Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,
18 Sep 2013
18 Sep 2013
Archbishop Julian Porteous during his installation mass
Archbishop Julian Porteous was installed as Hobart's 11th Archbishop at the city's historic St Mary's Cathedral last night. Among the more than 600 who attended the Reception and Solemn Mass of Installation were the Governor of Tasmania, Peter Underwood, Tasmania's Premier Laura Giddings, Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell, bishops and priests from around Australia, community leaders, parish representatives , friends and family including his elderly mother.
Archbishop Julian was an Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Sydney prior to his appointment.
The 10th Archbishop of Hobart, the Most Rev Adrian Doyle who was installed on 26 July 1999 stepped down last month three months short of his 77th birthday after more than 14 years of service and pastoral care to the people of Tasmania.
Archbishop Julian is well known and loved throughout the Archdiocese of Sydney and many of those he has worked with such as members of Credo, the Archdiocese's Office for Renewal and Evangelisation and members of the National World Youth Day Committee flew to Hobart to attend last night's Solemn Installation Mass.
As Episcopal Vicar for Renewal and Evangelisation, Archbishop Julian was a driving force behind such events as SCENE (Sydney Congress Embracing the New Evangelisation) and evangelisation will be a hallmark of his new role as Archbishop of Hobart.
Archbishop Julian is the 11th Archibishop of Hobart
The Reception began with the Vicar General and Chancellor greeting the new Archbishop at the entrance to the Cathedral, presenting him with the crucifix and holy water. Archbishop Julian then went to the Blessed Sacrament for a moment of quiet prayer before the Introductory Rites and Entrance Procession.
The Apostolic Nuncio to Australia, Archbishop Paul Gallagher then read the Papal Mandate officially announcing Archbishop Julian's appointment.
Archbishop Julian was then led to the Cathedra by Archbishop Doyle and Archbishop Gallagher. A number of representatives of the local Church then warmly greeted the new Archbishop.
During his Homily Archbishop Julian invited all Tasmanians to make a fresh and renewed connection with Jesus and the Gospel and to experience the joy of Christian life.
"The Christian life has meant for me a life full of hope and confidence. With this experience firmly grounded within me, my ministry as priest and now as bishop has focussed on helping others to discover what I have discovered. The Catholic faith is a great treasure. I long that all may know what I have come to know," he said.
Friends and colleagues travelled from Sydney for the ceremony
To face the challenges of the times, the New Evangelisation needed to be at the forefront and he explained that what he wanted to focus on, and to emphasise was the importance of drawing closer to Christ.
By centring our lives and hearts more on Christ we would be more attentive to His voice and become more aware of living our daily lives in union with Him, the Archbishop said and described this as "a universal call right across the entire Catholic world."
Born in Sydney, the eldest of two brothers and two sisters, Archbishop Julian was ordained a priest at St Mary's Cathedral on 7 September 1974 and for the next 39 years was an integral part of the Archdiocese of Sydney as a priest and since 2006, as Auxiliary Bishop.
However while he may have spent virtually all his life in Sydney, he says his links with Tasmania go back to the days when his great great grandfather arrived in Hobart in 1853.
Archibishop Julian's mother joined him at the mass
"He was 12 years old and came here with his mother and foster father who was a pensioner soldier accompanying convicts on their exile to Van Dieman's land," he says, insisting this gives him some grounds to call himself a "son of Tasmania who is now returning home."
A keen bushwalker and lover of nature and the outdoors, Archbishop Julian is no stranger to Tasmania and prior to his elevation to become Archbishop of Hobart had frequently visited to bush walk through the Island's spectacular wilderness or, as he did on one occasion, cycle the entire way around the Island.
Now settled in his new home, Archbishop Julian says he is keen to take the time to travel through Tasmania to talk to all those doing wonderful work in the Church's name including local priests and people working in health, education and welfare.
"I believe Tasmania has its own identity and spirit and I'm very much looking forward to embracing that," he says.
"Archbishop Julian's homily can be read here"
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
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