thoughts about new chapters in our lives. ‘Let us,’ he said, ‘Remember the past with gratitude, live the present with enthusiasm, and look forward to the future with confidence.’ May the Lord bless you. Amen.