SAN ANTONIO • The word was out long ago. Leaders of various Catholic organizations were telling their members to come to St. Matthew Church an hour early if they wanted to be assured of a seat at the May 29 liturgy.
    The occasion was the 3 p.m. Mass of thanksgiving marking the 50th anniversary of ordination for Msgr. Lawrence J. Stuebben, archdiocesan vicar general and moderator of the curia. And although the eucharistic celebration was held at St. Matthew Church, the largest parish in the archdiocese, it did indeed fill to capacity well in advance of the mid-afternoon start time.
    Ministers of hospitality waiting to greet attendees as they arrived were representatives from the Texas Catholic Conference for Ethnic and Community Affairs, dressed in their ethnic and native dress; and members of the Bejar Caravan 56 Order of Alhambra.

    Prelude music, which began at 2 p.m., was introduced by Al Notzon and provided by the Vietnamese Martyrs Choir, the Holy Redeemer Choir and the San Antonio Liederkranz, which also sang at the liturgy.
    A pre-entrance procession included groups such as the St. Joseph Society, Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus, Knights and Ladies of St. Peter Claver, Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulcher and Knights of St. Gregory.

    The Mass featured 18 concelebrants at the altar, including three archbishop: Archbishop José H. Gomez, Archbishop Emeritus Patrick F. Flores and Archbishop Joseph F. Fiorenza of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. The three San Antonio auxiliaries — Auxiliary Bishop Patrick J. Zurek, Auxiliary Bishop Thomas J. Flanagan and Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Bernard F. Popp — were also concelebrants, as were four additional Texas bishops who are good friends of the honoree. These were Bishop Charles V. Grahmann of Dallas, Bishop John W. Yanta of Amarillo, Bishop Michael Pfeifer, OMI, of San Angelo and Bishop Emeritus John McCarthy of Austin.
    Seminary classmates of Msgr. Stuebben also served as concelebrants. They were Father Charles Carolan, Msgr. Ramon Garcia, Msgr. Eugene O’Callaghan, Msgr. Patrick O’Callaghan, Msgr. Sherrill Smith, and Father Joseph Montelabano from the Diocese of Alexandria, La.

    Additional priest concelebrants were Msgr. George H. Stuebben, brother of Msgr. Larry Stuebben; and Msgr. Michael Yarbrough, pastor of St. Matthew Church, who served as a seminarian intern at the parish 26 years ago under the pastorate of Msgr. Larry Stuebben.
    Deacon Fred Fey, Deacon Clifford Friesenhahn and Deacon Pat Rodgers served at the altar.
Thomas L. Stuebben, the third Stuebben brother, was a reader at the liturgy, as was Sister Charlene Wedelich, CDP, vicar of religious for the archdiocese.

    Msgr. Roy Rihn preached the homily. He began by pointing out that Msgr. Stuebben did not select as the Scriptures for the Mass the readings for the anniversaries for priests or for Corpus Christi Sunday (the day the event was held), but the common for pastors.
    “It is a perfect revelation of the man himself,” said Msgr. Rihn. “He is indeed a good shepherd.”
The homilist pointed out, to laughter, that Msgr. Stuebben has not been a pastor for the past 23 years, having served six years as rector of Assumption Seminary, and the past 17 years as vicar general. “But to say he has served brilliantly in all these ministries in an understatement,” Msgr. Rihn said. “He has remained a ‘pastor at large’ across the archdiocese, touching many times.”
In trying to single out a dominant charism of the honoree, the monsignor said that the one he had come up with was “enthusiasm.”
    Said Msgr. Rihn, “He livens up every group he is in. I have seen and marveled at this charism in his work.”

    Explaining that “enthusiasm” is a Greek word combined from two words which mean “filled with God,” Msgr. Rihn described Msgr. Stuebben as being the first to recognize that it is God who is within him who has touched so many lives.
    “He sees each person as sacred and special,” said the monsignor in concluding his remarks.
    Bearing the gifts at the Mass proved to be a family affair, as the bread and wine were brought to the altar by family and friends of Msgr. Stuebben, with nieces and nephews and grandnieces and nephews taking part. Additional participants were Gerry Scheel and Marsha Grant, two longtime friends of the monsignor who were present at his ordination 50 years ago; Sister Aline Hrncir, CDP, the honoree’s first grade teacher at St. Joseph School downtown; and Anita Morales, the jubilarian’s administrative assistant at the chancery.

    Prior to the end of the liturgy, Archbishop Emeritus Flores took to the podium to thank Msgr. Stuebben on behalf of everyone in the archdiocese.
    “Happy anniversary. God love you and God bless you,” said the retired archbishop. “While we hear about some weak, sinful priests, who have many great, wonderful priests in our county, and we have one right here today,” he said, as the crowd rose as one in a sustained standing ovation.
    In comments just before the concluding rite, Msgr. Stuebben gave thanks on his 50th anniversary to his family, St. Joseph’s Church, the Sisters of Divine Providence, the Marianists at Central Catholic, and the Vincentians at St. John’s and Assumption seminarians.

    He also recounted his first assignment at St. Cecilia’s; his chaplaincy at Incarnate Word High School; working in the Tribunal at the Chancery; serving as secretary to Auxiliary Bishop Stephen Leven; archdiocesan vocation director; pastor at St. Patrick’s in Bloomington, St. Louis in Castroville and St. Matthew’s in San Antonio; rector at Assumption Seminary; coordinator for the papal visit in 1986-87, and his current posts.
    “There is so much to be thankful for – to God who has been wonderfully generous to me and to all of us; to family, my brother priests and countless friends, to all who have been part of the journey; too all who have helped this celebration to happen and make it possible,” said Msgr. Stuebben, his voice cracking with emotion. “God’s love, God’s call, God’s gifts have been an overwhelming blessing to me and to all of us.”

    A reception followed in the parish center, with entertainment provided by the Vietnamese Martyrs Parish and Filipino dancers from Santo Niño de Cubu Church, both in San Antonio.