Sept. 17 marked the 25th anniversary of the death of Cardinal Humberto Medeiros. Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley is inviting the priests, deacons, religious and laity of the archdiocese to join him on Sept. 21 to celebrate the life of Cardinal Medeiros. Cardinal O’Malley will celebrate the Mass, which will take place at 11:30 a.m. at St. Anthony Church on Cardinal Medeiros Avenue in Cambridge.

Cardinal O’Malley said, “The celebration of our Archdiocesan Bicentennial affords us many opportunities to reflect upon the courageous witness of countless men and women who have played a part in shaping our local Church. This September we recall an extraordinary figure in our archdiocese’s history.”

“Cardinal Medeiros was a great man whose holiness and humility inspired countless men and women to deep faith and discipleship. From Fall River to Brownsville to Boston, this devoted servant of God made quite an impression on so many people who continue to speak of the goodness and kindness of Cardinal Medeiros, the seventh bishop of this local Church,” he continued.

St. Anthony of Padua Parish, established in 1902 for the local Portuguese community, built a new parish church while Cardinal Medeiros was archbishop.

Humberto Sousa Medeiros was born Oct. 6, 1915 in the village of Arrifes, on the island of São Miguel, Azores. As a child he immigrated, with his family, to Fall River. He was ordained a priest of the Fall River diocese on June 15, 1946. Appointed the second Bishop of Brownsville, Texas, on April 14, 1966, he was ordained a bishop at Fall River’s St. Mary Cathedral on June 9, 1966. He was installed in Brownsville on June 29. On Sept. 8, 1970, Pope Paul VI named him the seventh bishop and fourth archbishop of Boston He was installed at Holy Cross Cathedral Oct. 7, 1970. Pope Paul VI named him a cardinal on March 5, 1973, and appointed him to the Titular Church of Santa Susanna. The cardinal died on Sept. 17, 1983, and was buried in the Medeiros family lot in St. Patrick Cemetery, Fall River.

Cardinal O’Malley added, “May our Lord, the Good Shepherd, bless Cardinal Medeiros with the reward of his goodness, and may our Lady, Mother of the Divine Shepherd, lead us closer to the gentle heart of her Son.”