ROCHESTER — Bishop John S. Bonnici greeted daily Mass-goers at Sacred Heart Cathedral on Jan. 7, just hours after being announced as bishop-designate of the Diocese of Rochester.
Along with several diocesan priests, Bishop-designate Bonnici concelebrated the cathedral’s 12:10 p.m. Mass with Bishop Emeritus Salvatore R. Matano, who will serve as apostolic administrator of the diocese until Bishop Bonnici’s March 19 installation.
Bishop Matano, local Catholics overjoyed to learn of bishop’s appointment
Local Catholics were “thoroughly overjoyed” to hear Bishop Bonnici had been appointed to be their shepherd, Bishop Matano said before Mass began.
“While it is cloudy outside, there could not be a greater, brighter light than our new bishop-designate, Bishop Bonnici, present among us today, who will succeed me as the 10th bishop of Rochester. … Your Excellency, at this Mass today we welcome you and we assure you of our prayers from this day forward. Even though your installation will be March 19, the prayers have already begun. May God bless you with many, many happy years in our diocese,” Bishop Matano said.
Daily Mass-goer: Mass was an emotional experience
The concelebrated Mass delighted Penny Keenan, a parishioner and daily Mass-goer at Sacred Heart Cathedral. After arriving at the cathedral early and learning that Bishop Bonnici would be concelebrating with Bishop Matano, Keenan texted several of her friends who’d planned to attend Mass at another church that day.
“I just said, ‘The new bishop is going to be at the cathedral!’ That’s all I said, and they were over here in 20 minutes,” Keenan remarked.
Watching the Diocese of Rochester’s ninth and 10th bishops together at the altar was an overwhelming experience, she said.
“I feel like all of us here were so blessed beyond words. It was magnificent. … I just feel so emotional, so excited,” Keenan said.
Although she said she will be sad to see Bishop Matano’s tenure end, Keenan said she is excited about welcoming Bishop Bonnici.
“He looked happy. He looked like he wanted to belong here,” she said after Mass.
Local Mass-goers were eager to meet their new shepherd
Elizabeth Annechino does not usually attend daily Mass at the cathedral but decided to come after watching Bishop Matano introduce Bishop Bonnici during a livestreamed press conference earlier in the day.
“I just had to come,” Annechino said simply.
At first, Annechino was eager to learn more about the bishop-designate and where he stood on various issues, but the questions in her mind were silenced when she heard Bishop Bonnici explain during the press conference that his motto is “To Jesus through Mary.”
“I just felt in my spirit that I was to hush, and focus in on the office (of the bishop). He has special graces for him because of the office, and that’s what I’m supposed to be praying for, that he’s able to receive those,” said Annechino, who belongs to St. Pius Tenth Parish in Chili.
Like Annechino, Daniel McAndrew-Greiner also felt compelled to attend Mass at the cathedral after learning the bishop-designate would concelebrate.
“I just really wanted to be in fellowship with the diocese and the church, to pray for the well-being of the new bishop and also Bishop Matano,” said McAndrew-Greiner, a library assistant at St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry in Pittsford.
“I was feeling a lot of joy, a sense of how can we walk together in the diocese? How can we stand shoulder to shoulder with people of faith … bringing people closer to God?” remarked McAndrew-Greiner, who belongs to St. Louis Parish in Pittsford.
