Every now and again, I step outside my usual realm of writing and touch on something of interest to me, and I hope by extension, to you, too. I'm doing that with this entry today, although there is a musical connection towards the end, so there is rhyme to my reason.
Last evening, Gerard Bergie was installed as the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of St. Catharines, in a lavish ceremony at the Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria. When I say lavish, I don't mean in an over-the-top way; rather, it was a marvellous celebration of renewal for the Catholic church, as the new Bishop moves the Diocese forward into the future. Incidentally, November 9th was the 52nd anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese of St. Catharines, so it was a fitting date for the Installation.
On hand for the ceremony were over 180 clergy, priests and deacons from the Diocese of St. Catharines and Hamilton. There were 38 Bishops in attendance as well, including Bishop O'Mara, now retired as Bishop of the Diocese, who himself was installed at the same Cathedral in 1994. So there was certainly a celebratory tone for the evening, with greetings offered from many people in attendance, most notably from Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana, the Apostolic Nuncio, the Pope's official representative in Canada.
As for me, I was honoured to be asked once again to handle broadcast duties on our local cable provider, Cogeco, who taped the evening's events for later broadcast. As well, I was a reader at the ceremony itself. It's funny, but I realized last evening I have now handled broadcast duties for three Bishops for the Diocese of St. Catharines, which means I have been around for all but the first two Bishops of the Diocese since it was founded!
The new Bishop is younger than I am by a couple of years, I was surprised to find, and was born and raised in Hamilton, where he has served in many capacities for a number of years now. He has an engaging personality and quick wit, and articulates his points with considerable precision. In his homily last evening, he both honoured the past and looked to the future, inviting everyone in attendance to pray for him as he begins his new journey.
Now, about the music. I have a friend who has long considered the music heard in the Anglican Church to be superior to that heard in the Catholic Church, for the most part. While I have often enjoyed glorious music over the years at Anglican churches in many cities and even countries, I personally feel last evening's music provided by a massed choir, several instrumentalists and soloists directed by David Holler along with Music Director Lucas Chorosinski at the organ to be of the highest calibre, and as good as anything you'll hear anywhere. For me, nothing beats a large choir and grand organ at full tilt to lift the spirits as well as the pulse rate!
As for the broadcast itself, it went quite well, I'm told, and if you desire to experience some wild vicarious thrill watching me introduce the evening's proceedings while all around me got into position, I understand Cogeco will be broadcasting the Installation this coming Friday evening as well as Saturday and Sunday mornings. I don't know yet if I will watch, as I have always been my own worst critic with these things, but we'll see...
Welcome to St. Catharines, Bishop Bergie!
November 10th, 2010.
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