Bishop Herbert Hermes celebrates 50th Jubilee in Cristalândia

Bishop Herbert Hermes, OSB, Bishop Emeritus of the Prelacy of Cristalândia, celebrated his 50th Jubilee of Priestly ordination and twenty years as bishop.  The event was last Friday, October 1 – the feast day of Saint Therese of Lisieux - in Cristalândia, Tocantins.  Present for the occasion were the present bishop, Rt. Rev. Rodolfo Luís Weber,  the Rt. Rev. Romualdo Matias Kujawski, neighboring bishop from Porto National, Tocantins, members of the diocesan clergy, men and women religious of diverse congregations, Anglican priest Father Brás Rodrigues da Costa, numerous laity representing the seventeen parishes of the Prelacy, and a few non-Catholics. The day began with a luncheon at noon, and in the evening, a Mass of Thanksgiving in the Cathedral. Father Eduard Alencar Lustosa, Vicar General and Pastor of the Cathedral, was the coordinator of the festive event.

Bishop Herbert is the third Bishop of this Prelacy. He took office September 23, 1990, and retired when his successor took office May 31, 2009. He continues to live in the Prelacy, at St. Joseph the Worker Parish, in Paraíso do Tocantins.

During the nineteen years of his Episcopal duties, Bishop Herbert ordained sixteen diocesan priests for this Church, created seven parishes and subdivided the Prelacy in five Pastoral Regions.  He welcomed in the Prelacy several religious congregations of men and women; promoted numerous encounters, assemblies and meetings for the formation of his pastoral agents.  As Bishop Emeritus, he continues to serve the church in the state of Tocantins, accompanying various Centers of Human Rights.

Since he began his missionary activities in Brazil (1962), in the Diocese of Jatai, he taught in public schools, excelled in pastoral ministry, especially in Liturgy, Youth and Family Life, with dedication at the formation of laity during the post-Vatican era. Later, he embraces social justice activities with equal dedication, developing concrete projects of human promotion and in defense of Human Rights. He became an active member of the National Movement of Human Rights in Brazil, and assisted the implanting of several Centers. In 2002, he received a national recognition as Distinguished Personality in Human Rights. His prophetical mysticism manifests in his on-going struggle against political corruption that impedes the just distribution of wealth and services, and consequently, social exclusion.

At the opening of the Eucharistic celebration, Father Eduard presented a biographical sketch of the jubilarian. In his homily, Bishop Hermes referred to his humble origins as grandchild of immigrants from Europe, which prepared him for his missionary activities on foreign soil: adaptability for enculturation; desire for the exercise of citizenship; openness to people of diverse ethnic groups, solidarity with the needy, zeal for common good, and solid in the practice of Catholic Faith. At the end of his homily, he expressed his joy and paternal confidence with his successor, Bishop Rodolfo Luís, whose dynamism and competency is sure to bring greater development to the Prelacy.

There were moments before the final blessing for accolades and recognitions for the jubilarian from laity, women religious, one of the diocesan priests, and Fr. Brás, the Episcopalian priest. A member of the Cathedral choir, Cicí Aguiar, sang a famous popular song of Roberto Carlos – “My Beloved, My Elder, My Friend”, which summed up the sentiments of all.

Bishop Herbert is a Benedictine monk of St. Joseph Priory in Mineiros, Goiás, a dependent priory of St. Benedict´s Abbey, Atchison, Kansas. He is 77 years old.