A WHO'S who of the Catholic Church in Australia descended on Newcastle
last week for the ordination of Father William Wright as the eighth
Bishop of the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle.
More than two dozen
priests and bishops, hundreds of parishioners and the head of the
Catholic Church in Australia, Cardinal George Pell, packed the Sacred
Heart Cathedral at Hamilton for a 2 hour ceremony steeped in religious
tradition.
Stepping down after 16 years as bishop, Michael Malone
looked on as Cardinal Pell anointed Father Wright the new leader of the
Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, instructing him to "preach the word of
God with unfailing patience and sound teaching".
After accepting
the pontifical ring and taking his place on the Bishop's chair, Bishop
Wright rose to a thunderous applause from his new congregation and the
ringing of the cathedral bells.
A small number of people holding
placards staged a peaceful protest outside the cathedral in an effort to
raise awareness for sexual abuse victims within the Catholic Church.