Diocese ready for new bishop
Full cathedral expected for installation Mass
 

WORCESTER – Bishop Robert J. McManus, the diocese’s fifth bishop, will be installed at 2 p.m. Friday in St. Paul Cathedral.

The installation Mass is by invitation only because of space considerations. Invited guests represent a wide range of diocesan parishes, organization and employees, according to Msgr. Thomas J. Sullivan, diocesan Chancellor. They are being asked to arrive at the cathedral before 1:30 p.m.

The installation Mass will begin at 1:30 with a procession of representatives from the Knights and Dames of Malta, the Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulchre, superiors of religious communities of men and women, leaders of ecumenical and interfaith communities and more than 300 concelebrating priests and deacons from the Worcester and Providence dioceses.

The procession will continue at 2 p.m. with a Knights of Columbus honor guard followed by the Mass servers, readers, deacons, designated concelebrating priests, more than 28 (arch)bishops and three abbots.

When Bishop McManus enters the cathedral, Father Richard F. Reidy, rector, will present him with a crucifix to kiss, according to Father Robert K. Johnson, director of the diocesan Office for Worship, who is preparing the liturgy.

Father Johnson said this act signifies the new bishop being received into his cathedral church.

Archbishop of Boston Sean P. O’Malley, who will enter the cathedral carrying Bishop McManus’s crozier, will sit in the cathedral chair at the start of the Mass. As the metropolitan bishop, he is the presider over the Rite of Installation, Father Johnson said.

The rite begins with the reading of the apostolic letter of appointment by Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

After reading the letter, Archbishop Montalvo will hand it to Msgr. Sullivan, who will present it to the diocesan College of Consultors, a specially- appointed group of priest from the diocesan Presbyteral Council. Following the installation, the consultors will gather to sign a document saying they saw the apostolic letter and witnessed the bishop’s installation This letter will be kept in the diocese’s files, Msgr. F. Stephen Pedone, diocesan canon lawyer, said.

Archbishops Montalvo and O’Malley then will escort Bishop McManus to the cathedral chair and present him with his crozier. The chair, Father Johnson noted, has been used at the installation of each of the diocese’s five bishops.

“With that act, Bishop McManus becomes the 5th bishop of Worcester,” Father Johnson said.

Bishop McManus then will be greeted by representatives of the community, including priests, deacons, religious men and women, lay people and clergy from other faith communities, according to Elizabeth Marcil, associate director of the Office for Worship.

The greeters “represent broadness of diocesan community,” Father Johnson said.

The Mass will then proceed with Bishop McManus as principal celebrant and homilist. The bishop plans to pay tribute to the history of the diocese by using the chalice of its first bishop, Bishop John J. Wright, Father Johnson said.

The designated concelebrants of the Mass will include Bishop Reilly, Bishop Rueger, members of the curia (priests who hold official diocesan offices), other priests who hold administrative positions in the diocese and priests of the Providence diocese invited by Bishop McManus.

Deacons Miguel Paguen, Kevin F. Hartford and Pasquale Mussulli will assist at the Mass. The readers will be Noelia Rivera, Patricia Engdahl, Vincent Quat Tran and Maria Colon. Members of Bishop McManus’ family will serve as gift bearers.

Music at the Mass will be performed by members of the diocesan choir and members of the St. Paul Cathedral Choir and Brass, under the direction of Ian E. Watson, director of the cathedral choir, and Richard Monroe, co director of the diocesan choir.

At the conclusion of the Mass, Archbishop O’Malley will address the congregation at the invitation of Bishop McManus.

A reception for those that attended the installation will follow at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel/ St. Ann’s Italian/American Cultural Center, 28 Mulberry St.