St Mary’s Cathedral Most Reverend Sale Gregory Bennet’s Ordination & Installation

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who is our new ?

Bishop-elect Gregory Charles Bennet will ministering in several parishes. He become the tenth Bishop of the Catholic continued his studies overseas graduating of Sale. He comes to us from the as a Master of Science in Pastoral Studies Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. from Loyola University Maryland, USA same year that Fr Bennet was awarded before obtaining a Licentiate in Sacred the distinction of being appointed as Bishop-elect Bennet was born in 1963 Theology from the of a Prelate of Honour of by and educated at St Dominic’s Primary St. Thomas Aquinas in . Benedict XVI. In March 2020 he School, East Camberwell, All Hallows was appointed by Peter Primary School Balwyn and Marcellin On his return from Rome, Fr Bennet Comensoli as Priest of St Joseph’s College Bulleen, before completing his was appointed Director of the West Brunswick. secondary education at the ecumenical Ministry to Priests and Director of Braemar College at Woodend. He then Ongoing Formation for for the appointed joined the Commercial Bank of Australia Archdiocese of Melbourne. In 2005 he Bennet as tenth Bishop of Sale on whilst undertaking studies in Public became the inaugural Director of the 27 June 2020, the Feast Day of the Administration. Archbishop’s Office for Evangelisation Patroness of the Diocese, Our Lady of and also commenced as Parish Priest Perpetual Help, in succession to Bishop In 1986 he began his seminary training of St Bede’s Balwyn North. In 2012 Patrick O’Regan now Archbishop of and was ordained a priest for the Archbishop Hart appointed him Vicar Adelaide. Melbourne Archdiocese in 1992, General and Moderator of the , the

Coat of Arms & Motto Past of Sale Where is the Ordination

The personal arms and motto, which Bishop James Francis Corbett being held? Bennet adopted on his appointment, are of 1887-1912 a personal character described as: The Episcopal Ordination and Installation Patrick Phelan of Bishop-elect Bennet as the tenth On a silver shield a red cross of Calvary 1913-1925 Bishop of Sale will be held at St Mary’s reflecting the Memorial Cross at Mount Cathedral Sale in late 2020. The date Macedon, stands on a green mound which is Richard Ryan sprouting green shoots with blackened low- 1926-1957 is dependent on the lifting of current er leaves, representing pasture in regrowth government restrictions in place due Patrick Francis Lyons after a bushfire. to the coronavirus. It is only possible to 1957-1967 have a very small assembly, who will be The episcopal cross and the arms are physically distanced. The ceremony will ensigned by the green () with six Arthur Francis Fox be livestreamed via the Diocesan tassels on either 1968-1981 side which are the website and a copy of the ceremonial Joseph Eric D’Arcy traditional iden- booklet will also be available online at 1981-1988 tifying insignia www.cdsale.org.au. of a bishop. His Jeremiah Joseph Coffey chosen motto 1989-2008 is: “Life for me is Christ”. Christopher Charles Prowse 2009-2013 Patrick Michael O’Regan 2015-2020

November 2020 Some key elements of the ordination and installation of a bishop:

• Presentation of the Elect: The bishop, including the preaching of the • Anointing and Investiture: The Principal Bishop-elect is presented to the principal Gospel of Christ, to guard and uphold anoints the head of the new consecrating Archbishop, Peter A. the Catholic faith, to build up and guide Bishop with the Oil of Sacred Chrism, Comensoli (Melbourne), by the Diocesan the Body of Christ, to be welcoming and hands him the Book of the Gospels, Administrator Fr Peter Slater. merciful to all in need, and to be like the places the Ring on his finger, the Good Shepherd in his care for the People on his head, and gives him the Crosier or • The Apostolic Letter (the ): of God entrusted to him. pastoral staff. The letter of appointment by Pope Francis is read aloud by the Apostolic • Litany of the : All the faithful call • Installation and Seating of the New (if able to be present) or the on the intercession of the saints for the Bishop: The new Bishop is led to and testifies that Bishop-elect. the (bishop’s chair) by the the Bishop-elect may receive the third consecrating bishops. He then becomes and final ‘degree’ of the Sacrament of • Laying on of Hands and Prayer of the Presider for the Liturgy of the Holy Orders, namely the Episcopate. Ordination: Following the tradition of the Eucharist. Apostles the three consecrating bishops • Assent: After the document is read lay hands upon the head of the bishop- • Kiss of Peace: Before the aloud, all present give their assent to the elect as an outward sign of the invoking continues, the Rite of Ordination ends election of the Bishop by saying: “Thanks of the Holy Spirit. As a symbol of the with the kiss of peace from the principal be to God.” bishop-elect’s submission to the Gospel consecrator and all the other bishops of Christ, the Book of the Gospels is who are present. • Promises: After the homily, the Bishop- placed above his head while the Prayer of elect is asked to give his firm promise Consecration is offered by the presiding to nine aspects of his role and duty as Archbishop.

What A Bishop Wears What does a Bishop do?

What a Bishop Wears In the there are three and enabling it to grow and flourish. (skull ) levels of ordination within the sacrament The role of the Bishop is that of and Mitre of Holy Orders: , Priest and Bishop. guardian, teacher and preacher. Zucchetto The spoke of (skull cap) the Bishop as having ‘the fullness of the and Mitre sacrament of Orders’ and dedicated an Crosier entire to the Pastoral Office of BishopsCrosier in the Church. As we prepare to welcome our new Bishop, Gregory Bennet Pectoral as Bishop of Sale, we might be wondering Cross what a Bishop is and what they do. Pectoral Cross The primary role of any Bishop is to ensure thatRing the work of Christ is carried out at Ring the local level by caring for all the faithful entrusted to him in his particular diocese. Often the Bishop is referred to as the Chief Shepherd since his ministry is modelled on that of Christ the Good Shepherd. Immediately we can see that the role of the Bishop is not simply that of ‘governing’ a local Church, but of caring for it and nurturing it

Catholic Diocese of Sale