Community
gathers in prayer for slain officer
By Arlene Edmonds
Special to the CS&T
Philadelphia’s Catholic community is mourning the passing of Philadelphia
Police Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski this week. A funeral Mass for the 39-year-old
officer, who was fatally shot while responding to a Port Richmond bank
robbery Saturday, May 3, will be celebrated at the Cathedral Basilica
of SS. Peter and Paul at noon Friday, May 9.
Auxiliary Bishop Joseph McFadden will be the celebrant and homilist.
Funeral arrangements are being made by the Givnish Funeral Home. A private
viewing will be held at the funeral home located on Academy Road at
6 p.m. Thursday, May 8. Liczbinski’s public viewing will be held
at the Cathedral, 18th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, beginning
at 7:30 a.m. on Friday.
Cardinal Justin Rigali asked for prayers for Liczbinski when he celebrated
the wedding anniversary Masses at the Cathedral Sunday. He confirmed
he had visited the slain officer’s family along with Father Charles
E. Bonner, pastor of St. Cecilia Parish, on Saturday evening.
“Now we want to pray for his eternal repose,” Cardinal Rigali
said. “We also pray once again that there will be a stop to the
violence, and people will begin to understand the commandment of Christ
to love one another.”
Mayor Michael Nutter declared 30 days of mourning for the sergeant,
and required that all flags be lowered to half-staff.
He also called upon the city’s religious communities to recognize
last Sunday as a Day of Peace and Prayer for Liczbinski; his wife, Michelle;
the couple’s three children, Matt, Steven and Amber and the city.
In a May 3 letter to the parishes in the Archdiocese, Cardinal Rigali
urged the priests to “invite your parishioners to pray for this
intention as well as for the repose of the soul of Sgt. Liczbinski and
the safety of all law enforcement personnel.” He offered an intercession
for Masses on Sunday, May 4, that included “a change of heart
for those who resort to violence.”
“The news of the slaying of the police sergeant caused great sadness
in the local parishes,” said Msgr. Herbert Bevard, regional vicar
of Philadelphia-North, which includes the Liczbinskis’ home parish
of St. Cecilia. “I know in my parish at St. Athanasius we have
several police officers. So, the death of any police officer affects
everyone, but particularly the fellow officers. We’ve been praying
for the slain officer, his family, as well as the family of the accused.
It’s a terrible thing and we’re all mourning.”
Most Philadelphia North parish priests are going to offer their intercessions
this Sunday, according to Msgr. Bevard. “For many of us, last
Sunday was also our first Communion, so we will be offering the Cardinal’s
intentions this coming Sunday,” he said.
Father Stephen D. Thorne, the director of the Office for Black Catholics,
was able to offer a special intention at St. Therese Parish in Mount
Airy last Sunday. The parish has nearly a dozen retired and active police
officers, who were obviously shaken by the news of Liczbinski’s
murder.
“We are all very concerned about the senseless violence in our
parish,” said Thorne. “It hit so many of my parishioners
personally because they knew, or knew of, the officer. It’s always
a sad day when an innocent life is lost, so we did as the Cardinal suggested
and prayed for the officer, his family, and our city.
“Prayer is really the best thing we can offer up at this time,”
he said.
Arlene Edmonds is a freelance writer, private piano teacher, and
St. Raymond of Penafort parishoner. She can be reached at ArleneEdmonds@aol.com.