Community
gathers in prayer for slain officer
Officers Amanda Shane and Deborah Mattiaci,
both who served in the 24th District under Sgt. Liczbinski’s
supervision, and Lisa Berarvi pray at the slain officer’s
impromptu memorial.
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.
Catholic
Directory:
