Alleluia fills St. Joseph Cathedral during Easter Sunday Mass
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Bishop Michael W. Fisher welcomed everyone on Easter Sunday with a wide smile on his face.
“My brothers and sisters, a joyful day. The Lord has risen, alleluia. We can sing out now our alleluias because truly the Lord has risen from the dead for our salvation and redemption,” he said at St. Joseph Cathedral’s 10:30 Mass on April 20. “We gather together as God’s people, a resurrection people around the Lord’s altar, where we always, always remember His resurrection and His call to us to follow Him as His disciples.”
The birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is depicted in stained glass at St. Joseph Cathedral. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Father Ronald Sajdak, Bishop Michael W. Fisher and Deacon Timothy Chriswell kiss the altar of St. Joseph Cathedral at the beginning of Easter Mass on April 20. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Dr. Sarah Walters reads from the Acts of the Apostles at St. Joseph Cathedral for the Easter Mass on April 20. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Deacon Timothy Chriswell holds up the Book of the Gospels at Easter Mass. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Bishop Michael W. Fisher leads St. Joseph Cathedral in a chorus of “Alleluia, the Lord is risen.” (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Bishop Michael W. Fisher performs the Sprinkling Rite after the Easter congregation renewed their baptismal promises. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
The Easter congregation of St. Joseph Cathedral offer each other the Sign of Peace. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
The Cathedral Choir, led by Brad Wingert, Ph.D., along with the Cathedral Brass perform for the cathedral’s Easter Mass. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Bishop Michael W. Fisher offeres a final blessing at the conclusion of the Easter Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Bishop Michael W. Fisher meets with Perla and Sonny DeLeon, a California couple who stopped by St. Joseph Cathedral for Easter Mass. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi)
Bishop Fisher began his homily by repeating “The Lord has risen, Alleluia. The Lord has risen, Alleluia. The Lord has risen, Alleluia.” Each time, the congregation replied with an alleluia of its own. The Hebrew-based interjection means “Praise God.”
“This alleluia that we sing out today is one that we have missed throughout our Lenten season, but it is the one word that gives us, we who are a resurrection people, that confidence, that confidence that backs hope in what our Lord has done, and what He said He would do has taken place. And we can have confidence that where God has brought us and now brings us into His Son’s work of redemption and salvation, that we too will follow as we continue to follow our own call to holiness.”
Pope Francis had declared a Jubilee Year of Hope to continue through 2025. Held every 25 years, a jubilee is a time of forgiveness and reconciling with God.
“This Jubilee Year, we as Catholics throughout the world celebrate as pilgrims of hope. Hope that even in times in midst of our challenges, our tragedies, our sorrows, that there is joy and that there is much to look forward to, that we as a people of God have much to rejoice in because of what Jesus has done,” Bishop Fisher said.
Seeing Jesus resurrected challenged what everyone knew about life and death. Death was the greatest fear until Jesus conquered that dark mystery leading us to be joyful people.
“It was conquered, that is why we are joyful, hopeful people. Death is comfort. ‘Christ is risen’ says it all. We can no longer live the same way now that death has been defeated in Christ. What a horrible world it would be for us if Christ has not come, died for our sins and salvation, and gone through that door of death that each one of us must proceed through.”
Pointing out that Easter is at the heart of the Christian faith, Bishop Fisher said, “Today is about what we are all about.”
The faithful that filled the cathedral then renewed their baptismal promise to renounce sin and evil, and to continue to believe in God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
A couple from Fairfield, California taking a cross country road trip to see Niagara Falls, were impressed by the Mass and St. Joseph Cathedral.
“Luckily we were able to find this beautiful cathedral here. Gorgeous church,”said Sonny DeLeon.
Not only did they enjoy the Easter service, they got to meet Bishop Fisher, who regularly greets people after Mass.
“This will become the highlight of our trip,” said Perla DeLeon.
