The Episcopal ordination of the newest member of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland was a formal yet joyful celebration in Edinburgh last Saturday afternoon that united St Andrews and Edinburgh Archdiocese, Scotland and the Episcopal conferences of the UK and Ireland.The diverse congregation at St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh watched as Cardinal Keith O’Brien, Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, Archbishop Mario Conti of Glasgow and Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Antonio Mennini ordained Archdiocesan Chancellor Mgr Robson, 61, as Auxiliary Bishop to assist the cardinal in the administration of the archdiocese.
Bishop Robson, who converted to Catholicism as a young man, described the task ahead as a ‘new phase in my life, as a priest and as a Christian.’
Among those present at the ordination were the new Auxiliary bishop’s parents, both in their 80s, many of Bishop Robson’s brother bishops in Scotland, representatives from the bishops of England and Ireland, his parishioners from his current parishes of Our Lady Star of the Sea, North Berwick, and Our Lady of the Waves, Dunbar, his former parishioners and Alison Elliot, former moderator of the Church of Scotland who represented current Moderator Albert Bogle.
Ordination
While the supportive role of auxiliary bishop was explained during the Mass of ordination it was also made clear that Bishop Robson is a full member of the Order of Bishops and of The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland in his own right.
During the Rite of Ordination, the Papal Bull naming Mgr Robson Auxiliary Bishop for St Andrews and Edinburgh was read allowed for all to hear.
In it Pope Benedict XVI said: “At the present time our fatherly gaze is on the ancient Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh, carefully considering its spiritual needs… following the request of the bishop of this flock… that he be given an auxiliary to meet more suitably his duties as shepherd.”
The Apostolic mandate acknowledged some of the new bishop’s accomplishments in theology and Canon law, as well as in his role as chancellor, and his motto as bishop: Peregrinatio pro Christo (On pilgrimage for Christ.)
The reading of the mandate was followed by a spontaneous round of applause from the congregation and the homily of Cardinal O’Brien.
Tributes
Cardinal O’Brien spoke with genuine affection of the 36 years he had known and worked with the new bishop.
“I do commend him to you and publicly state that I am more than happy our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has appointed him to assist me in my service in this archdiocese,” he said.
The cardinal also explained Bishop Robson’s new role in the ‘high priesthood’ of bishops.
“An auxiliary bishop is indeed a bishop possessing the fullness of Holy Orders, who is a successor of the Apostles, and who is indeed a member of the college of bishops in our country and a member of the ‘Order of Bishops’ throughout the world.” the cardinal said.
“He is not an upgraded monsignor, nor a super chancellor, and far less is he a curate of the cardinal, although that last one does have a certain appeal! He is a bishop in his own right, but [has] the responsibility of assisting a diocesan bishop.”
Archbishop Mennini said his first words had to be ‘congratulations to you Bishop Stephen as you begin your Episcopal ministry,’ adding that he brought with him the thanks and the prayers of the Holy Father.
The nuncio spoke of how appropriate it was that the ordination took place on the feast of St Columba, who he said was a ‘shining example’ for the new bishop should he be feeling a little daunted by the task ahead because ‘those who have gone before us, the saints, have shown us the way.’
New bishop
Bishop Robson bestowed his first blessing following his ordination by walking around the cathedral accompanied by Cardinal O’Brien and Archbishop Conti.
The new bishop’s legendary humour was not absent on the day, however, when he spoke to those gathered to offer his thanks for this ‘new phase in my life, as a priest and as a Christian.’
He formally thanked his own Archbishop, Cardinal O’Brien, whom he has known for 36 years, 33 of them as a priest. Bishop Robson said ‘I pledge my future service as auxiliary bishop’ before quipping ‘he has always been my boss and now he always will be’ and that the cardinal liked those he worked with to work ‘quite hard.’
He thanked the priests who formed him, seminarians and lay Catholics who had supported him over the years.
His final thanks went to the ‘good Lord’ that his parents were alive to see him become a bishop.