Mayor and City Council blessed at cathedral

As San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor and new City Council members begin their respective terms, San Fernando Cathedral continued its time-honored tradition by blessing the new city officials during a special ceremony on June 24.

Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, MSpS, and ministers of different faiths prayed for the Alamo city’s government leaders as they begin their important responsibilities as public servants in the community
The Blessing of City Officials began in 1731 with the founding of San Antonio’s municipal government and continued for more than 100 years. In 1997 the cathedral resumed the tradition as an interfaith gathering to pray for the mayor and City Council’s new term in office.

“We come here to recognize the beginning of new terms for you who have been chosen to serve the City of San Antonio. You have undertaken a duty of service to the lives of each of our residents,” Archbishop Gustavo began. “Wherever they are in their lives, from their conception to the end their of life’s journey, whatever their circumstance, status, or viewpoint, you have been chosen to serve them. We come here to recognize that faithfully carrying out this duty will require the help of the One who created those we are called to serve.”

The archbishop recounted that those who began the community were deeply devout and faith-filled people who built the city around the church as a reminder that God should be the center of all that we do.

“The beginning of a new council is a moment for the city to come together,” he said. “Unity is essential if we are to move forward together.”

Addressing the new San Antonio leaders, Archbishop Gustavo continued, “Today you take your place in the long line of public servants throughout the history of this city who have come here invoking divine assistance at the beginning of their terms. 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 into a future full of hope.”

The archbishop then prayed, “Loving God, be with us in this place as we invoke your great love. Open our hearts to those you have called us to serve, and may our prayers for our Mayor and City Council bear fruit in their lives for the good of the people of this great city, named after your faithful servant, St. Anthony. We lift our hearts in prayer to you, the almighty God, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.”

Music for the ceremony was provided by San Fernando Choir Director Rick McLaughlin and the Mount Zion First Baptist Church Ensemble and Choir.

Readings and prayers were offered by Rev. Skip Courter, pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church; Rabbi Mara Nathan of Temple Beth-El; Rev. Kenneth R. Kemp, MD, pastor of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church; Dr. Michael Passmore, senior minister of Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); Imam Omar Shakir of Masjid Bilal Ibn Rabah Mosque; and Mayor Taylor.