The shepherd Pope Benedict XVI chose for the people of Perth is installed as our sixth Archbishop.
While a handful of archdiocesan organisers knew how Wednesday evening’s installation ceremony for Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB would unfold, almost no-one realised in advance the effect his words would have on a packed congregation of well over 1,100 people with many hundreds more watching on giant TV screens in the grounds outside.
In a homily that left many commenting on his confidence and conviction, Archbishop Costelloe challenged himself, clergy, the faithful in parishes, church agencies, seminaries, universities and schools to once again put Christ at the centre of their being and mission.
“The greatest challenge facing the Church today is to return Christ to the Church and the Church to Christ,” Archbishop Costelloe told those inside and outside the cathedral.
“Let yourselves be motivated by these words,” the Archbishop said. “The greatest challenge facing my school or college, university or seminary, the greatest challenge facing me in my classroom or lecture hall, is to return this place to Christ and return Christ to his rightful place.”
It was the same challenge the Blessed John Paul II issued the Church in 2000, he said, and the same challenge his confrere, the Superior General of the Salesians, Fr Pascual Chávez issued to the leaders of religious congregations some years ago.
“At the risk of puzzling and even affronting people tonight I want to put the same challenge, to myself first of all, and then to all of us here,” Archbishop Costelloe said.
“I invite each one of you to continually ask yourself the question: “Where is Jesus in what I am doing?””
Archbishop Costelloe also took the opportunity to elaborate on his choice of Episcopal motto: Ego sum Via, Veritas et Vita: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”
“If we do not know Christ, who is the Truth, we will be plunged into confusion,” he said.
“If we do not know Christ who is the Life we will be on a pathway to death.
And if we have lost our way, if we are caught in confusion, if we are a people of death rather than of life, how can we be, like the Good Shepherd in tonight’s Gospel, a people who feeds others and leads them to safe pastures?”
Around 24 bishops from both the Roman and Eastern rites of the Church were there to witness the occasion with around 350 bishops, priests, deacons and seminarians present in total.
Distinguished civic and religious leaders were also there to welcome the Archbishop, including leaders from Perth’s Jewish, Orthodox, and Protestant congregations as well as the Lord Mayor of Perth, Lisa Scaffidi.
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Coming more than 20 years after the installation of Archbishop Barry James Hickey on August 27, 1991, the night was full of all the pomp and ceremony such an occasion demanded.
It began with Cathedral Dean, Mgr Michael Keating’s procession down the centre isle of the church, with key in hand, to open St Mary’s ceremonial door and welcome Archbishop Costelloe to his new Cathedral.
The congregation gave the Archbishop a rousing entrance, enthusiastically singing Here I Am, Lord as he entered and processed down the isle, blessing the congregation with Holy Water while making his way to Our Lady’s Chapel.
There he knelt and prayed before vesting in preparation for Mass. A select group of bishops led Archbishop Costelloe to the altar where he received both mitre and crozier from Archbishop Barry Hickey and Papal representative, the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto.
In some of the only words he spoke that night, Perth’s retired Archbishop Barry Hickey declared that Archbishop Costelloe’s Papal letter of appointment would be read to the people, a task fulfilled by Bishop Donald Sproxton.
In perhaps the most ceremonially significant moment of the installation, Archbishop Costelloe was then led by Archbishop Hickey and the Apostolic Nuncio to his cathedra or chair – the throne of the Archbishop in his diocese’ mother church.
Representatives spanning the diversity of Perth’s Catholic community – from families, the bishops, priests, schools, Indigenous communities and seminaries – were called up to the sanctuary to welcome Archbishop Costelloe.
They took turns approaching the Archbishop, with many shaking his hand, kneeling before him or kissing his Episcopal ring. At the conclusion of the Mass, Archbishop Costelloe praised and thanked Archbishop Hickey for the compassion and leadership he had shown over the past 21 years – a vote of thanks that received sustained applause.
Mgr Keating no doubt summed up the feelings of many in his welcoming remarks.
“Your appointment to Perth has been greeted with genuine joy here in the West. We recognise how fortunate we are,” Mgr Keating said. “Archbishop Timothy, you have our full support and our loyalty.”