New Bishop...

Ordination of Bishop Seamus Cunningham - 13th Bishop of Hexham & Newcastle

It was an especially joyous occasion as the Bishop-elect was himself already well known in the diocese, having been a priest of the diocese for 40 years. Said Emeritus Bishop Ambrose Griffiths: “The ordination of a bishop is the most important event in the life of our diocese and inaugurates a new period in our history. When the bishop-elect is a member of our diocese whom we all know and love it is an especially happy occasion.”

 

Canon Seamus was ordained by the Archbishop of Liverpool, Most Rev Patrick Kelly, assisted by Bishop Ambrose Griffiths OSB, Bishop Emeritus of Hexham and Newcastle and the Right Reverend Michael Campbell OSA, Coadjutor Bishop of Lancaster. Numerous bishops were present , and three archbishops and two cardinals including Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Keith Patrick O'Brien, the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh and the Most Reverend Peter Smith, Archbishop of Cardiff.

Said Bishop Ambrose Griffiths: “We are delighted to welcome so many members of the English and Welsh hierarchy. Their presence here reminds us that although our bishop is vital for our diocese we are all part of a universal Church for which all the bishops are collectively responsible and mutually support one another.”

In addition the Grand Knight of the Order of Malta, Fra' Matthew Festing, was present and His Holiness Pope Benedict was represented by the Apostolic Nuncio (Papal Ambassador) to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Archbishop Faustino Sainz Munoz. The deputy Lord Lieutenant of Tyne & Wear represented her Majesty the Queen. Civic leaders representing all parts of the region were present including the High Sheriff and Deputy Lord Mayor of Newcastle.

The Anglican Bishops of Newcastle, Durham and Jarrow were present and representatives of the other major denominations and faiths of the region were in attendance.

 

Music was provided by the diocesan music group.

Over 160 priests from the diocese and beyond took part; guests also included representatives from all the religious communities in the diocese and delegates from each of the 18 deaneries in the diocese, as well as guests from beyond the diocese.

The homily was given by the Archbishop of Liverpool, Most Rev Patrick Kelly.

The inspiring and beautiful service lasted nearly three hours. The central part of the ordination ceremony was the laying on of hands and the prayer of consecration.

 

During this all those present prayed for the bishop-elect, invoking the prayers of all the saints, including St Cuthbert and all the Northern Saints, while the bishop-elect lay prostrate before the altar acknowledging his weakness and need of God’s help.

At the end of the litany of the saints the bishop-elect rose and knelt before Archbishop Kelly who laid his hands on the bishop-elect’s head. The assisting consecrating bishops and all the bishops in turn came forward to also lay their hands on his head.

Following this an open book of the gospels was placed on the head of the bishop-elect and the consecrating bishops recited the prayer of consecration.

 

The new bishop was then anointed with Sacred Chrism; this Chrism was blessed by Bishop Hugh Lindsay on Maundy Thursday last year. Bishop Seamus was then invested with a Pectoral Cross, Ring, Mitre, and Crosier. This Pectoral Cross was a copy of the Cross of St Cuthbert, and, giving it to Bishop Seamus, Archbishop Kelly said:

"Take this Pectoral Cross, a sign of the passion of our Lord who laid down his life for his flock. Fashioned in the likeness of one worn by our father, Cuthbert, may it inspire you in leading our local Church, founded by the saints of the North, to take up the Cross every day and so come to the glory of the Resurrection.”

 

The new Bishop was led to the bishop's chair or cathedra, representing his role as the one who presides in love over the diocese. All the bishops welcomed him to the Episcopal ministry and prayed that the peace of Christ might be with him.

On behalf of all the Christian Leaders the Right Reverend Tom Wright, Anglican Bishop of Durham, welcomed Bishop Seamus.

 

The mass continued with the liturgy of the Eucharist.

At the end of the service the Te Deum, a great hymn of praise and thanksgiving, was sung and two school children led Bishop Seamus Cunningham through the Cathedral so that he could bless everyone.

After the ceremony the new Bishop and guests attended a reception in the grounds of the Cathedral. Later in the day Bishop Seamus led a celebration of Solemn Vespers for a congregation of over 500 people drawn from across the region.

The Cathedral was filled to capacity for both the ordination and the Vespers.

Homily preached by the Most Reverend Patrick Kelly, Archbishop of Liverpool, at the Episcopal Ordination of the Right Reverend Seamus Cunningham as Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle. 12.00 noon on Friday 20 March 2008, the Feast of St Cuthbert of Lindisfarne, in the Cathedral Church of St Mary, Newcastle-upon-Tyne:

"Thanks be to God that the Lord at whose command we gather today is the one who ‘when he saw the crowds felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected like sheep without a shepherd’. Two words: Northern Rock: can stand for the tens of thousands at this time who are harassed and dejected.

 

"Thanks be to God that this day is about a willingness to allow hearts and minds to be judged, healed, renewed, transformed by this promise fulfilled among us. ‘The spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for the Lord has anointed me…He has sent me to bind up hearts that are broken, to comfort all who mourn, to give them for despondency, praise.’

 

"But this Spirit is from the wounded side of the only Son sent not to condemn the world but sent because God so loves the world.

So the greatness of heart that we plead for this day is such that every word shall be Good News, Gospel, flowing from someone who will place his whole being under the shadow of the book of the Gospels, as he welcomes not a spirit of timidity but a spirit of love and power and self control. Every prayer, word, decision shall further God’s kingdom of justice, love and peace and shall be a curing of all kinds of diseases, sickness.

 

"Seamus,

"I am utterly convinced that the Father does give us the power through the Spirit for our hidden self to grow strong, so that Christ will live in our hearts through faith. As a Bishop, who two weeks today will give thanks for 25 years as a Bishop, I give you this assurance, in God’s loving wisdom and wisest love and generous love, at every new moment in my life these words have been in the prayer of the Church that day: and they are absolutely true:

‘To him who is able to do so much more than we can ask for, or even think of, by means of the power working in us: to God be the glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus for all time, and for ever and ever! Amen.’

"I offer you today the last words spoken to me by the late, great Frank Thomas, Bishop of Northampton, one of those who formed Bishop Kevin Dunn in his student days; please welcome them: it is possible to live them in the power of the spirit: tens of thousands yearn for us to live and proclaim them.

 

They are simply, demandingly this:

  Seamus, ‘be joyful’. "