By Paul Dobbyn
ROCKHAMPTON’Ss newly-ordained Bishop Michael McCarthy has invited young people to answer the call to religious life.
“We need you to help us folk in the faith,” he told a packed congregation during his episcopal ordination Mass at St Joseph’s Cathedral today Thursday.
The episcopal ordination of Rockhampton’s 10th bishop was held in glorious sunshine.
Bishop McCarthy was ordained by Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge during a Mass concelebrated by eight Queensland bishops and a large number of priests from Queensland and other parts of Australia.
Archbishop Coleridge in his homily gave Bishop McCarthy pastoral advice on being a bishop.
He advised that the new bishop see “the extraordinary in the ordinary and bring the Good News to the poor”.
The congregation also learnt that Pope Francis, in his letter appointing Fr Michael McCarthy as bishop had said: “May the diocese of Rockhampton in lovely and loveable Australia be yours.”
Bishop-elect McCarthy’s ordination can be viewed online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jeks72zWK8 or https://www.youtube.com/user/StJosephsCathRton.
Prior to his ordination Bishop-elect McCarthy said he was “firming up” a program of visiting every region and every parish in the diocese during the first three months.
“My first weekend I’m in Rockhampton and Yeppoon,” he said.
“The second weekend I’m out to Barcaldine to be met by Fr Matthew Moloney who will take me in his car to visit Longreach, Blackall and other areas in the diocese’s far west.
“Then there’s Mackay, Gladstone, Bundaberg and so on.
“I aim to meet key leaders of the diocese.
“Apart from that I have no other plans. It’s just listen, listen and listen.”
