'I'm all energized now' 

Loud applause greets new bishop, The Most Reverend Richard J. Grecco

NIGEL ARMSTRONG 

The Guardian

The moment The Most Reverend Richard J. Grecco sat down, thousands rose enthusiastically to their feet, the organ thundered and sustained applause filled St. Dunstan’s Cathedral Basilica Monday.

Grecco was installed as the 13th Roman Catholic Bishop of Charlottetown in a grand service that nearly filled the church to capacity.  Prior to the service the bishop stood at the main door of St. Dunstan’s, greeting the faithful with a hand shake, even a hug.

“Everyone was saying to me ‘you must be tired after spending an hour and a half out there greeting everybody,’” said Grecco in the concluding moments of the ceremony. “My response was, ‘I’m all energized now.’”

The service began with the colourful entrance of the fourth degree Knights of Columbus in full regalia, followed by a stream of white-robed priests, and supporting fellow bishops.  Then the doors of the cathedral were closed, and Archbishop Anthony Mancini of Halifax welcomed the faithful, dignitaries and visitors from other Christian communities.

Outside in the foyer, Bishop Grecco stepped forward to rap three times on the closed doors.

“Who goes there?” asked Mancini.

“The Bishop of Charlottetown wishes to take his chair,” said Reverend Danny Wilson, rector of St. Dunstan’s.

Then, as Timothy Chaisson fired up a solo Celtic tune on the fiddle at the front of the church, the doors swung open and the new bishop, robed in fiery red, kissed a crucifix, sprinkled holy water, and proceeded down the aisle.

Rev. John Molina read the Papal seal of appointment issued on July 11 this year by Pope Benedict.

“With deep regard for the ecclesial community of Charlottetown, we wish to provide it with the suitable assistance whereby the growth of religion will continue without further interruption,” read Molina, the Chancellor of the Diocese.  “For this reason, since our venerable brother Joseph Vernon Fougere has resigned from the direction of the see, we have endeavoured earnestly to appoint a person to succeed him in this office.”

Grecco then received the crozier from Mancini and moved to sit on the seat of the Diocese.  The organ struck up the Great Amen and applause erupted from the congregation that rose to its feet.

Greetings came from Erma Arsenault in both French and English. She  thanked Grecco for coming to P.E.I. from Toronto.  “In comparison to the diocese from which you come, we are a small diocese and obviously less diverse,” said Arsenault.

Grecco responded later in the service saying he has come to appreciated the phrase “small is beautiful.”

Arsenault did offer to the new bishop a reminder of the many cultures that make up the Island Roman Catholic community, including First Nations, Acadian, English and families from Asia to Africa.  “We look forward to walking with you,” said Arsenault, saying that Grecco’s installation is an opportunity to work towards “keeping the church alive and vibrant for generations to come.”

In his first homily as Bishop of Charlottetown, Grecco focused on the call of God to his people.  “God calls all people to humility, gentleness, patience and love,” he said. “All human beings are called to holiness, but what if they are not listening?”

“Holiness is first of all a matter of what we are listening for. All people are listening for something, some clue, some message by which to proceed in life.”  There are many voices at work on you, he said many of them coming fast and furious through the media and Internet to many are drawn in, he said.

“Then our skill of listening for the word of God . . . will die,” said Grecco.  A test of faith and spiritual health is to ask what you are listening for, said Grecco.  “Are you listening for the voice of Jesus, the call of the good shepherd?” he said. “As your bishop, I will do my best to hear that call to unity and to share it with you, to encourage all people to be listening for his call, that brings us closer together and closer to God in faith, hope and love.”

Later in the service the work of Fougere was also given a rousing, sustained applause when he was thanked by Luca Lorusso, assistant to the Papal Nuncio, who said he will pray with Islanders that the “Lord will bless him with the gift of health and strength in years to come.”