Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT
11 Jan 2012
The Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell will be a Co-consecrator at the Episcopal Ordination and Installation of Armidale Bishop-Elect, Wagga Wagga priest, Father Michael Kennedy.
The Ordination and Installation will be held at Armidale's Cathedral of Saints Mary and Joseph on Thursday, 9 February when more than 700 dignitaries, priests and members of the 23 parishes of the sprawling 91,500 square kilometre Armidale diocese are expected to attend.
The Principal celebrant at this important ceremony will be the retiring Bishop of Armidale, the Most Rev Luc Matthys with Bishop Gerard Hanna of Wagga Wagga and Cardinal Pell acting as Co-consecrators.
At 43, Fr Kennedy will become the youngest Catholic bishop in Australia and admits he is both humbled and honoured to have been chosen a successor of the Apostles as the Bishop of Armidale.
"I thought I should be nervous but I feel at peace with the news," he says adding he is grateful for the many people who are praying for him and his ministry.
The elevation of Fr Kennedy to become Bishop of Armidale was announced by the Vatican on 8 December and details of his Ordination and Installation have now been released by Bishop Matthys who at 75 is retiring after 12 years as the ninth prelate of the sprawling rural diocese.
Bishop Matthys who was ordained Bishop of Armidale in May 1999, says he is satisfied he is handing over the Diocese of Armidale in a good position.
"More clergy are needed but we are not doing too badly. Organisationally and financially we are not facing any difficulties," he says.
Invitations to the Installation of Fr Kennedy have already gone out and these include invitations to the principal and head boy and girl from each of the 24 Catholic schools within the Armidale Diocese.
Also at the ceremony will be Fr Kennedy's family.
The youngest of nine children, he grew up in the San Isidore locality in the Riverina district of NSW. His father was a public servant in Wagga Wagga while his mother was a nurse prior to the birth of her children.
"Both my parents came from farming backgrounds and I was blessed growing up in such a loving, stable, caring and secure family," Bishop-Elect Kennedy says.
As a young child, the future prelate attended a small two class country school in San Isidore before completing his secondary education at a Christian Brothers secondary school in Wagga Wagga.
"I was so happy with my school I decided to become a teacher myself and as a young man for three years I taught at Xavier Catholic High school in Albury," he says.
Beginning his priestly formation at Vianney College, Bishop-Elect Kennedy completed his studies in Rome at Propaganda Fide, obtaining a Licentiate in Sacred Theology. He was ordained a priest on 14 August 1999 in Wagga Wagga and took up his first appointment as assistant priest in Griffith later that year.
From 2001-2003, he was Rector of St Francis' Residential College at Charles Sturt University before becoming assistant priest in Albury from 2004-2006 and Parish priest of Leeton from 2007.
In addition to his duties as parish priest, Bishop-Elect Kennedy taught Moral Theology and Church History at his former alma mater, Vianney College.
Former Armidale local, Bishop Gerard Hanna, Bishop of Wagga Wagga, is delighted at the elevation of one of his senior priests. "Over the past 13 years he has shown a very balanced approach to his pastoral ministry and I believe he is well suited to his new role."
He also believes the new bishop's rural background will stand him in good stead.
Just before Christmas, Bishop-Elect Kennedy says he visited Armidale to meet the clergy and people of the Diocese.
"I'd been to Armidale several times in the past and have also been to Moree and know just how picturesque the region is and how welcoming its people," he says.
Although Armidale is much larger than the Wagga Wagga Diocese, he insists he is accustomed to long drives on unsealed country roads and looking forward to seeing and getting to know New England.
"When Bishop Matthys took office almost 13 years ago he made it a priority to visit every one of the 23 parishes and recommended I try to do the same in as short a period as possible, so people have an opportunity to meet me," he says.
Bishop-Elect Kennedy will arrive in Armidale a week prior to his Ordination. After this, ensuring his successor has settled in, Bishop Matthys will move from Armidale to Tamworth where with a little more time on his hands, he says he is keen to begin "relearning the clarinet."
http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2012/2012111_37.shtml
11 Jan 2012
Bishop-Elect Michael Kennedy
The Ordination and Installation will be held at Armidale's Cathedral of Saints Mary and Joseph on Thursday, 9 February when more than 700 dignitaries, priests and members of the 23 parishes of the sprawling 91,500 square kilometre Armidale diocese are expected to attend.
The Principal celebrant at this important ceremony will be the retiring Bishop of Armidale, the Most Rev Luc Matthys with Bishop Gerard Hanna of Wagga Wagga and Cardinal Pell acting as Co-consecrators.
At 43, Fr Kennedy will become the youngest Catholic bishop in Australia and admits he is both humbled and honoured to have been chosen a successor of the Apostles as the Bishop of Armidale.
Retiring Bishop of Armidale,
the Most Rev Luc Matthys
The elevation of Fr Kennedy to become Bishop of Armidale was announced by the Vatican on 8 December and details of his Ordination and Installation have now been released by Bishop Matthys who at 75 is retiring after 12 years as the ninth prelate of the sprawling rural diocese.
Bishop Matthys who was ordained Bishop of Armidale in May 1999, says he is satisfied he is handing over the Diocese of Armidale in a good position.
"More clergy are needed but we are not doing too badly. Organisationally and financially we are not facing any difficulties," he says.
Invitations to the Installation of Fr Kennedy have already gone out and these include invitations to the principal and head boy and girl from each of the 24 Catholic schools within the Armidale Diocese.
Cardinal George Pell will be a
co-consecrator at Ordination
of Bishop Elect Kennedy
The youngest of nine children, he grew up in the San Isidore locality in the Riverina district of NSW. His father was a public servant in Wagga Wagga while his mother was a nurse prior to the birth of her children.
"Both my parents came from farming backgrounds and I was blessed growing up in such a loving, stable, caring and secure family," Bishop-Elect Kennedy says.
As a young child, the future prelate attended a small two class country school in San Isidore before completing his secondary education at a Christian Brothers secondary school in Wagga Wagga.
"I was so happy with my school I decided to become a teacher myself and as a young man for three years I taught at Xavier Catholic High school in Albury," he says.
Cathedral of St Mary and St Joseph,
Armidale
From 2001-2003, he was Rector of St Francis' Residential College at Charles Sturt University before becoming assistant priest in Albury from 2004-2006 and Parish priest of Leeton from 2007.
In addition to his duties as parish priest, Bishop-Elect Kennedy taught Moral Theology and Church History at his former alma mater, Vianney College.
Former Armidale local, Bishop Gerard Hanna, Bishop of Wagga Wagga, is delighted at the elevation of one of his senior priests. "Over the past 13 years he has shown a very balanced approach to his pastoral ministry and I believe he is well suited to his new role."
He also believes the new bishop's rural background will stand him in good stead.
Just before Christmas, Bishop-Elect Kennedy says he visited Armidale to meet the clergy and people of the Diocese.
Bishop-Elect Kennedy from The Irrigator Leeton300
Although Armidale is much larger than the Wagga Wagga Diocese, he insists he is accustomed to long drives on unsealed country roads and looking forward to seeing and getting to know New England.
"When Bishop Matthys took office almost 13 years ago he made it a priority to visit every one of the 23 parishes and recommended I try to do the same in as short a period as possible, so people have an opportunity to meet me," he says.
Bishop-Elect Kennedy will arrive in Armidale a week prior to his Ordination. After this, ensuring his successor has settled in, Bishop Matthys will move from Armidale to Tamworth where with a little more time on his hands, he says he is keen to begin "relearning the clarinet."
http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2012/2012111_37.shtml
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