A special mass was held at St. Mary’s Cathedral to install Calgary’s new Bishop.
Bishop William McGrattan, from Peterborough, is replacing Bishop Fred Henry, who stepped down in January because of medical issues.
Bishop McGrattan, 60, was appointed to the Calgary diocese by Pope Francis to lead southern Alberta’s 400,000 Catholics.
‘This diocese is the fourth or fifth largest in Canada, it is still growing and there are many demands that the church needs to address, both in terms of its own parish communities but also the wider community of society,” said McGrattan at a news conference on Monday morning.
McGrattan says he knows Bishop Henry personally and that he might not be as outspoken as his predecessor.
“He’s a very bold bishop in terms of his statements and I’m sure he has created controversy. I don’t think it’s for that purpose. I think he wants to be provocative, he wants to allow people to sort of understand the truth that might be at stake on some of these social issues,” he said. “I might not be as direct, but I’ll be as firm, I think sometimes.”
The mass got underway at 7:30 p.m. on Monday with representatives from government and other religions joining the Catholic faithful.
The new Bishop gave thanks for the opportunity to lead the Calgary diocese, and even made a few jokes.
"One might say that I am in the shadow of those who have served before me as the successor of the apostles. I'm sure you would agree that the shadow and reflection of Bishop Henry that has been cast upon this diocese is not necessarily because of his height but rather because of the rich legacy that he has given to this diocese," he said.
Bishop McGrattan is Calgary’s eighth bishop.
