I HAVE BEEN APPOINTED THE BISHOP OF THE DIOCESE OF LONDON, news that was announced by the Holy See on Tuesday this week. While I am excited to take up this new responsibility, I am saddened to be concluding my service as the Bishop of Peterborough after nine years. I have been blessed by God to come to know the clergy, the lay faithful and consecrated men and women of this diocese. Please read this statement from me and Bishop Ronald Fabbro, the retiring bishop of London, which has been published on our website. I ask your prayers as I prepare to begin this new chapter in my Episcopal ministry.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? That is a question on the minds of many people, especially with regard to who the next Bishop of Peterborough might be. The process of consultation to appoint a new bishop here will now begin in earnest, but it will take several months. That process will be coordinated by the Pope’s representative in Canada (the apostolic nuncio) Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic. In the meantime, I still function as the Bishop of Peterborough (but with the reduced powers of an administrator) until I am installed in London in late June. After that one of two things may happen: the six priests who make up the College of Consultors here may elect a priest to function as diocesan administrator during the vacancy; or the Holy See may decide to appoint a bishop as Apostolic Administrator to oversee the diocese during this period. We will know more about this in the coming weeks.
I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE ON THE MOVE. We published our list of clergy transfers on Monday this week. My sincere thanks to all those priests who have agreed to accept new assignments. Let us keep them and the affected parishes in prayer as they prepare for this time of transition in pastoral leadership.
THE BICENTENNIAL OF THE FIRST MASS celebrated in Peterborough will take place on Sunday, June 7. This Mass was the earliest beginning of St. Peter’s Parish which would eventually become the Cathedral of St. Peter-in-Chains. We will mark this day, the Feast of Corpus Christi, with a Mass celebrated at our Cathedral at 10:30 a.m. by the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic. Archbishop Michael Mulhalll of Kingston – our Metropolitan and a former priest of Peterborough – will be the homilist. The liturgy will conclude with a Corpus Christi Procession and a rededication of the Christ the King statue on the Cathedral lawn, which was erected at the centennial celebration in 1926. Mark your calendars!
THE PROVINCIAL MASS FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK will be celebrated by me at our Cathedral and livestreamed to schools around Ontario. I mentioned this in last week’s Vineyard, but neglected the detail that it will take place on Wednesday, May 6 at 11:00 a.m. I look forward to welcoming staff, students and parents from our PVNC Catholic community. Of course, any priests are very welcome to concelebrate that Mass.
Fraternally,
+ Daniel
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