Comments on Bishop Cary's Ordination

Here are some comments I’ve received (via email, the comment section, Face Book, and personal conversation) about the episcopal ordination of Bishop Liam Cary, Diocese of Baker. (See the photos here.) 

I was there, but these photos show lots more than I could see!! :-)

Oh, that poor man - he must have been dying of the heat!

It appears that, yes, he is wearing a (just barely visible) dalmatic under that voluminous chasuble. But it's not a lightweight, episcopal dalmatic, but rather the heavy deacon's outer dalmatic that goes with that set of vestments.

On top of all that (well, actually, under all that), he's properly wearing a long-sleeved, white shirt with French cuffs, and slacks; his episcopal choir cassock (winter weight?), his alb and stole.

Whoever thought up that combination ought to be made to wear the same under hot spotlights for a similarly ridiculous space of a three-and-a-half hour liturgy!

It was a very reverent and dignified ceremony which all of us were very pleased about.

The banners were brought in as the very first part of the procession at the beginning of Mass. They were processed two by two down the main aisle, around the altar and then out the side doors on both sides of the church. Next the Catholic Daughters processed in followed by the Knights of Columbus and then all the Priests, Bishops and Archbishops.

While the microphones allow everyone to hear, it looks a wee bit odd to see wired participants in this ancient ceremony. Good to see so many positive developments in the Church these days: Pray for the Pope and the SSPX!

You know what they say…you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig. Considering the resources available and the venue, though, this was probably the best they could have done. Despite there being over 100 instituted acolytes in this diocese, only one was used as a server; the other servers were altar boys and seminarians. But there were no female altar servers – a significant step forward!

I probably wouldn't use the "lipstick on a pig" metaphor, but it could have been much better, obviously. I wonder what happened to the choir singing the "Te Deum?" It turned into 20 verses of "Holy God!"

It appears they have actually installed the new bishop as bishop of Baker. After all, he's pictured seated in his cathedra -- did they pack it up and cart it all the way from the cathedral? Moreover, they wielded him with the bishop's crozier (pastoral staff). I thought only a bishop of a diocese, duly installed, could have that. Not just someone who was elevated to the rank of bishop. So, did they actually seat the new bishop in his new diocese at St Frank's Aztec Ball Court and not at the Cathedral of St Francis de Sales!?! I pray the new bishop will at once set out on a campaign to cleanse and purify the diocese of Baker of all its liturgical abuses and neglects!

I have been told that when the other bishops gather around the new bishop during the consecration ceremony, to lay their hands on him, that this is the moment when they remove his backbone. Pray they left this one intact and that the new bishop uses it for the purpose for which God gave it.

We in the Diocese of Baker are truly blessed.

And I had one comment about the reception:

I suppose that if I'd strong-armed and aggressively elbowed my way through the thronging masses I could have had a few words with him...

Related:

 Why a Bishop Should be Ordained in His Cathedral

Bishops, Cathedrals, and the Diocese of Baker

For related posts, click on the “Bishop Liam Cary Posts” tab at the top of the page.