Ancient rituals will be part of Murry's ceremony

The ceremony reflects a transfer of power to the new bishop and his role as shepherd of the diocese.
By LINDA M. LINONIS
VINDICATOR RELIGION EDITOR
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Mass serves as the liturgical backdrop of the installation of a bishop.
Deacon Francis Wagner, the archdiocesan master of ceremonies of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati, noted that segments pertaining to the installation ceremony date to the 1600s.
The Most Rev. Daniel E. Pilarczyk, in his 25th year as the archbishop of Cincinnati, will install Bishop George V. Murry as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Youngstown during a ceremony at 1:30 p.m. today.
"There are long and short versions pertaining to the installation of a bishop," Deacon Wagner said. The long version is used when a priest is elevated to the position of a bishop. "In this ceremony, the new bishop will get his miter [hat], ring and have his hands anointed with chrism oil."
Because the new Youngstown diocese leader already is a bishop, the "short" version will be used, Deacon Wagner said. But, he noted, there are rituals that make the service distinctive.
Arrival
Monsignor Robert J. Siffrin, diocesan administrator of the Diocese of Youngstown, will formally greet Bishop Murry at the door of St. Columba Cathedral.
The procession into the church, Deacon Wagner said, will include the servers, possibly Knights of Columbus members, deacons and priests and bishops. At the end of the line will be Archbishop Pilarczyk preceded by Bishop Murry.
"There will be other bishops who will participate in the installation," Deacon Wagner said. They are referred to as suffragans -- bishops that rule over dioceses but not another bishop, he explained. "The archbishop is first among equals."
The bishop will go to the cathedra (chair), greet the congregation and put on his miter, Deacon Wagner continued. The word cathedra is the foundation of cathedral.
"A classmate, deacon or someone close to the bishop will show the apostolic letter of appointment to the college of consultors -- these are the priests on the council in the diocese -- and then the letter will be read," he said. Or, the letter may be read by a high-ranking church official.
The congregation will respond with "thanks be to God" and usually stands and applauds, Deacon Wagner said.
Part of permanent record
The reading of the letter is the formal communication of the bishop's appointment to those in the diocese, he continued. "It is a part of the permanent record of the diocese. It's the chancellor's responsibility to keep the letter as a ranking official of the diocese."
"The archbishop will formally greet Bishop Murry and may go over and hug him," Deacon Wagner said. In some instances, he said, civil authorities may greet the bishop, as the Rite Book permits.
Archbishop Pilarczyk also will give a crozier (staff) to Bishop Murry, Deacon Wagner said. "This indicates that he is the shepherd of the diocese and the people are his flock.
"When a bishop is in his diocese, the curl on top the staff is pointed away from him toward the flock," Deacon Wagner explained, "and when the bishop is outside of his diocese, the curl is held facing toward him."
"The archbishop likes to formally give the crozier as a symbol of the transfer of power ... recalling the legacy of the Apostles to this diocese."
The Gloria will be sung, even though it is Lent, Deacon Wagner said. After the Gospel, Bishop Murry will address those in attendance for the first time as the bishop of the Diocese of Youngstown.
Another item of note that occurs during the Eucharistic prayer is that Bishop Murry will be mentioned along with Pope Benedict XVI.
linonis@vindy.com